"Knock Three Times" if you don't know me.

An interesting thing occurred to me the other day when the doorbell rang, and pandemonium ensued: If someone knocks at your door, or rings the bell, it means they are uninvited.

I'll elaborate. There was a time in our lives, when you would go over to a friend's house, knock on the door, and then ask for what you wanted (Usually to hangout or borrow something). In fact, most of the time the door bell, or even house phone rang, We would get excited. Who could it be, a friend looking for fun? The fact was, it could be anyone, welcomed or not. The solicitor could still call or knock on your door, but you would still run to the phone or door to see who it was. Now, at least in my household, this is so not the case.

When the phone rings at my house, I don't even bother to look at the caller ID; I know it isn't for me, and more than likely my parents aren't even interested in whoever is calling. When the doorbell rings, a few things happen: The four family dogs go crazy. They bark uncontrollably, and run between windows frantically. All the while, at least a few family members will cower away, or feign ignorance that someone is even at the door. The remaining members of the family will try to herd the dogs away from the door, while suspiciously asking eachother who the hell could be out there, and what the hell they could possible want.

My family hasn't become more reclusive through the years, there is a simple reason for the change- Cell phones. If you are invited to someone's house now, you will follow strict protocol: Text in advance to tell them when you are coming over; having arrived, call them to let them know you are there (unless given previous instructions to "just walk in"), have the door opened for you, or be given aforementioned "just walk in" instructions.

The point is that noone that is welcome comes unannounced anymore. Why would they? It is so easy to communicate now, that it is far more adventagious to call or text ahead, so that noone is taken unawares, and you don't waste a trip to someone's house when they aren't home, or are busy masturbating.

With our friends calling ahead of time, there is hardly any news that can come to your front door unannounced that is good news (excluding deliveries, which are so easy to track you could schedule your entire day around when they are due to arrive). No, they are likely selling something; asking you to sign something, vote for something, join something, pray for something; or they are a disgruntled neighbor coming to complain about how shitty of a neighbor you no doubt are. Whatever the case, the sound that once triggered an endorphone rush, now triggers me to peek out the window as ask myself: "Who the fuck is out there, and what do they want?"