Peace and Quiet for the Rich?

Apparently one of the nicest things about being rich is that you can remove yourself "far from the madding crowd" and steer clear of the Great Unwashed.

When we take a weekend drive through a ritzy neighborhood we're in awe of the majestic homes, not to mention the beauty and tranquility of the vast expanse of lawns and well-manicured gardens. Seemingly the payoff for the rich for having accumulated all that cash translates into withdrawal from the world into a Utopian space of infinite peace and quiet.

Or so you would think, right? But not so. All those fine homes and grounds and gardens have to be maintained, don't they? Go back to that same upscale neighborhood on a week day and you'll see the very opposite. There's an invasion of the Great Unwashed, numbered in the hundreds. And if you think all these people are quiet, think twice. Here's a list of all those needed to maintain these magnificent homes.

Contractors:  Electricians, plumbers, air conditioning guys, swimming pool techs, tree trimmers, the cable company, appliance repairmen, painters, roofers, stone masons, and the noon-time lunch wagons that show up every day to feed this small army.

Vendors:  The events planners, party rental deliveries, florists, hair dressers, pharmacy deliveries, massage therapists, UPS and FedEx drops offs, bottled-water deliveries, dog groomers - and personal shoppers arriving with all their latest discoveries.

House staff:  Nannies, Personal Assistants, Secretaries, Chauffeurs, Housekeepers, Laundry Techs, Housemen, Chefs and their assistants, and the ever-present ubiquitous Butler.

Plus rich people are always remodeling something, it's just what they do. So add this construction noise to all the chores of the groundskeepers and you've got trouble. From Monday through Friday in these elegant supposedly-tranquil neighborhoods there's this constant roar and din of noise from all the lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, jack hammers, nail guns, drills and bench saws. Not to mention the incidental noise of all the vehicles and trucks coming and going. Usually this nerve-wracking drone slows down around four or five in the afternoon.

In most of these neighborhoods there's either a Gentlemen's Agreement or an outright rule from the Neighborhood Association that forbids lawnmowers, leaf blowers and other noisy activities on Saturdays and Sunday. So at least two days a week rich people can at least pretend they're isolated in their ivory towers, far removed from the madding crowd.

But rule of thumb, the more you have the more that must be maintained, right? From my point of view, having money does not translate into peace and quiet - not in any shape, form or fashion.  

Thanks for dropping in,

Andrew