Echoing guffaws

"Guffaw," like "gesture," is one of those words I've read many times in books but have never used in conversation. Since I moved to Jerusalem, though, I'm tempted to use just that word to describe the laughter of a neighbor across the courtyard.

The apartment is on the top floor of the building and I usually keep all the windows open to let in the breeze. In so doing, I also let in the surrounding city noises, but this man's guffawing is no noise. It's of the deep, rumbling, from-your-belly variety that echoes across the courtyard and probably throughout the whole Yemin Moshe neighborhood. There's a slightly malicious twang to it, verging on the cackle - but I've never heard of a villain who cackled so much, not even Gargamel. He guffaws during the day and during the night, no matter what the hour.

We have no idea what this man finds so amusing, but, like crickets after sunset. it's become rather reassuring to hear his resounding voice. When mingled with the area cats in throes of passion (see the post "Caterwauling in Rehovot"), the resulting cacaphony transcends any description I could offer.