Loud and loose women’s laughter annoys me no end. In terms of annoyance, it comes next to the uproar of screaming children. As luck would have it, I am sitting in the Bulldog Pub right next to seven women in their thirties and forties who laugh a great deal. In fact, they keep releasing earsplitting peals every few seconds. Apparently oblivious to everyone around them, they are having loads of fun all by themselves. The best I can do is get up and go my merry way. But I am puzzled by the annoyance I experience. Where does it come from? The only thing that comes to my mind is that women’s laughter is meant to annoy men. And especially loud and loose laughter. Even more, it is meant to challenge men, their supposed masters. Such laughter was rare even as I was growing up. Chances are that it was nigh unimaginable during most of history, let alone prehistory. Whence my annoyance, no doubt. By way of recompense, I am quite sure that the days of loud and loose women’s laughter are numbered. Chances are that it will be unimaginable in posthistory, as well. My last refuge.