I haven’t been able to think straight for very long since late this morning. I just get a good string of thoughts underway and —

BOOM! VRRROOOM! BOOM!

It took a few leaps out of my chair to realize it sounded like practice for the air show, which used to drive me crazy all week when I worked downtown and torment me noisily on the weekend.

I thought moving north had stopped the trouble, and I was delighted to be free of the painful noises last year.

VRRRRROOOOOOM!

But somebody didn’t get the memo about the surging cases of the virus and the need for Chicagoans to wear masks in large groups, so one of the least necessary, most crowded, most distracting gatherings is back.

The Blue Angels, the most tormenting …

VRRRRROOOM!

I said the most tormenting noisemakers in the lot, are apparently the stars of the show. Today is what I used to know (and dread) as dress-rehearsal day, when even going down to the basement of the Art Institute didn’t protect my ears. I’m hearing repeated jet noises about as often as I’m

BOOM! VRRRRROOOM!

as often as I’m writing them into these paragraphs. Tell me again: Why do we need this? From hospital patients to nursing-home residents to their families who will face extra traffic getting to them, there is enough stress in most people’s world that we don’t need noise on top of it.

As for it bringing money into the city, Madam Mayor, think of this: I would go out shopping this afternoon and go to the bank, but I don’t want to fight the noise. It’s as bad now as when I lived much farther south, closer to the “action.” From neighbors to museum visitors, I could count on at least one person during air show week asking me “Are we under attack?”

A jumper was killed by landing on a roof several years ago, and the show was only slightly delayed. I could barely believe it when the TV news clip I saw referred to the show being canceled during the pandemic. Has anybody really thought it’s over?

We’ve lost a war, a police officer was killed in the line of duty, and masks are required again as other states run out of intensive-care beds.

But hey, why cancel the show?, city officials ask.

VROOOM!