Whatever the reason for it, I can't stand the sound of a shrieking child clattering up and down the aisles/hallways. I understand there are reasons for shrieking that aren't necessarily because they're a "bad kid", but that doesn't keep the sound from annoying me. A shrieking child obviously needs some kind of attention, and since I'm not its parent, I'm in no position to stop it. That makes it even more annoying, knowing I just have to put up with it and wait for it to stop. It's like a construction crew jackhammering at 7:00 a.m. on my day off.
I'll be the curmudgeon with the closed door and iPod plugged in my ears.
Edited because there's no way to write that without making it sound like I hate kids, which is far from the truth. I hate
noise. Noisy adults annoy me just as much, if not more.