What I Hear

The sound walk assignment was a challenge in self-control for me. I had no difficulty disconnecting from technology and just walking, the problem was that when I have time to myself and I can listen to the world around me, I end up humming. So I ventured outside for my walk worried that I would end up listening only to my own thoughts and the sound of my own voice. The first sound I encountered was in fact humming but it was my grandfather’s as he went back into the house. The sounds that are most prominent in my friendly little Bronx neighborhood are those of cars passing by, the hiss of busses stopping and the chirping birds. A few of the cars hard the windows down or were really blasting the music so I could hear the songs playing briefly. There was a pretty consistent wind that I could hear as well as feel whooshing against me, rustling the leaves, flapping the flags in front of the more patriotic homes, and the jingling of a number of wind chimes. Dogs barked in some distant yards and people strolled by talking into their phones.

I heard a few ambulances go by, I was surprised I didn’t hear more since I live by a few hospitals. There was the soft scratching of brooms against pavement as some of my neighbors swept the sidewalk and the chatting of a few people standing outside apartment buildings in the area. When I passed one of the buildings a little girl was shouting “hi” down to all the people walking by which was sweet and was a good end to the sound walk.