It
was a cool spring night as I was walking uptown listening to the sounds of this
great city. Cars were heard speeding by, sirens blaring, music blasting, and
the incessant chatter of people. At times, the texture of sounds is rough and
cacophonous. There are too many different sounds that do not blend together.
The sound of a young child complaining mixed with a dog barking vigorously is
not pleasing to the ear.
As
a native of New York, these sounds are natural to the ear. Being that I was
actually paying mind to every sound I can see how noisy the city of New York
must appear to outsiders. People walking past me made noise with the
pitter-patter of their feet. Women with heels seem to walk with authority at
any hour of the night. The occasional pedestrian appeared to have had their
earphones a little too loud. It made me think as to when I could be guilty of
damaging my own eardrums on my daily commute.
Being
that it was late at night, during my walk I heard keys jingle as people entered
their apartment buildings. The gates of closing stores being put down jangled
in the night. People entering bodegas with the bell clanging notifying the
clerk that someone has entered their store. The train below me could be heard
in the night through the various vents that I passed during my walk. Overall,
New York City is extremely noisy but somehow there is beauty in it all.
