After an opportunely cancelled class, I decided to roam the streets of the Upper East Side and focus on the sounds of the city. I put my headphones away, I put my phone away and tried to solely focus my attention on what I heard.
I remember hearing the harsh sound my heavy boots made as they hit the pavement. Then my attention was focused on the tourist Israeli family who were running across the street. Their luggage wheels making a very irritating scratching sound as it hit the sidewalk. The parents speaking with phlegmy vowels, urging their children to hurry up.
I heard a plethora of beeping, and sirens and car engines but I tried to focus away from the typical city sounds. I continued to walk down the street and heard a woman loudly cursing on the phone, and another older woman giving her a dirty look as she listened in to the conversation. I heard the harsh wind blowing in and out of the busy streets. It was loud and quiet at the same time. The honking and speeding made harsh sounds but at the same time I heard a pigeon’s wings flap and a girl’s chewing gum make a soft pop.
To stop and listen is to close your eyes and focus on the noise. The city’s distinct rhythm is one to be cherished.
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