What I Hear

For my sound walk, I decided to stop by a nearby park in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. This park brings back so many memories as it was like a second home to me while growing up. As a child, my parents would always bring me to play on the swing sets and slides. In middle school and high school, the park was a popular hang-out destination for me and my friends while we sat on the benches and talked about our day. When I grew older I stopped visiting the park, but I would pass by the park on my way to work every week.
As I walk around the perimeter of the park where the fences separate the busy streets from the inside of the park, I can hear the cars and buses drive down the block with a few honks here and there. As I enter the park and walk towards the center to the garden, the atmosphere and sounds change instantly from the chaotic sounds of the street to the serene sounds of the birds chirping and crackling sounds of the branches as the wind blows against the trees. I walked away from the garden and towards the swing sets and play station. It was a warm, sunny spring afternoon. The keynotes or background sounds include older men laughing and chuckling with each other as they play cards on the park tables. I hear squeaking noises as children swing up and down again. I hear the sounds of scooters and bicycles rolling against the cement floors. A child riding a bike seems to enjoy the sound of the bell on his bicycle. Ding, ding, ding as he zooms by. Children are laughing and screaming each others’ names as they run after one another. Parents are conversing with each other on the benches and calling their children's names when they wander too far off. I hear a familiar tune or sound signal coming from afar and I instantly know that it is the sound of the ice-cream truck calling for children to run towards it. I am reminded of my younger self dragging my parents by the hand to the ice-cream truck. Although I have stopped going to this park since entering college, the sounds are still all so familiar to me and reminds me of the memories I’ve had here while growing up.