What I Hear

I go through Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights almost every day of my life. I am on a bus or walking, either way I’m wearing headphones. If I am alone and in public, I am wearing headphones. The sounds around me are always being cancelled out and ignored. Simply strolling through Roosevelt Avenue, without any barriers from the world, I noticed the chaos around me. Chaos that has always been visually apparent, but now I could not escape from. The 7 train thunderously roars above me every ten minutes. All other noises are drowned out during this brief period. I hear several different languages being spoken, mostly Spanish. Cars are honking, they sound annoyed. I hear the hiss and beeping of the bus as it lowers itself for its elderly passengers. Someone is yelling about the business behind them; his voice is effortless and rehearsed. I hear the sizzling of meat as orders are being taken in Spanish. Right across from this cart a woman monotonously sells her batteries; “baterias, baterias, baterias” is repeated over and over again. Her short chant is unconvincing. Occasionally, one car will stand out from the rest. Rap will be blasting from their speakers and my attention is immediately grabbed, but it quickly fades away as they keep driving. After awhile, I decide it’s time to put my headphones back in. Sound adds to the commotion of Roosevelt Avenue and it is not something I can handle for long.