Soundwalk Blog#2

Stopping and listening bring out the individual sounds and keynotes that are unique to Bensonhurst. The cacophony of everyday noise makes it hard to pick out a specific texture or sound at first.

The D train that connects the Chinatowns of New York passes through the neighborhood. The train roars in to the overhead station every few minutes but it does not seem to interrupt anyone’s conversations. The most distinct verbal sounds are loud Chinese, Russian, and English, with Chinese being the most prominent. It is spoken by elderly and middle-aged women shopping and haggling over prices, and teenagers walking out of cafes and tea gardens.

The shops on 86^th street contribute significantly to the clutter of sounds as much as their patrons do.  One is guaranteed to be startled at least once by sudden croaks from cheap plastic frog toys and yipping robot dogs in front of 99 cent stores. By the supermarkets, one can hear the rustling of plastic bags as customers grab for fruit, and the occasional dull thud of an orange falling out of a fruit stand. The incoherent shouts of the big homeless lady mark the biggest supermarket on the street. She yells at everyone coming out of the store but it isn’t clear to anyone if she is just complaining or begging for money.

These sounds don’t change much throughout the day—at night the D train can still be heard from a distance, although less frequently, and the sounds of children playing get a little louder as they enjoy the freedom of an emptier street. This chaotic neighborhood symphony is the expected, and does not deviate much from it.