Morning Noise
I wake up around 5 am to the whirring fan, the hum of the AC — or both, depending on how hot the night has been. I quietly step into the hall, careful not to wake anyone, only to be greeted by the buzz of the air purifier. The sound of the air purifier fades into the background as soon as I turn on the AC or the fan in the hall.
I head to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. The kitchen feels quieter until I put on the kettle. The kettle's hiss quickly fills the room. I move back to the hall, coffee in hand, and start reading. Bliss seems just around the corner as I get engrossed in my book and my ears begin to settle into the ambient noise. With impeccable timing, my older son's piercing call breaks through, "Papiiiiiiiii! I want to WAKEY WAKEY!" This sound does not bother me at all, at least for now.
It's exclusive father-son bonding time, full of Q&A about my son's latest curiosities and negotiations about how much milk he'll drink and which fruit he wants to eat. This goes on until my wife wakes up or the nanny arrives.
Then, I step out to go to the gym. I have to walk past three parks to get to my community gym. The parks are filled with trees, and sunlight is just managing to pierce through all the surrounding buildings, as dogs and their owners go on walks. I hear a bird in the background as an eagle soars past. I feel blessed to be surrounded by nature, and I feel lucky to have so many birds around. This gratitude is fleeting. A car honks, a bike zips by, and I walk past security guards talking loudly on their phones, probably just to keep awake as it's time for their night shift to end. I am reminded that I am very much in an urban setting.
I step into the gym with music blasting on the television. I put on my earphones to listen to music of my choice and to avoid overhearing other members talking to each other or the coach.
I get back to a home filled with music being played on Alexa. I bid my older son and wife goodbye as they leave for school and the office, respectively. Once they are out of the house, I ask Alexa to stop. I’d prefer silence, but I settle for the low hum of the purifier and the AC. A reminder that I live in a hot, polluted city.
City Soundtrack
My walk to the metro, though short, is along a main road — the traffic noise does not disappoint. If the Delhi Metro is not noisy enough, there are enough travellers who think it’s perfectly fine not to use earphones, so the entire bogie can enjoy their reels and videos too.
The co-working space I work out of is no quieter. The hum of the AC is drowned out by loud phone calls and bursts of cheering from people playing pool, table tennis, and foosball.
Evening Chaos
I return home to find my sons full of energy, just as I feel completely drained. Their collective and loud scream, "Papiiiiiiiiiiiii!" makes me smile. My wife also returns after a long day of work. As a certified extrovert, she wants to talk and exchange updates. The next couple of hours are filled with conversations, updates, shouts, tantrums, and music. By 9:15 pm, I finally manage to answer all the last-minute questions my older son has, and convince him that it's time for him to close his eyes. Even he feels tired — and finally falls asleep.
I look up at the whirring fan or the humming AC. Sometimes both.
All I want now is to listen to silence — if only for a moment.