On Thursday I attended the "silents please" screening of some silent films for my history of Avant Garde class. While waiting for the program to begin I took the time to connect with the sounds of the auditorium in the library. This is what I came up with:
There were plastic candy wrappers crumbling and soda cans popping intermittently. (There were free snacks at the event). Water bottles caps were being twisted on an off as water was dripping into people's mouths. As they held the water bottles in their hands I hear the plastic crushing beneath their fingers. There was sipping, swallowing, and various quick rhythms of chewing...some chews were more loud than others. People were fidgeting with their plastic mechanical pencils causing light "clicks." Occasional cough, soft whispers, deep sounds of mumbling were heard throughout the auditorium, and some voices vibrated and echoed against the walls. As people shifted in their seats, their clothes rustled as they adjusted and readjusted themselves. The seats squeaked ever so quietly. Faint piano music was playing cheerfully as the feature film's DVD was projected. The door opened and closed several times as more people entered the room, and I heard a woman's feet squishing in her sandals as she slowly walked step by step down the stairs on the carpeted floor. I also heard the unpleasant sound of fingernails scratching skin. Then there was a man with a French accent that stood up and introduced the film. The screening was actually not silent at all.
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