Shh

This morning, walking up Sansome, I was in the middle of a pack of people. Some popping out of BART, some waiting for their robot-poured lattes, others walking briskly - with jackets, backpacks, earpods.

Despite the omnidirectional traffic, crowded sidewalks, filled streets and morning vendors, despite the sense of rush and hurry, there wasn’t any noise.

Nobody was talking into their phone. Nobody was screaming to get my attention. Nobody has selling fruit or breakfast donuts.

I stopped and stood for a few minutes. It took about 30 seconds for me to hear something other than the worn-out brakes of Lyfts moving down the street.