As Night Falls...A Soundscape

I am sitting in the living room, lit by a single light bulb, listening to the sounds of night in the courtyard outside. There are a few air conditioners humming on other balconies. There is the ticking of the clock on the kitchen wall. There is the sound of a car driving by. There is a sliding door opening. There is a child somewhere talking excitedly in a language I do not recognize. I walk outside and stand for a while, leaning against the rail. I hear the clang of the gate at the far end of the complex, then the staccato click of high heels on concrete. Again, the sound of a sliding door zipping shut, followed by the crash of a screen door bouncing on an aluminum frame. The distant highway sounds like a river, rising and falling with a quiet rush. A caged bird sings somewhere. The sky is sliding into a deep blue, stars, a mere handful of them, sparkling overhead. Yet another car, closer, in the parking lot, pulling in, door opening and closing, the chirp of an alarm. A male voice talking urgently, a female voice, quieter and calmer answering. He is seeking something and she is guiding him toward it. Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T