Satisfying Sounds

The crinkle of the wrapper on a new pack of gum
The swift, successful carving of a stack of papers on a papercutter
Shrieking, excited kids outside my window after the last bell of the day
The whooshing sound my iPhone makes when a message is sent
Likewise, the double vibrate when I receive a message
Rhythmic stapling of hundreds of handouts while I wait (no paper jam)
The silence in my classroom when all are deep in thought, answering an open-ended
question about the latest novel they are reading–you can almost hear them thinking
Likewise, ANY time students are discussing literature
Reid playing guitar and singing in the office with confidence and conviction–it also
means he’s home
A shrill whistle that starts a race
The squirting of a Windex bottle on a dirty window, then rubbing the window with a
paper towel until it squeaks
The tinkling and cracking sound bamboo makes when the wind is really blowing
Ice dropping into a glass followed by the fizz of bubbly seltzer
Izzy softly snoring in her hidey-hole bed (she demands attention even while she sleeps)
The low hum of air escaping a vent, the dishwasher at night, the refrigerator during the day when I’m home alone–all these sounds are strangely comforting
The soft knock of someone who doesn’t want to startle you
The last sound a door makes as it’s quietly closed
Tapping of rain on a metal roof while I read
When the one I’m looking for finally answers the phone