The Hush

In the town where I grew up, everyone went out onto their porch each night to hum. Some people kept their eyes closed; others waved and did little dances. The children all joined in. A local legend claims we learned to do this from the crickets and frogs, and that we continued doing it because like them we wanted each other to know that nobody is alone. As a teenager I thought it all was terribly embarrassing. But then I went away for school, and I no longer heard the humming. Now whenever I hear the insects, I miss home.