Dear Dr. Boli: What is the sound of silence? —Sincerely, Rufus M. Trainwhistle, President, Consolidated Slide-Whistle & Kazoo Manufacturing Co.

Dear Sir: Dr. Boli, distrusting the assertions of third parties, decided to undertake the research on this important topic himself. Closing the great sliding doors that seal off his front parlor, he sat still in the big leather armchair, controlling his breathing, and listened. By this unimpeachable experimental method, he determined that the sound of silence is “Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.” This goes on until the top of the hour, at which point there is an appalling racket.