Max Found Two Sticks

On a day when Max doesn't feel like talking to anyone, a strong breeze shakes two heavy twigs to the ground in front of his brownstone home. Picking them up, the young African-American boy begins to beat out a rhythm that imitates the sound of pigeons startled into flight. Soon he is tapping out the beat of everything around him — rain against the windows, the chiming of church bells, and the thundering sound of a train on its tracks. He responds to questions by drumming on various objects, including a bucket, hat boxes, and garbage cans, echoing the city sounds around him. Max's quiet introspection turns into an exuberant celebration of the world around him.