In the solitude of the night, she opens her door and steps out onto the snow-blanketed porch. The geese, her rowdiest neighbors, startle her with their cacophonous symphony, each desperately belting out its own tale of joys and sorrows, victories and tragedies. Each clamors to have its voice heard, striving to reach above the rest until they reach a deafening din. Meanwhile, the diva with the silken voice belts out a particularly moving line from the phone in her hand and, inspired by the commotion, she begins to sing along. For one fleeting instant, she forgets about the listening ears of neighbors or the unseen judges lurking in the dark. For a moment, she becomes one with the goose's rhapsody, raising her voice in solidarity. She is startled from her reverie by two voices, shouting from above. "Happy New Year!" Laughter accompanies them into their adjacent residence, as fireworks pop and crackle, splitting the night sky with their percussive contributions. She i...