Chicago may not be the best city in the world. Or, to you, maybe it is. Either way, it is a city, and it is the one that I have lived by and called "my city" for the majority of my life. Granted, I live in the suburbs, but it's still "my" city. I own it. I'm okay with that fact. :-)
Ok not really. Actually, I don't often have a chance to get into the city with the way my schedule works, so I cherish moments when I do get to play "city-lite" . . . like last night. Initially, though, I cursed the city. They implemented these new Payboxes which means that you have to give half of your checking account in order to park for 20 minutes. YAY Chicago. However, I needed to be somewhere at 5, and that somewhere happened to be smack dab in the middle of the loop just south of the river. Silly me, I actually tried finding a parking spot on Clark before 5pm. Totally a horrid miscalculation on my part. Oh, don't get me wrong, you can park there, there are payboxes (needless to say therefore I was initially excited because I thought I had cheated the system and found a paybox!). However, it is a 100% tow zone before 6pm. Damn! 1 hour short. I actually tried putting my flashers on and running into the building trying to cheat "death by towing" part 2, and I got as far as the elevators before I realized that that was a horrifically bad idea. Ever been towed in the city? NOT FUN!!! It's $150 of pure "you took my car to what neighborhood?" or "Ok . . . WHERE exactly on lower Wacker?". I lived through that 4 years ago and have absolutely no intention of intentionally reliving that awesome-ness.
Therefore, I moved my car. Where exactly you wonder? AAAAALLL the way down to Roosevelt and Wabash, by the Columbia College, where there is one tiny little strip of paybox parking that actually is useable prior to 6pm. Still, $7.50 for three hours isn't bad, but it's not terribly cheap either, so I walked my way back up the 15-20 blocks to the building I was supposed to be in in the first place. I got in a workout AND kept a little more cash in my back account! Win-win!
On the way back to my car, just a little past Roosevelt College, I slowed my pace and allowed myself the joy of taking in my surroundings. People around me walked briskly with scarves and caps. Buildings suddenly looked more welcoming in the late night sun of early March (and by late night I really mean 5:45pm . . . which is "late" given the past few months!). Cars and cabs zipped by me, and I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of peace and enjoyment. I am truly a city girl at heart, and my walk back to my car reminded my how much I love the chaotic peacefulness of the city. If that makes perfect sense to you, then you are a city person too. If that doesn't, I understand. Either way, mishaps and all, last nights adventure was refreshing. Now. . . if I could just refresh my bank account . . . . :-)
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