Slithernoggin City

One Day At Target

2011-06-26T14:40:00.003-05:00

I'd locked my bike up next to a parking spot. Done with my business, I went out to unlock my bike. The parking spot was empty, and while I was there a car pulled in.

An SUV comes roaring around from the next lane, and the woman at the wheel lets loose: "You fuckers! You assholes! I was fucking waiting for that fucking spot! Assholes! Fuck you!..." and on and on she went.

Now, it seems to me that a) if you are waiting for a parking spot, then you're sitting there in your car waiting for the spot, not driving down the next lane looking for a spot and b) if, after 45 seconds of you screaming vulgarities, those people are not vacating the spot for you, they're probably not going to.

As someone who likes to be helpful and friendly, I got on my bike and rode up to her window and made a helpful suggestion: "Jesus Christ, you stupid bitch, find another fucking parking spot."

Curiously, she took exception to my suggestion and turned her attention to me. "You fucking asshole! Fuck you! You're an asshole!"

I tried again: "Shit, bitch, not like you couldn't use the fucking exercise."

"You asshole! Fuck you! I'm 126 pounds! Fuck you!"

"Maybe your head is a 126 pounds, honey."

It seemed a fine time to bring the conversation to an end so I pedaled off and went home. I don't know if she ever found her fucking parking spot or not.

The Man The World Revolves Around

2011-05-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

I'm at the theatre. The phone rings.

Man on the phone: "This is Dale, I'm at Wrigley Field, dude, and it's thundering and lightening up here and it's my birthday and my birthday is ruined cause it's thundering and lightening so can I come trade in my tickets for the Cubs that I payed a lot of money for cause it's my birthday and then see your show?"

Me: "I'm sorry, no."

Him: "It's my birthday and it's ruined."

Me: "......"

Him: "So do I get a discount if I come to your show cause it's my birthday and it's ruined?"

Me: "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid not."

Him: "Dude, it's my fucking birthday and it's ruined. I come to see your show what benefit do I get since it's my birthday."

Me (that I want to say): "Dude, you get to see the fucking show. That's your fucking benefit."

Me (to him): "I'm sorry, we don't have any additional benefits to offer."

Him: "Jesus, Dude, you just don't fucking get that ---" At which point I hung up on his drunk ass.

For the record: I then went over and opened the office door to the street. It was not thundering nor was it "lightening." Nor was it raining.

Say Good Night, Gracie

2011-05-09T20:29:00.002-05:00

So there I was up on Devon Avenue for a meeting. That area of Devon has the city's densest concentration of Indian businesses.

I wanted to get something to eat before the meeting started so I popped into an Indian restaurant.

I was wearing my new glasses (that's them, in the picture over at the right).

When I walk in, the host -- a handsome Indian fellow in his early to mid twenties -- looks at me and says:

"The glasses -- nice! George Burns!"

George Burns? I'd be surprised to find a mid to early twenties American who knows George Burns.

(He went on to tell me he was a big fan of the Rat Pack and of fifties and sixties American television.)

Another Friendly Conversation

2011-05-04T19:26:00.002-05:00

So there I was, waiting, on my bike, for the light to change.

Woman walks up. Woman talks to me: "You fucking bicyclists, you're always in the fucking away! I fucking hate you goddamn bicyclists! Why don't you all get the fuck out of the way!"

"Ma'am," I say, "perhaps it would help the matter if you would kindly get your fucking fat ass out of the fucking bike lane and walk on the goddamn sidewalk like you fucking pedestrians are supposed to do!"

A Friendly Conversation

2011-04-30T23:22:00.003-05:00

There I was, riding my bike east on Lawrence Avenue, in the bike lane, just like I'm supposed to do. And this car starts to drift into the bike lane.

The passenger side window was down, so I said "Hey." Didn't yell. Just wanted to make a noise to let the driver know someone was there.

The driver, well, he looks over at me. And he says: "Fuck you."

Okay, fine. I say to him: "Fuck you."

This bothers him. He says to me: "Don't you fucking swear at me!" Yeah. Swearing at me is the best way to convince me not to swear at you.

I say to him: "Fuck you, you fuck."

This bother him. He responds: "I told you not to fucking swear at me!"

So I say to him: "Fuck you, you fucking fuck."

Him: "Goddamit I told you not to swear at me!!"

Me: "Fuck you, you fucking fuckwad."

Well, by this point I was getting bored with the conversation, so I rode off. I wonder if he ever figured out why his polite request was so rudely ignored.

At the library

2009-07-19T21:35:00.002-05:00

Customer: What time do you close?

Librarian: At 9.

Customer: 9 pm?

.....really? You need to confirm that a Chicago Public Library branch does NOT close at nine in the morning? Really? You're not willing to make that leap?

Overheard at Sidetrack, and gee, what a surprise

2009-07-19T21:34:00.000-05:00

Good evening! I'm drunk!

Overheard At Big Lots

2007-10-14T14:42:00.000-05:00

"But I know lots of guys with moustaches and they're not gay."

Overhear While Passing A Group Of Tough, Manly, Chaps-Wearing, Harness-Sporting Leathermen

2007-09-09T18:46:00.000-05:00

I was SO disappointed when American Movie Classics started showing Molly Ringwald movies!

The Wife Took The Roller Skates

2007-08-23T23:10:00.000-05:00

Thursday 23 August, approximately 7.40 am. Seen heading north on Michigan Avenue, near the Hancock:

A gentleman, in suit and tie, listening to his iPod. Skateboarding to work.

I Didn't Know She'd Bought Her Own Country

2007-08-22T18:22:00.000-05:00

A Chicago tour bus operator has the following on its brochure...

Enjoy Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods: Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown, and Harpo Studios.

What You Find Online...

2007-08-18T17:50:00.000-05:00

You know how one thing leads to another. You start out on one website and end up many websites away.

So I found myself checking out a very entertaining blog...though not entertaining in the way intended by the author.

My favorite part was when the author related he had cried tears...from his eyes. Apparently, he usually cries tears from elsewhere, and so felt it necessary to specify where his tears were coming from in this instance.

A Walk Down Halsted

2007-08-08T22:50:00.000-05:00

Sunday, I stopped in at the Brown Elephant. I decided that rather than ride my bike, I would walk my bike down Halsted to Sidetrack, where I planned to while away an hour or two enjoying showtunes.

The things you hear and see...

I passed three young queens, one of whom found it necessary as I approached to vigorously adjust his equipment. The queen in the middle said that was why she always wore a jockstrap. The third queen announced she was not wearing underwear: she was freeballing.

As I passed Halsted and Roscoe, there were several queens sitting outside Cocktail. One of them pointed at me... using a limp wrist to point with... and said something. I couldn't quite make it out. I was just tickled by the thought of someone so queeny they point with a limp wrist.

Methinks She Doth Protest Too Much

2007-08-07T20:05:00.001-05:00

Overheard at Sidetrack:

"People are always asking me why I have a Hummer, since my dick is NOT small."

Or, in other words, I'm so embarrassed by my tiny dick I have to tell everyone in earshot it's not small and I have a Hummer which is also huge, don't you know.

Because Bike Rider = Wine Enthusiast? Regional Expert? Drunkard?

2007-07-12T21:51:00.000-05:00

There I was, locking up my bike on Milwaukee Avenue for a visit to the Brown Elephant store.

A gentleman stops and asks me if I knew a store in the area that sold wine.

I apologized, telling him I wasn't familiar with the area and just wasn't familiar with stores in the area (aside from the Brown Elephant).

"Oh," he replied, laughing a bit, "I saw a guy on a bike and figured I'd ask!"

Thanks for the ... compliment?

2007-06-30T18:57:00.000-05:00

As I was leaving Delirium, one of the rides at Kings Island, a ride op approached.

"Has anyone ever told you," he asked, "that you look like Rocky Balboa?"

Perhaps it was the ice cold chill in my "No," or perhaps it was the look of dismay at being compared to a over the hill actor who looks like he's gone a few rounds in the ring that prompted him to say "But that's a good thing, really."

Sorry To Wake You

2007-06-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

I call my landlord. It's clear that I woke him up.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but that's okay, I was just thinking about refugee camps."

In Boystown? What A Surprise!

2007-06-03T13:01:00.000-05:00

Deep in the heart of Boystown, a woman and her young child step out of a restaurant. A storm had just passed through, the pavement still slick with rain, but now the sun was breaking through.

And the woman said, in a Barney-esque voice, "Raaiinnbooowwww! Raaiinnnbboowww! I feel a raaiinnnbboow coming on!"

Guessing Game

2007-05-15T23:03:00.000-05:00

So the phone rings at the theatre, guy wanting to order tickets.

How many, I inquire.

All of 'em, he says.

I'm sorry?

All of 'em. Unless you've got, like, 400.

I'm sorry?

Well, I've got a big house.

Um....it is difficult for me to determine the best available seats for your party if I don't have a general idea of how many people might be in your party.

Shit, you're gonna make me count....one...two...three...

....um, ten?

My Doctor Redeems Himself

2007-05-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

Several months ago I went to the doctor. He wanted to take some blood, run some tests, and since it was best that I not eat before the tests my appointment was for 7:30 in the morning. I went, he tested, and when he was done he made a suggestion.

"Since you're here, we may as well take a look at your prostate."

Which is how I came to find myself, at about 7:45 in the morning, bent over, pants around my knees, regretting my choice of underwear for the day. (What seems whimsically amusing when you think no one will see...)

This morning I was back at the doctor's office. My blood pressure was down -- not to where it should be, but down. The doctor went into his litany of denial: watch the salt, don't drink too much, avoid fast food, restaurants, especially Chinese restaurants.... "Doctor," I said, "you've pretty much taken away every single thing I eat."

"Well, wait," he says, "it's not all bad news. You can smoke marijuana. Don't smoke tobacco but I have no problem with responsibly using marijuana. And you can have sex, all the sex you want, with whoever you want -- just wear protection if you don't know them."

How can you not like a doctor who tells you to get high and get laid?

I wanted to ask for a prescription, though. Take that into the Walgreen's: "I'd like to get this filled -- generic is fine, thanks."

And how handy would that be in a bar? "You're cute. I need you to fill this prescription for me. Your place or mine?"?

Peculiar Pick-up Line: The Sequel

2007-04-28T20:23:00.000-05:00

There I was, standing in a bar, beer in hand, enjoying myself. A man approaches.

Him: "Hi."

Me: "Hello."

H: "How you doing?"

M: "Fine, yourself?"

H: "Fine."

Long pause.

H: "I'm wearing a jockstrap."

What Else Are They Expecting?

2007-04-28T20:13:00.000-05:00

I handed a woman the header card for her tickets and asked her to sign, and she held it up and said: "Sign this?" And I wanted to ask her what else she thought I might be asking her to sign. Her sleeve? The floor? A 27-page contract? On the one hand I understand that she was merely verifying what I had asked her to do; but on the other, since it was the only possible alternative, why ask?

It's something I have occasion to wonder about now and again. When we used to hand tickets out in envelopes, some folks would hold up the envelope and ask if their tickets were in it. What else would there possibly be in there? Hm, I've walked up to the box office, I've asked for the tickets I ordered, and they've handed me a small envelope. Why, it's about the size and shape of theater tickets. I wonder what's inside? Wait -- is it my tickets? I could open it up and see...no, I'd better ask first.

I could imagine them at McDonald's, placing their order, and when the bag of food was handed to them holding it up and asking if their food was inside.

It's In The Genes

2007-04-15T20:36:00.000-05:00

I recently attended a wedding, at which the bride wore an absolutely stunning wedding dress.

And that reminds me of this...

Many years ago, when I was in college, I was in a work study program to help defer the costs of my education. My boss, the college's graphic designer, announced one day that she was getting married. She had decided that there was one person in the world she wanted to design her wedding dress.

Me.

It seems that, in her mind, gay = fashion designer, and, since I liked boys, I met the essential qualification to design one of the most important dresses of her life. (I eventually declined.)

Now, that reminds me of this...

I was out one Halloween in Grand Rapids, when a saucy drag queen in not much of an outfit started talking to me. The drag queen obviously knew me, and I had no idea who she was.

At the time I worked at the Grand Rapids YMCA (not out of love for those less fortunate; rather, if you worked there you got free access to the Y's health club). As is my way, in slow periods I doodled, and usually doodled women in various outrageous outfits.

The drag queen in question was one of my co-workers, and he told me that one day he had come in for a shift after mine. He found one of my doodles, and was so entranced by what he saw that he immediately tossed his idea for a Halloween costume and instead was wearing the outfit I'd designed.

Always Go To The Source

2007-04-14T17:06:00.000-05:00

The phone rings at the theater.

"Are you in Chicago?" Yes, ma'am, right inside the theater even.

"Is it snowing there?" Not now. It was earlier, but it's stopped.

"Well, is my flight going to be cancelled?" Um, you might actually want to contact your airline with that question.

"Really?" Really.

Is The Librarian Creepy?

2007-04-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

I used to live near the Uptown branch of the Chicago Public Library and was in there every week or two. But back in 2005 I moved to Andersonville, and so started to patronize my new neighborhood branch, the Bazaznian branch.

One day I went to pick up a book I had ordered, and when I walked in the librarian walked away from the counter. I thought that was rather rude. Then she returned: holding the book I had ordered.

I expressed my surprise. She said she remembered me from the Uptown branch. My first thought was, wow, great memory, followed shortly by my second thought: they scan library cards. She had no reason to know my name, and that she remembered my name and face after two years....

Son Of Just Because I Know The Answer To My Question Doesn't Mean I Know The Answer To My Question,

2007-04-01T19:14:00.000-05:00

Man calls the theater. Tells me his son turns 5 in August, but they want tickets in April.

Man: "So, come on, tell me: how strict are they really?"

Me: "Well, they just don't allow children under 5 into the theater."

Man: "No, come on, really, how strict are they?"

Me: "Children under 5 are not allowed into the theater."

[Man seems to think that what we mean by 'children under 5 are not allowed in the theater' is 'if you ask enough times, we'll change our silly little minds and let any ol' child into the theater]

Man, exasperated: "You know, all I'm looking for here is a human answer."

Me: "Okay, well, the human answer is that the show is so loud, the hearing of children under 5 can be permanently damaged by the volume. Further, in the early years of Blue Man Group children under 5 were allowed into the show and all too often, such young children found the Blue Men to be not entertaining but terrifying. The parents then had to spend the bulk of the show in the lobby consoling a terrifed child."

Man: "Oh. Okay. Um. Okay, we'll just get four tickets for...."

It's In The Stars

2007-03-15T19:57:00.000-05:00

My horoscope today read: "You are like a tea kettle, right at that moment when it's about to boil and squeal with delight," which somehow sounds dirty to me.

Guessing Game

2007-03-04T16:08:00.000-06:00

Fellow comes up to the box office window, wants to pick up tickets.

"Last name?"

"It's either my last name or my wife's."

I wait for him to move on to what seems the next logical point of conversation: one of those names.

I try prompting him: "And....?"

"Yes?"

I give up: "Do you know what one of those names might be?"

Well... That Changes Everything

2007-03-04T01:52:00.000-06:00

Woman calls the theater. Woman wants tickets.

Me: "The best available seats will be on the left side of the main floor, in the 11th row."

Her: "The 11th row? Really? That's it? There's nothing better than that?"

Me: "These seats are in just the 11th row from the stage, you'll have an excel--"

Her: "The 11th row from the stage!?! Oh! Yes! Yes!"

Me: "???"

Her: "I thought you meant from the balcony!"

Why My Boss Does Not Measure Up

2007-03-02T20:49:00.000-06:00

It seems my immediate superior at work -- not the theatre, my other work -- has been exploring slithernoggin city and is dismayed to find that she cannot be found within the slithernoggin city limits.

I have considered this matter.

Unfortunately, she is not eligible for residency for several reasons. Unlike most residents of slithernoggin city, she...

-is able to reason.

-has never uttered the phrase, "I'm not from around here"

-can grasp concepts such as near, far, and scattered single seats.

No One Told Her Patience Is A Virtue, I Guess

2007-02-24T18:19:00.000-06:00

The phone rings at the theatre.

It's a woman, says she's calling from her cell phone. She wants the 800 number for Blue Man, which is, as it happens, 800 BLUE MAN. We're a clever bunch. She explains that she doesn't want to have to pay for the call to order tickets. It crosses my mind that, from a cell phone, she may not pay for the call, but she'll pay for the minutes. I decide not to mention that.

She calls back. She wants the numbers. Numbers, I ask? Numbers, she says. So that she doesn't have to look for them on her phone. The numbers that are used to spell BLUE MAN. It crosses my mind that she will have to look at the keypad when she is dialing, and, as the letters are conveniently arranged in alphabetical order, would it truly be that difficult to look at the letters? I decide not to mention that.

She calls back. This time, someone else in the box office got the pleasure of her call. She called the 800 number but does not wish to wait through that lengthy list of four cities for which one can buy Blue Man tickets. She would like to know which number to press for Chicago. We do not know. Since we who work in the box office live in Chicago, and know the direct phone number to the theater, we generally don't call the 800 number.

She calls back. And again, someone else gets the pleasure of her call. They also get the pleasure of spending 25 minutes on the phone with her. She is pleased to relate that her family gives her projects like this, ordering 9 tickets to Blue Man Group, because she is so good at such projects. The staff member she spoke with thinks it more likely that her family gives her such projects because it keeps her out of their hair.

Apparently, I Have A Nice Ass

2007-02-18T10:43:00.000-06:00

Bright and early Sunday morning, I go over to the neighborhood CVS drugstore from the theater. I need to get my morning Coca-Cola.

As I enter the building, from behind me a man says in a perfectly normal sounding tone:

"Hey. You have a nice ass."

I figure it must be a) someone from the theater or b) someone stumbling home drunk at 10.30 in the morning after staying out all night drinking. Curious, I turned around. Perfectly normal looking fellow, nicely-dressed. Smiled and went on his way.

It sure ain't true, my ass being not unlike two scoops of cottage cheese in appearance, jiggling like Jell-o, but it sure is a nice start to the day.

It's So Tasty, Too!

2007-02-15T16:02:00.000-06:00

Overheard at dinner, February 14, Brasserie Jo in downtown Chicago, the following exclamation by woman at next table:

"I've never had lobster bisque before that has lobster in it!"

Overhear at local restaurant in one of those awkward moments when the conversational buzz suddenly dies down

2007-02-12T00:29:00.000-06:00

"Did the vibration give you an orgasm?"

Just Because I Know The Answer To My Question Doesn't Mean I Know The Answer To My Question

2007-02-11T16:50:00.000-06:00

A caller calls.

"Yeah, my daughter is three. I know your policy is no one under five, so I wanted to call and see what your policy was on that."

Caller went on to say that if his daughter couldn't come, then the whole family would not be able to attend. He'll spend $59 to buy her a ticket, but can't afford a babysitter? I didn't realize babysitters were so expensive.

I Missed The Connection

2007-02-03T18:14:00.000-06:00

Saturday. Working at the theater. A woman calls. The woman orders tickets, four tickets, for her husband and their three grandchildren.

We have an exciting discussion about where her grandchildren would like to sit: she asks me where they would like to sit. I suggest that, inasmuch as they are her grandchildren, she probably knows them better than I do and would have a better idea of their preferences in such matters. She says they are 13-year olds. I am tempted to say that the restraining order prevents me from being too close to 13-year olds anymore, but instead suggest that inasmuch as they are her grandchildren, she probably knows them better than I do.

She want to know where her husband and the gaggle of grandkids should go for dinner. I note that there are literally a hundred restaurants within walking distance of the theatre; what kind of food do they like? She says they are 13-year olds. (Apparently -- in her world -- every last 13-year old likes the exact same foods, and only a theater box office employee knows what they are.) When I tell her that the last 13-year old I dined with fancied Ethiopian food, she suddenly realizes her grandkids like pizza.

The woman wants the tickets mailed....

The me: Tickets are held at the box office for pick up.
The woman: No. I am not driving all the way into the city just to pick up.
TM: No problem; what is the last name of the person who will be here to pick them up.
TW: [exasperated sigh] That won't work.
TM: I'm sorry?
TW: He doesn't drive.
TM: I'm sorry?
TW: My husband doesn't drive. We're retired.
TM: I'm sorry, I'm not sure I'm understanding the connection between driving and picking up tickets?
TW: He's retired. He doesn't drive.
TM: He is coming to the show, correct?
TW: Well, yes.
TM: Once he arrives at the theater, he just needs to stop at the box office to pick up the tickets.
TW: You are not listening. He doesn't DRIVE.

Eventually, she came to understand that her husband did not need to know how to drive to pick up tickets.

Damn, That's Where I Keep Mine, Too

2007-01-31T09:27:00.000-06:00

A theater out west has this printed right on their tickets"

NO STROLLERS. NO HANDGUNS.

The Stars Know

2007-01-18T09:56:00.000-06:00

My horoscope, Wednesday, 17 January:

"...you might meet someone unusual or bizarre, or view someone familiar who seems to be this way...keep your knees bent."

For a quick getaway, I guess.

I'm Not From Around Wherever It Is I Am

2007-01-13T09:21:00.000-06:00

One Sunday at the theater. Woman calls...

She: Are you on South Halsted or North Halsted?

Me: We're at 3133 North Halsted.

She: We're at 33rd Street and South Halsted. (Apparently the lack of a theatre at that location wasn't sufficient to convince her we weren' t there.)

Me: .....okay.

She: Which way do we go to get to the theater?

Me: If you're on South Halsted, and you need to get to North Halsted, I guess you'll want to go north.

She: Oh, okay -- towards the lake.

Me: I'm afraid not. Halsted doesn't run east and west, it runs north and south, um, towards Wisconsin.

She: Well, yeah, I meant downtown. (As if I were somehow the fool for not realizing lake = downtown.)

It Must Have Been Good To Make Such An Impression

2007-01-13T09:18:00.000-06:00

At the White Hen, around lunch time. Man and woman are looking at the assortment of deli sandwiches. The man says:

"I had this before, it is sooo good, I mean, really good, this one, here... er.... no, no, it was this one, it's so good, I loved it, I... no...no... no, this one. It was this one. It is sooo good!"

Me, I Like My Eggs At Room Temperature

2007-01-01T19:49:00.000-06:00

From the Good Housekeeping Cook Book, 1955 edition:

"If possible, buy eggs from a dealer who keeps eggs in refrigerated display cases."

We Had One Question

2006-12-30T15:32:00.000-06:00

As usual, Kitty and I went north for the Christmas holidays, and as usual, my mother "asked" us to go to church on Sunday with the folks.

We took our place in the pew, and took a look at the church bulletin. At the bottom of which it read:

Have A Mary Christmas!

A "Mary" Christmas? How did they know we were coming?

I Love A Bargain, But...

2006-12-26T23:04:00.000-06:00

Seen on a trip to Michigan for the holidays, at the side of a country road, next to the driveway: two Porta-Johns, with a "for sale" sign attached.

Are there really people driving those country roads with a burning need to buy Porta-Johns? And if you need to buy Porta-Johns, do you really want to buy used Porta-Johns?

If You Say So, Ma'am

2006-12-20T09:14:00.000-06:00

CVS Pharmacy, Clark at Halsted, Tuesday evening. Woman is buying a gallon of milk.

Cashier: "Would you like a bag?"

Customer, rolls eyes: "Uh, hello? I'm not retarded. So, no, I don't need a bag."

Cashier looks suprised at this outburst.

Customer points to handle on milk container: "See?! It has a handle! Duh!"

Astounding Grasp Of The Obvious

2006-12-17T18:54:00.000-06:00

Overheard from nearby cubes:

From two cubes away: "It's raining!"

From cube next door: "Outside?"

(Cube next door was immediately mocked for such a silly question. Cube next door made a lame attempt to cover by explaining she wasn't sure whether the person in the other cube was commenting on the weather, or singing the classic song by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer.)

Note To The Man On Halsted Street

2006-12-16T15:32:00.000-06:00

Walking to work at the theatre, I saw a young, muscular man walking in my direction. Dressed in workout clothes, his jacket unzipped to show off the tank top stretched across his firm muscular torso; he was obviously headed to the gym up the street.

And as he passed by, I wanted to say to him: "Generally people don't wear so much cologne to go work out."

What Happened At Macy's On State Street

2006-12-16T15:24:00.000-06:00

I was enjoying a day of shopping and people-watching in downtown Chicago. At one point, I was sitting near the food court on the lower level of the State Street Macy's store.

A panhandler came up. "Can I have fifty cents for coffee?"

"No."

He tried again: "Can I have a dollar?" (Because of course I'll be willing to hand over twice as much as I wouldn't give him initially.)

He paused, and tried again: "Maybe we could go out sometime, hang out, you know, kick back?"

Who Knew?

2006-11-28T22:09:00.000-06:00

I've been looking for the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Collection Volume 2 set of DVDs, for Matthew.

Shopzilla.com suggests that if I'm interested in Astaire and Rogers I might also be interested in...

Let Me Die a Woman (DVD)

Uncut, Transgendered Edition
Description: This hilarious and horrifying documentary on transsexuals includes actual surgical footage of the operations and close-up looks at the results, inside and out. Not for the faint of heart.

The Sounds of the Holiday Season

2006-11-19T22:06:00.000-06:00

Friday 17 November, within a block of Marsh.... Macy's State Street:

Christmas carols playing in the stores.

Cashier to customer: "Happy holidays!"

Pedestrian to pedestrian: "Have a happy Thanksgiving."

Oddly dressed woman to person(s) unknown: "I'm gonna fuck shit up your fucking ass!"

Word from the Next Cube

2006-11-15T11:01:00.000-06:00

"I was there when the placenta started coming!"

Awkward Conversation

2006-11-12T20:05:00.000-06:00

At a party one fine Saturday night, a young man stepped out of the bathroom, and seeing an empty spot next to me, took it. A handsome young man, his tight white t-shirt showing off his muscular torso to best advantage.

This young man decided, for some reason, that the ideal conversational opener would be:

"I just had an orgasm! [He nodded his head towards the bathroom.] I haven't had one in like two months since my doctor put me on anti-depressants."

Let's see now, what have you told me that would be among the things I don't want to learn about someone within the first ten seconds of meeting them:

-You're clinically depressed.
-You're on antidepressants.
-You generally have no sex drive.
-You just had an orgasm.

I wasn't even sure what to say.

Thank you for coming sprang to mind, of course, but I didn't say it.

Did He Leave His Wife At Home?

2006-11-11T16:49:00.000-06:00

Customer came to the theater window to buy a ticket.

Customer did not want a seat in the poncho section, where patrons wear plastic ponchos to protect their clothing.

Why?

"I am on a business trip, and I cannot wash my clothes."

Imagine This

2006-11-11T16:47:00.000-06:00

That Maya Angelou was recently reading "Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers.

That Maya Angelou decided she simply must dress like that dapper British nanny. Exactly like her.

Then you will know what I saw at the CVS Pharmacy near Union Station recently, right down to the umbrella.

This Guy Really Had A Screw Loose

2006-11-11T16:39:00.002-06:00

Walgreen's, near Sears Tower. 9 November, late in the afternoon.

Man goes up to Maxine, one of the cashiers.

(Maxine has no eyebrows, and so pencils them in each morning. And she always looks like someone startled her as she applied her left eyebrow, for it starts near her nose, quite normally, but then wanders off upwards into her hairline.)

Man purchases six-piece tool kit. Maxine offers a bag. Man declines, exclaiming "I only need this!"

He rips the clamshell packaging apart and extracts the screwdriver, and leaves.

I'm Not From Around Here, But I Can Puzzle It Out

2006-11-04T10:20:00.000-06:00

Caller: "We're at Michigan and Wabash, where's the theater?"

Me: "You're about five miles south of the theater."

Caller: "So..... we need to go.... um..................................five miles..................................north?"

Truth in Advertising

2006-11-04T10:19:00.000-06:00

Union Station, Friday, 3 November. Panhandler asks for money:

"Five bucks, wanna fuck a whore."

The Food's Not That Bad

2006-10-25T22:02:00.000-05:00

Outside the Subway restaurant, on Broadway, just south of West Sheridan.

Young man stops right outside the door. Gets on knees. Begins to pray.

Concierges: Living In Their Own World

2006-10-01T00:38:00.000-05:00

I took a call this morning at the box office from a hotel concierge, around 9.30 am.

"What time," she asked, "are your phones turned on?"

"9 am," I replied.

She laughed her little concierge laugh. "I'm sorry, I though they were turned on at 10."

I wanted to ask why she had called if she thought no one would answer the phone.

No, actually, I wanted to ask why she had wasted valuable time that I could have spent making fun of a fellow box office employee, the muscular Barbra- and Madonna-loving bartender I chatted with the night before, or whatever member of management was out of the room at the moment; time that I had to waste talking to a woman who had dialed a call with no expectation of talking to anyone.

Guess What? I'm Not From Around Here

2006-10-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

Box office, Saturday morning, 30th September...

Caller: "I'd like to buy tickets for the show, for Saturday October 14."

Me: "At 4, 7, or 10?"

Caller: "We're coming in from Grand Rapids."

Me: ...waits patiently for caller to expand upon statement.

No such luck. Apparently, the fact that they are coming in from Grand Rapids should have been all I needed to figure what time they wanted to see the show.

"I'm sorry, the show for people from Grand Rapids is already sold out on that day. We still have seats for the people from Grand Rapids show on the following Saturday, though."

I'm Still Not From Around Here

2006-09-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

Conversation with box office patron, by phone:

Patron: "Are there little busses that go to your theater?"

Me: "Ah, there are several public transit busses that service the area...I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean by little busses."

P: "Well, I'm not from around here."

M: "Ah.....:

P: "We're going to be at Navy Pier [which she pronounced as if very carefully enunciating a foreign language out of a guidebook]. Are you far away?"

M: "The theater is about five miles north of downtown Chicago."

P: "How far are you from the Magnificent Mile?"

M: "That's downtown, and the theater is about five miles north of downtown."

P: "Oh, so you're by University of Chicago."

M: "Well, the University is south of downtown. The theater is north of downtown."

Heard On The Street

2006-09-09T14:40:00.000-05:00

9 September, Balmoral and Lakewood. Woman pushing stroller, while her perhaps five year old daughter walks alongside.

Mother to daughter: "And my vagina says you're not."

Why Computers Are Not Always Smart...

2006-09-08T22:22:00.000-05:00

I have just received an email from Hyatt Hotels. Based on the information I provided (with an eye toward getting a graphic design gig with the company), they say, I am qualified for the position of Manager, Quality Assurance. The job involves...

"management, analysis and reporting results of Guest and Meeting Planner satisfaction surveys, including vendor management, contract/pricing management, communication (written, verbal and formal presentations) and partnership with the corporate stakeholders (Operations, F&B, Marketing, Sales, Development, HR/Compensation, etc.)"

It looks like English. Doesn't make much sense. Partnership with corporate stakeholders?

Primary vendor contact and management associated with special proprietary projects appended to these studies

Sure. I'm all about special proprietary projects appended to studies.

Responsible for relationship-building with corporate stakeholders and hotels

Those stakeholders again. Who are these people?

Responsible for traveling and conducting work sessions with individual properties to

I'm all for traveling. I wish they hadn't left off the last part of that second sentence, though.

A Day At The Box Office

2006-09-03T20:48:00.000-05:00

Woman cuts in line at window.

Woman leans in.

Woman says: "We ordered our tickets with American Express. We don't have to wait in line, do we?"

Sadly, "we" did.

Look For Me On Project Runway

2006-08-31T21:16:00.000-05:00

Not one, but two people at work today told me I was dressed drably, and not up to my usual standards. As my boss put it: "Jeans? A polo? K-Swiss sneakers? Where are the great clothes?"

Which means one of two things, I think.

I am incredibly stylish.

Or the people I work with are so incredibly not stylish, that I seem to GQ material by comparison.

Give Me An S!

2006-08-31T21:07:00.000-05:00

I was at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium recently, in the company of some dear friends from Michigan and their (as it turned out) adorable children. We made our way to the elevators that take guests down to the Wild Reef exhibit.

There was a woman there, we'll just say an older woman, a Shedd employee.

Was she enticing guests to visit the Wild Reef with charming patter, or a winning spiel?

No.

What she was doing was this: she was (almost) yelling "Sharks! Sharks! Sharks"

She would occasionally mix things up by adding "S! H! A! R! K! S!"

Where's My Geritol?

2006-08-19T23:04:00.000-05:00

Late summer, 2000. Around 10 o'clock in the evening.

I stand at the corner of Broadway and Montrose, waiting to cross the street.

Someone calls out, "Ooooh, daddy." It's obvious from the tone that the young man calling this out has seen someone he would like gain conjugal knowledge of.

I look around, to see the young man, and to see who he might be referring to.

I see a young, muscular man, shirtless, glistening with sweat.

I see no one else.

I realize he was referring to me.

I realize that the young, muscular, shirtless, and it appeared, non-underwear wearing, hung, young man, who is smiling at me, was referring to me.

I realize he just called me "Daddy."

I feel old. I appreciate the obvious compliment... but... daddy?

A Brief Update About The Airline

2006-08-19T00:43:00.000-05:00

A letter arrived yesterday, addressed to me, from that airline I loath.

I opened the envelope. I pulled out the letter.

Dear Ms Yvonne Cole*, it began.

I can't figure out if Ms Cole had the same complaint that I did, or if they are just utterly inept.

*Name changed.

News From The Cube Next Door

2006-08-19T00:37:00.000-05:00

Friday, 18 August.

Woman in next cube over is on a lengthy personal phone call.

(This may be due to the fact that she left her Blackberry -- given her by the company, that her clients may call or email her at any time, and she can respond immediately -- at home. Because she uses it as an alarm clock, which means she puts it under her pillow, which means that it's not in her purse, which means that she doesn't think of it when she leaves in the morning.)

Woman in next cube tells her friend on the phone -- and thus tells the entire office -- that all of her log-ons and passwords -- work, banking, shopping -- are exactly the same, as she can barely remember the one set of log-ons and passwords. Why, she'd be lost if she had different ones for different sites.

I consider pointing out to her that announcing such information to the entire office is, perhaps, not wise.

I decide not to.

Step On A Crack

2006-08-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

Friday, 18 August. Adams Street, between Clinton and the river.

Mother and child strolling down the street.

Child is enthusiastically stomping on each crack in the sidewalk, yelling with great delight "I broke your back! I broke your back!"

Why I Loath That Airline, What I Learned About Warts, And Other Things From My Voyage To Virginia

2006-08-13T17:55:00.000-05:00

I recently flew to Virgina for an extended weekend.

Last year, when I flew to Virigina, the airline made such a muddle of the flight (I don't want to refer to them by name, so I'll make up a clever fake name to use... um... ah! Untied Airlines!) that they sent me a $100 voucher good against another flight. I figured, one flight, $100 voucher, my out of pocket expense will be minimal.

So I logged on Untied's website. Turns out you can't use such vouchers online. You have to call. So I call. Turns out you have to pay a $15 fee when you phone Untied, they'd really like you to book online. At the time, I was tired, it was late, I just wanted to book the flight, so I said nothing.

Later, though, I emailed Untied and expressed my disappointment that they would require me to book by phone and then penalize me for "choosing" to book by phone.

In response, they told me that, had I booked online, I could have avoided the fee.

In response, I told them that I would much rather have booked online, as I don't particularly enjoy talking to Untied employees; sadly, their own rules prevented me from doing so.

In response, they told me that, had I booked online, I could have avoided the fee.

In response, I expressed my concern that perhaps they were not actually reading my email, and if that were the case, I would prefer they simply ignore me altogether, rather than respond with foolish advice.

I have not heard from them since.

The flight took off just two hours after the scheduled departure time, something of an accomplishment for my Untied friends, and I was certainly better off than a young lady on my flight. She had booked an 8 am flight to Denver, which had been cancelled. She was on an early afternoon flight to Baltimore, to get on a flight from Baltimore to Denver, as that was the only way Untied could see to get her where she was going.

The flight itself was uneventful, and the delightfully warm weather in Maryland was most welcome. I caught the Metro bus to the Metro Green line station. I took my seat on the train, and, as it turns out, a young lady and her parents were seated close by.

Her first topic of conversation was warts. Specifically, hers. On her left hand. And how her doctor couldn't get rid of them. And it cost her $3o a visit. And her old doctor could get rid of warts, but she wasn't on the plan. This topic of conversation lasted through the first four stops the train made.

From there, she moved on to summer, and how it makes people stink, and how much she hates that. This consumed several more stops.

By the time the train arrived at the L'Enfant station, I was more than happy to grab my bags and go.

My first stop on my little vacation was the Arlington home of: Kim and Rich, two dear old friends from my days in Michigan; and a new friend, Jared. I spent several delightful days in the company of these fellows, enjoying delicious home-cooked meals, a visit to the National Portrait Gallery, and much beer.

From Arlington, the four of us motored through the lovely Virginia countryside to Arlington, where my sweetie Matthew was appearing in the Shenandoah University Summer Theatre production of "The Wizard of Oz" as the Scarecrow.

We enjoyed several delightful meals, and a disappointing one at the Triangle Diner, where Winchester's own Patsy Cline once worked as a waitress. Matthew and I had dined there in 2005; but this time, things were different. We especially enjoyed the show; Matthew was great, and the woman playing the Witch was wonderful, too.

The Virginia boys left on Sunday to return home. Matthew and I left on Monday, bound for Chicago and our own bed. Our plan was to stop at a hotel in Maumee, Ohio. The room was paid for with a coupon I'd gotten, good for a night's stay, after the awful time I'd had checking out at one of their hotels in 2005.

(What had happened was, the rate I'd booked online had not been put into the file the hotel had for my reservation. Which is fine, things happen. What made me angry was how unpleasant the staff was when I checked out: the old guy working complained about "You people" -- it seems he hates how we people think we can get things for free. And the young lady called me a liar, to my face. Subsequent conversations with the hotel's general manager led to the acknowledgement that I was right and they were wrong.)

You can imagine my concern, upon arriving at the hotel around 11.15 pm, to find that one of the two on-duty staff members had locked herself out of the hotel. She finally had to pound on a window, summoning one of the housekeeping staff to let her in.

The next day, many hours, many dollars of gas, and several thrift store stops later, we arrived back at Balmoral Avenue in Chicago, happy to be home.

Seen in the Subway

2006-08-08T19:11:00.000-05:00

3 August, approximately 5pm. The L'enfant Plaza Metro station, Washington DC, waiting for the Orange Line train to Clarendon.

Panhandler approaches, asks for fifty cents. As is my custom, I pretend to be deaf and blind and unable to acknowledge existence of panhandler. Also, this was the very subway station in which I threw up, on a previous visit, due to overindulgence in alcohol, and I was trying to see if I could remember exactly where I hurled.

Panhandler moves on. Several feet away, he asks a man for fifty cents. Man digs in pocket, proffers quarter.

Panhandler is annoyed. "No. I need fifty cents. I don't need no quarter. I need fifty cents."

Man extends quarter, perhaps feeling that panhandler is simply politely protesting his generosity.

Panhander continues: "No, I need fifty cents! I know you're gay! But I need fifty cents!"

(Based on the yamulke and the copy of a Chaim Potok novel in his hand, I'd have pegged him for observably Jewish rather than observably gay, but whatever.)

Man returns quarter to pocket. Panhandler walks off.

Bitter, Party Of One...

2006-08-08T19:02:00.000-05:00

Arlington, Virginia, around 8 in the morning. Friday, 4 August.

My hosts still asleep, I decided to shower, dress, and stroll down Kirkwood to the Giant grocery store. My morning Coca-Cola and the Friday New York Times in hand, I queued up in the express lane. Which is where I saw Bitter Bruce, the Crabby Cashier.

Bruce had struck a pose, one hip thrust forward. What few hairs remain atop his head were each brushed in very precise lines towards the back of his head. Bruce did not look at anyone, whether he was talking to them or not.

The customer being checked out, a gentleman in (expensive) casual clothes, made a comment about it being "casual Friday."

"Oh." said Bruce. The bitterness in that 'oh' was palpable. "Yeah. I remember casual Friday. THAT was a whole OTHER lifetime."

It's So Big

2006-07-29T22:49:00.000-05:00

At the theater, Saturday, 29 July.

Selling tickets to woman on phone. Our conversation up to this point had quickly revealed that this young lady was not a clever lass.

Says I: "And the credit card number, please."

Says she: "............................um............................is that the big one?"

Seen On The Street

2006-07-27T23:54:00.000-05:00

Chicago and Milwaukee, around 7 in the morning.

A man, walking down the street.

With a 12-pack of Budweiser.

Balanced on his head.

Look, Up In The Corner!

2006-07-26T20:19:00.000-05:00

Yes, check out that lovely photo of me. It was taken at Wizard World, the big comic book con held each year out in Rosemont, many years ago.

Courtesy of a friend of mine, who made superhero costumes not only as a hobby, but for DC Comics and Alex Ross, among other clients, I am dressed as Tempest. (I had to wear a dance belt in that get-up. Never again.)

Anyway, the creator of Tempest*, an openly gay artist working for DC, was at the convention, and my friend made sure we stopped by the DC booth. He introduced us and the artist politely complimented me on what fun it was to see his creation come to life.

Fast forward to the next day. There I am, dressed in normal clothes, standing in the men's room... well, doing what one does when one is standing in the men's room. When all of a sudden there's a voice over my left shoulder: "You looked really hot yesterday in the costume."

I turned my head. It was all I could turn. I was busy.

Yes. It was the artist.

It was an awkward moment. I couldn't really turn to face him, but I felt I had to respond. Two things occured to at almost the same moment: artist would not approach someone who looked really hot dressed as his creation in the bathroom unless he wanted a little somethin'-somethin', if you know what I mean. And artist didn't seem to have much common sense. If you're gonna approach someone in the men's room, wait until their hands are free.

(This reminds me of another awkward moment involving gay men. Many, many years ago, back in Grand Rapids, I was at the cast party for Blood Brothers, starring a perennial favorite of mine, Petula Clark. I was busily cruising an attractive young chorus boy, we were engaged in witty conversation, when all of a sudden he says, "Oh, I want you to meet somone." He grabbed me by the elbow and spun me around, and there was Petula Clark. Understand this: I LOVE Petula Clark. "Petula," he says, "this is one of our presenters." Pet looks me up. Pet looks me down. Pet says: "Where's dessert." Not even a question. Pet wanted dessert. "Um," I cleverly responded, "I think they're bringing it out now." Not only did I blow the one chance in my life to impress Petula Clark with my wit and charm, I didn't get the chorus boy either.)

*Fellow comic geeks: Yes, I know Tempest was a revamp of Aqualad. I didn't want to confuse the non-fans.

There Must Be An Easier Way To Say Excuse Me

2006-07-16T10:57:00.000-05:00

A (very) north side bar, shortly after midnight. Waiting for the crowd to move a bit so that I could get through.

There's a tap on my right cheek. You know, down there. I ignore the tap.

Then there's another, and then one more. Partly to see who it is who's a-tapping on my ass, and partly to prevent them from doing it again, I turn around.

The fellow behind me very carefully, with two fingers of his right hand, touched his forehead. His abdomen. His left shoulder. And his right shoulder.

And then he nodded, and walked away and out of the bar.

My First Week On The Job

2006-07-15T09:27:00.000-05:00

I have completed my first week of working for Ticketmaster. I have learned many things.

I have learned how to reclass seats to conform venue capacity to a show's requested onsale.

I have learned that it's vital that one's listop and secpoc match.

I have learned to linka.

And I have learned that, as a Ticketmaster employee, I am not allowed to buy tickets from Ticketmaster*....

(*Sure, I can order tickets through the executive secretary, but that doesn't mean I'll get tickets. If I buy tickets online or by phone, well, it seems Ticketmaster runs all orders against their employee database. Matches get no tickets.)

Gay Men Shopping

2006-07-13T00:09:00.000-05:00

Jewel, at Broadway and Berwyn, 12 July, about 10 in the evening. At that hour, Jewel has locked one set of the entrance doors.

Two overly gay men approach the locked doors. They try to enter. The doors do not open. They push on the doors. The doors are locked. They attempt to enter through the exit. One of the fellows reads the sign: "Do not enter."

They come to the next set of exit doors. Same fellow reads the sign: "Do not enter."

The other fellow speaks up. "They are NOT making this very convenient!"

Sign reader responds. "Well..... this isn't a convenience store!"

I Thought He Was Talking To Me

2006-07-07T14:39:00.001-05:00

My aunt's kitchen. The third of July. My friend Mark and I are standing at the counter. My uncle looks in our direction and says, "So, what're you doing for the Fourth, Sissy?"

As my uncle had never before been overtly homophobic, I was taken aback and left at a loss for words.

My aunt... his sister.... spoke up from where she was standing, right behind me: "We're just going to the parade is all."

One Man, One Vote

2006-07-06T17:45:00.000-05:00

Seen at the Fourth of July parade in Whitehall, Michigan.

A pick-up truck in the parade, with a sign on each side announcing that the float carried the Whitehall City Council.

With one man riding in the truck.

Waiting at the Uptown Post Office

2006-07-01T11:29:00.000-05:00

Which was, as always, a lengthy wait. I am certain that the training at the Uptown branch includes a day on delay, as Uptown has by far the slowest-moving employees around.

A young man and woman approached the window with a paper shopping bag of items to mail. Once the bag was emptied, the woman carefully placed the bag over her head, and stood there silently for a few moments.

A Good Plan Goes Awry

2006-06-25T11:40:00.000-05:00

Man arrives at box office to pick up his tickets. Per policy, I ask for ID. He hands me a credit card, on which he has written in the signature space: "Ask for ID." I did. He gave me another credit card, on which, in the signature space he had written: "Ask for ID." I did. He gave me a third card. Guess what it had written on it?

Man whose every last credit card said "Ask for ID" does not carry ID.

People Will Talk

2006-06-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

Chicago's 2006 Pride Parade. I'm standing behind two young gay men, waiting to be let into the theater to work. A man in a kilt passes by.

The one fellow says to the other: "You don't wear anything under a kilt. No. That's the traditional Irish way. Oh, if I wore a kilt... what if I dropped my coconut?"

Woman approaches theater doors. Tugs on one. Door is locked. Tugs on another. Door is locked. Reads the sign listing hours. Pulls out cell phone, calls someone. "They don't open for half an hour." Hangs up. Tugs on same two doors again. Hm. Still locked.

Where Do I Sign Up For That Raffle?

2006-06-22T14:27:00.000-05:00

Seen at my local library branch, as part of a display promoting their summer reading program for children:

WEEKLY RAFFLE WINERS

What's New At The Chicago Public Library

2006-06-18T10:09:00.000-05:00

Bored, I went to the Chicago Public Library website and did a search of their catalog for my favorite singer, Dolly Parton. Much to my surprise, they had a number of her albums, including several that have never been made available on CD (I'll admit, usually for good reason).

I was delighted to see the CPL had a copy of "The Great Pretender" in its collection: a mid-80s album Dolly did covering songs she liked. One of my favorite songs is Petula Clark's classic "Downtown," and Dolly does it. So I ordered the LP. I can copy it to CD and enjoy Dolly doing "Downtown" whenever I like.

I went to my local branch and checked out some books, and the librarian (unlike most CPL librarians, he was young, attractive and male) told me I had something to pick up. He got it. It was the Dolly album.

I asked if I could come back and get it, as I was riding a bike and the bag I had was not big enough to hold a record album.

"Oh!" He exclaimed. "Do you know what I would do?"

Um, no. What?

"This!" Whereupon he placed the album carefully atop his head, spread his arms out, and took a stroll behind the desk.

Oh. Okay.

A Diva Detour

2006-06-16T08:33:00.000-05:00

First: I was flipping channels the other day and when I came to C-SPAN, I stopped cold. I was looking at Cher.

Cher. A call-in show guest.

On C-SPAN.

Ater checking the window to see if frogs were falling from the sky like rain, I watched as Cher discussed her support for Operation Helmet.

Cher. On C-SPAN.

Second:

Barbra Streisand is being sued.

Why? Because the last time she went on a farewell tour, a number of people bought very expensive tickets for their last chance ever to see Babs perform live. Now that she's launching another farewell tour, they're (understanbly) miffed.

Here we've been mocking Cher for her Neverending Farewell Tour, and here she's just been a savvy diva, avoiding lawsuits down the road.

Detour ends.

More Fun With The TSA

2006-06-13T22:17:00.000-05:00

Having successfully met the challenge of disinterested TSA employees carefully reading from prepared, and dreadfully dull, scripts, I went in for the required physical.

Now, I've been told by more than one doctor that I have high blood pressure, and I also have white coat induced high blood pressure. That is, my slightly high blood pressure skyrockets when I go to the doctor.

So: the nurse takes my blood pressure. 140 over 100. She's disturbed. Some time later, the doctor takes my blood pressure. 160 over 110. She's terribly concerned. Aside from that white coat induced HBP, I couldn't help but think that my experiences during the physical -- for example, when the nurse shut me in a booth for a hearing test and forgot that I was there -- made a significant contribution to that horribly high reading. The doctor thought not.

It should be noted that medical professionals saying, "Now, relax," as they strap that cuff around your arm for the fourth time and once again inflate it 'til it's so tight your fingers tingle, are not contributing to a relaxed state of mind.

Now I have medication. Three different pills to take each morning.

I realize the warning was placed on the label to reassure the consumer, but when I read a reminder about how my doctor prescribed the medication because the threat to my health is greather than the effects of the side effects, well, it doesn't exactly make me feel at ease.

When I read the potential side effects (dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, slurred speech, uncontrollable vomiting -- oh, and/or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, weakness, less urine, more urine, dark urine, yellow face, yellow eyes... to name a few) I'm left wondering about how worthwhile these drugs are.

A Momentary Temptation

2006-06-07T21:29:00.000-05:00

I was at the Village Thrift today, the one on Clark Street near where I live.

(Unfamiliar with the Village Thrift? They're a chain of thrift stores. The stuff is cheap. The stores all smell bad.)

They play music with occasional announcements. Today, one of the announcements announced that the Village is hiring, full-time, benefits, just ask!

I seriously considered it, for about 2.7 seconds. Just think, dibs on the cool stuff that comes in... maybe an employee discount (Sure, a pair of jeans for five bucks is a great deal. But five bucks, 10% off? Better deal.)

Then reality reared its head. I don't speak the language, for one. I would end up smelling like the Village Thrift (see above).

At which point, I happened to look up. A woman nearby had decided to try on a skirt. This woman had dropped her pants and was shimmying into the skirt when I looked up, allowing me, and all the other folks around, the chance to take in her too-small panties in their valiant struggle to contain her posterior.

Fun With The TSA

2006-06-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Last summer, when I was looking for work, I was meandering around a federal goverment website. Which allowed one to put in one's qualifications and the system would find the perfect job(s) for one. So I put in my qualifications.

According to the system, I was well-qualified to be a Transportation Security Administration screener.

I wasn't clear on how "Demonstrated abilities in QuarkXPress and other design software" made one qualified to wear a white, short-sleeved shirt and ask people to remove their shoes, but, who was I to argue with the United States government? So I applied.

Some time later, I was asked to go in for a three-hour test. I did.

Mostly, they showed x-rays and you had to find the knifes, scissors, pointy-things and other dangerous items. I was there for an hour and fifteen minutes; I would have left when I was done, but I spent 15 minutes wondering if I should leave or not.

Some time later, I learned I had passed the test and could now take my e86 on-line assessment. How exciting was that? And they were very helpful: the email had four pdf attachments. The first one told you how to open the website. (I wondered about that. If you don't know how to open a website, how would you know how to open a pdf?)

Some considerable time later, I was called to schedule an interview/assessment near Midway Airport. Which is how I came to be riding my bike west on Archer on 1 June to the assessment center.

First, I met with Tim. Tim's job was to administer the visual test. (You line colored dots up in a row, lightest to darkest. Just to make things interesting, I flipped two of the dots. I still passed.)

Then, I talked to Shakita. Shakita's husband works by the theater, so we talked alot about that.

Then I waited.

And waited.

Then I talked to Mike. Mike was kinda cute. Mike looked at a laptop for a long time and then we got to take my fingerprints, using the inkless digital fingerprint scanner. This was fun. Mike had to manipulate each of my fingers across the scanner, and in order to do facilitate him doing so, I had to stand right behind Mike, brushing up against his backside...

Then I got to wait some more.

For entertainment, I listened in on one of the other applicants. (I was later told she had been in almost daily. She doesn't know how to use a computer, so one of the TSA folks had to sit with her and type her answers into the computer.) She knows her mother's date of birth, but not her father's date of birth. I know this, because she announced it, loudly, 17 times. In a row.

I was waiting for the manager to return. I had passed each of their seemingly low requirements and was now qualified to proceed to a conditional offer of employment (but, they urged, don't quit your job or relocate for the job!), once the manager returned.

Once he returned, it turned out he had been the head of security at the John Hancock building, when I worked there in the most nightmarish job I've ever had. We chatted, he signed off, and I had successfully completed my assessment session.

So watch out. I may be screening your luggage. Remove your shoes, please.

I'm Not From Around Here: A Variation

2006-05-26T15:14:00.000-05:00

One fine day at the theater...

Caller: "I'd like to get some tickets."

Me: "For what day and time?"

Caller: "I'm from Canada."

Me: "....................."

Caller: "Is that a problem?"

Seen On The Street

2006-05-25T17:59:00.000-05:00

Thursday, 25 May

Outside a Walgreen's, near 51st and Cottage Grove.

As I unlock my bike, elderly woman approaches and speaks:

"You! You! Young man! I know you know! I know! You know French and Greek and German and Spanish and all that! And you won't share it with me! You won't! C'mon seagulls!"

To Serve and Protect

2006-05-24T12:28:00.000-05:00

So there I was one fine summer afternoon, sitting outside Moody's Pub (a North Side institution with great burgers, great onion rings, good sangria, and a great patio on which one can while away lazy summer evenings with great friends).

In the distance, I could hear the wail of the sirens on an approaching police car. Sure enough, a police car, lights flashing, came sailing up Broadway, zipping around cars.

Right in front of Moody's, the police car made a U-turn, coming to a stop right in front of Moody's! Naturally, I was a bit alarmed.

One of the officers got out of the car, and ambled... yes, ambled would be the word... into Moody's, cup in hand. He emerged a few minutes later with a cup full of something cool to drink, got back in the car, and off went the police officers, leisurely driving back in the direction they'd come.

Was It Something I Did?

2006-05-18T09:05:00.000-05:00

A Tuesday afternoon, in a Taco Fresco restaurant near downtown Chicago. I was wearing an orange polo shirt with a little Mickey Mouse on the chest, a Mickey Mouse hat (by coincedence! I grabbed a hat as I left the house that morning) and jeans, and was carrying a small green man purse.

A young man in a sweathshirt and shorts looks at me, says "Hi."

I replied, "Hi."

He said, "Chess player?"

I replied, "Huh?"

He said, "Chess player?"

I said, "No."

(What I would like to know is, what, from my appearance, led him to the conclusion I was a chess player? Do chess players fancy Mickey Mouse? Do they wear orange shirts?)

First Day On The Job

2006-05-16T22:58:00.000-05:00

Today was my first day on the job as a bicycle messenger. Being my first day, I had to go through orientation. (I was a little bemused by the notion of having to receive several hours of orientation. You get something from here, you take it there, you fill out the paperwork. How complicated is it?)

I was a little afraid. I was sure that I would be undergoing orientation at the hands of some shaved-head, multiply-pierced, repeatedly-tattooed youngster.

Nope. His name, Tom. He's 57. He's a very nice man, full of sage advice. Before we got started on our day in the Loop, he gave me some pointers. Always wear a helmet, always ride in the direction of traffic, never ride on the sidewalk. The bike cops, he said, were always eager to write tickets, even more so if they knew you were a bike messenger.

Having said that, he proceeded to not put on his helmet, and then we rode against traffic over to Canal Street, where we rode on the sidewalk up to Sears Tower.

Cher-ing is Caring

2006-05-15T20:10:00.000-05:00

Many years ago, when I was in grade school, I had a friend who lived down the block in a stately brick home.

We were big fans of the Sonny and Cher Show, the popular variety show. One fine summer day, we decided we wanted to play Sonny and Cher Show, but quickly ran into a roadblock:

Neither of us wanted to be Sonny.

After a bit of discussion, we hit upon a satisfactory solution, and so whiled away part of the afternoon playing the Cher and Cher Alike Show.

Did I Ask?

2006-05-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

Jewel, North Broadway, on Mother's Day.

Cashier has chosen to add a large note to her nametag:

"Please do not feel sorry for me that I do not celebrate Mother's Day. Because I don't."

Um... thanks for sharing....

Seen on the Street, in Leather

2006-05-14T17:22:00.001-05:00

Seen recently, in Andersonville. Two leathermen. Muscular, confident, proud. These two fine specimens of the modern leatherman were out walking their dog.

Their dog is a petite poodle, on a pink leash, named Fifi.

Seen several years ago, Halsted Market Days. A different pair of muscular leathermen, walking down the street. One had a (leather) backpack. The other fellow turns to the backpack-toter and says, "I need to get my bottle of water out of the backpack."

What makes this story sad is that the voice that issued forth from that muscular leatherman was, well.... nelly. As in fey. As in by comparison, Paul Lynde was butch.

Are you a hot, muscular man thinking of going out and about clad in black leather? Please, take a moment to look around. Are any of your dog's accessories pink? Could you play Charles Nelson Reilly in a movie? Do you immediately know what I mean when I ask, "Does anyone still wear a hat?"

If you answer yes to any of these questions, please put the leather clothes back in the closet.

A Surprise At The Desk

2006-05-07T23:19:00.000-05:00

I went to the doctor a few years back. Insurance red tape being what it is, I dutifully give my actual first name when making an appointment, rather than my middle name. (As a junior, I go by my middle name and let pops enjoy the first name.)

And so the receptionist called out, "Duane?"

I ambled up to the desk and said "hi." And the receptionist looked at me with a look of absolute amazement on her face.

"But... ah... "

"Yes?" I asked.

"Well... you're not black!"

I apologized. What else could I do?

Talk Sex With Sue

2006-05-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

Do you have cable? Have you ever seen "Talk Sex With Sue?" It's on one of the women's channels, Oxygen, Lifetime, I don't know which. Sue's a lovely grandmotherly woman who talks about sex in a very direct way. Very direct.

While we were in Orlando we rode the safari attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom: you ride in "trucks" through the attraction, driven by guides.

Our guide looked just like Sue from "Talk Sex." And guess what her name was?

I kept expecting her to pull a dildo out of her bag.

Third Time's The Charm

2006-05-06T01:16:00.000-05:00

See, I didn't learn to drive until I was in my mid-twenties. (What finally cured me of my non-driving was a train ride to Philadelphia, PA. That is one long state to traverse by train.) Calling on various friends, I received a thorough course in driving.

The day came to go for my driving test. I was nervous. No, I was very nervous. I was, in fact, so nervous that the woman who gave the test had to do something she said she rarely got to do.

What I had to do, she said, was go practice driving faster.

Taking her words to heart, I exceeded the speed limit all the way home. (My dear friend Annie let me drive her car (with her in it, of course!) to the Secretary of State and back, not to mention the grocery store, out to eat, and anywhere else we were going.)

A few weeks later we returned to the SOS office. I went up to the counter and announced my arrival for my driving test. I was directed to the woman administering tests that day, who looked at me from across the counter and asked me how the hell was she supposed to know where my car was.

Impressed by her pleasant demeanor I spun on my heel and walked out to the car.

Some time later, when she found me in the parking lot (I helpfully pointed out that "This is where the hell the car is"), she gave me a series of directions, delivered in a foul tone which made me think even less of her.

I'll confess. By the time the car actually started moving, I was well over this woman. I'd had it. I seriously considered cutting the test off halfway through, returning to the parking lot, and going into the SOS office for a discussion with the office manager. Instead, I amused myself making sure that every left turn we made slammed into her into the door.

I didn't pass that test, either.

I did, however, pass the third time, with flying colors.

(Aside to Mark: as noted, this was in my early twenties. I've matured in the ten years since then.)

(Second aside to Mark: yeah, and the same to you.)