With only a month left before I had to leave this big city and move back into my parents house, the list of stuff I wanted to do before I left was getting longer and longer. And so every weekend I made sure to cross things off this list, whether it be finishing the Alias series with Seema, going to Navy Pier, spending money at stores like Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters; two stores I already window shopped at every day on my commute to work, as well as writing poetry in the park, going to that restaurant that had rave reviews, seeing my North Park friends once again while eating true Chicago style pizza one more time.
I don't think it stopped raining that whole last month. I got good use out of my yellow rain jacket. The cold & wet days made me relieved I was leaving soon, but forlorn at the same time that I didn't know what I was going to do after I left.
Once again, I started making a list in my head:
*Graduate from college, step one. I would attend the ceremony of course, but more so out of obligation and a sense of tangible acheivement. Most of my close friends had graduated the year before, as I was a 5th-year-Senior, so I didn't have many last goodbyes to say once I went back to Iowa.
*Find a job, step two. I had been applying to various social work jobs in Des Moines, IA since that was somewhat close to my family (and my boyfriend), and since one of my good friends currently lived in Des Moines. I had gotten a couple leads at this point, but nothing set in stone.
*Decide on a living arrangement, step three. I had proposed moving into an apartment with my boyfriend & another good friend of mine, so it wouldn't upset my parents too much that I would be living with a boy. What actually happened, well, that's a different story.
But now...now was the time to forget my troubles and have fun in this city that was no longer so strange to me.
The last week of our internship, Seema and I had off. We didn't have to work, our classes already had their finals, and we were bound and determined to enjoy the rainiest days. In fact, on one of these rainy days we decided to go puddle jumping. Like two little kids we put on our raincoats and golashes and jumped in every puddle within a 10 block radius of our apartment. We made fools of ourselves while the yuppies watched from the third floor windows of their million dollar townhouses. We walked and jumped until we reached Lake Michigan; and then we ran to the water's edge and stood, waiting for the next big wave in the freezing water to crash down on us. Then we mustered up enough energy to jog home in our soggy jeans, 10 pounds heavier once wet, and took hot showers and made cocoa.
That was one of the best, craziest, and most memorable days I've ever experienced.
And then it became time to pack and make moving arrangements. My parents were brave and moved me out of the "Windy City" just as they had moved me in. I remember how fast we had to move to get everything in their trunk within 15 minutes, since a cop had already told them they were in a "no-parking zone".
And as my dad navigated the crazy Chicago traffic I held onto the stuffed dog my boyfriend had gotten me for Christmas and stared out the windows. I stared at the apartment building that took all my tuition money. I stared at the streets I walked on for five months. I stared at all the stores and restaurants and houses and buildings that became my very own neighborhood for awhile.
I had to chuckle to myself at my nostalgia. It's funny; the things I never thought I would miss became everyday familiarites that I had gotten used to. Like the homeless man in a wheelchair that would yell at me everytime I left the grocery store. Or going to the pharmacy across the street every day to buy batteries for my discman-the acoustic version of "Jagged Little Pill" had become the soundtrack to my life while I lived in that city. I was bitter, I was sleep deprived, and I loved every minute of it. Because it made me stronger in the end. Like a husband that gets used to his wife's snoring....that's how I felt about Chicago. It was loud and annoying...but it became my home for awhile. And despite my better instincts, in the end I had grown to love this not so shy, very big town.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
"Shy-Town" Part 4: Visitors & Pulaski Day
It was about the third month that I spent in Chicago where my homesickness was undeniable. Luckily I had a couple things to look forward to; number one was a visit from my best high school friend for St. Patricks Day. We drank green beer and appletini's and shopped and had a slumber party just like old times.
But the ever so important holiday before that was Pulaski Day! Unbeknownst to me, this was a Polish Holiday celebrated in Illinois, which meant I actually got a couple days off from my internship and my classes. And I celebrated by hosting my boyfriend from out of state.
He had never been to the big city before, so he was a bit harried when he arrived in his little red sports car and black duster jacket. Like something out of a bad romance novel, he embodied my tantric desires right there as he stepped out of the car and welcomed me into his arms, parked on one of the busiest streets in the Gold Coast. I offered him upstairs to the 14th floor, to get some refreshments and meet the roomates. After which, we quickly headed up to North Park, where a couple mutual friends of ours lived and went to graduate school.
That first night was kind of a reunion for all of us. Even though I had been in the area for a few months now, I hadn't even seen my best girl friend, due to her disapproval of my new relationship. Luckily, the disapproval didn't seem to last long, but it made that first night somewhat awkward.
But soon enough we all fell back into our normal group dynamic that we had when we were all going to college together in Iowa. We laughed, shared stories, and remembered why we were such good friends. In fact, if it wasn't for this North Park couple, I would've never met the man I fell in love with.
And as a new couple, lucky in love we were. We could barely keep our hands off each other in those days. Looking back, our public display of affection at that time was almost embarrassing.
Later that night we went to a nearby club, and were definately kept an eye on by the bartender. Of course, we didn't do anything too inappropriate, but I'm sure we weren't the first couple to be monitored in a dimly lit place called "Funk".
After a couple hours nuzzling one another, we headed back to my apartment. I had never witnessed my roomates staying up so late, even on a weekend! Those good Christian girls were bound and determined to make their presence known, so of course, I couldn't get any that night.
The next day we slept in and I showed my beau around town. My surprise for him that night was to take him out for real Chicago-style pizza, and to the infamous "Second City" comedy club. It was such a fun night, but as most adventures with the CTA go, most of our evening was spent navigating and walking and waiting for trains.
Day three of his visit was Pulaski Day. We had planned to go to this museum and that museum, but quickly realized most everything was closed for the Holiday! And after visiting the Natural History Museum, the one touristy place that was open for business, it started to pour rain outside.
And that's when we discovered Blockbuster & Jimmy Johns. Four movies and two subs later, we were happy with our decision to sit on the couch and just cuddle for hours. That's how we spent the rest of Pulaski Day. And six years later, we're still celebrating.
(to be continued...)
But the ever so important holiday before that was Pulaski Day! Unbeknownst to me, this was a Polish Holiday celebrated in Illinois, which meant I actually got a couple days off from my internship and my classes. And I celebrated by hosting my boyfriend from out of state.
He had never been to the big city before, so he was a bit harried when he arrived in his little red sports car and black duster jacket. Like something out of a bad romance novel, he embodied my tantric desires right there as he stepped out of the car and welcomed me into his arms, parked on one of the busiest streets in the Gold Coast. I offered him upstairs to the 14th floor, to get some refreshments and meet the roomates. After which, we quickly headed up to North Park, where a couple mutual friends of ours lived and went to graduate school.
That first night was kind of a reunion for all of us. Even though I had been in the area for a few months now, I hadn't even seen my best girl friend, due to her disapproval of my new relationship. Luckily, the disapproval didn't seem to last long, but it made that first night somewhat awkward.
But soon enough we all fell back into our normal group dynamic that we had when we were all going to college together in Iowa. We laughed, shared stories, and remembered why we were such good friends. In fact, if it wasn't for this North Park couple, I would've never met the man I fell in love with.
And as a new couple, lucky in love we were. We could barely keep our hands off each other in those days. Looking back, our public display of affection at that time was almost embarrassing.
Later that night we went to a nearby club, and were definately kept an eye on by the bartender. Of course, we didn't do anything too inappropriate, but I'm sure we weren't the first couple to be monitored in a dimly lit place called "Funk".
After a couple hours nuzzling one another, we headed back to my apartment. I had never witnessed my roomates staying up so late, even on a weekend! Those good Christian girls were bound and determined to make their presence known, so of course, I couldn't get any that night.
The next day we slept in and I showed my beau around town. My surprise for him that night was to take him out for real Chicago-style pizza, and to the infamous "Second City" comedy club. It was such a fun night, but as most adventures with the CTA go, most of our evening was spent navigating and walking and waiting for trains.
Day three of his visit was Pulaski Day. We had planned to go to this museum and that museum, but quickly realized most everything was closed for the Holiday! And after visiting the Natural History Museum, the one touristy place that was open for business, it started to pour rain outside.
And that's when we discovered Blockbuster & Jimmy Johns. Four movies and two subs later, we were happy with our decision to sit on the couch and just cuddle for hours. That's how we spent the rest of Pulaski Day. And six years later, we're still celebrating.
(to be continued...)
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