In Chicago I use public transportation. I don't live in Chicago, so I am not great at catching all the right trains and subways in a fluid motion. However, this allows me to do one of my favorite things...walk. Walking in Chicago is always interesting. A sometimes a welcome change from the wild of rural Iowa. The Second City is fast, diverse and unpredictable. However, somethings are very predictable.
Since about 2006, you can predict that on every block you will encounter a panhandler if not two. I never know which of my personalities will surface when confronted by someone begging. Sometimes I want them to be invisible and I make no eye contact. People in poverty are often invisible.
Sometimes I place loose change and dollar bills in every cup I see, only to realize that I will never have enough loose change to make a dent in the requests. I would much rather drop a ten spot by the guy sleeping in a doorway.
My friend The Commissioner would first give them a philosophy lesson. Bullwinkle would have a discussion about lunch and ignore them. Tri Limb would give them a cigarette. Bean Counter would ignore them but not on purpose; he just wouldn't notice. My two usual walking partners would steal their last scrap of food and skedaddle.
I never know on which side of me Caring Kim should walk. I was taught old school that the woman should walk away from the curb, however this places her closer to the panhandlers; which makes her uncomfortable, but has saved her from more than one puddle drenching.
It seems that everywhere I walk in this windy city I pass a Dunkin Donut. When I wake up early and go for a long exercise walk I see the most DD's. By the end of this health walk I possibly could consume many more calories than I have burned. There are two curiosities with Dunkin Donut shops. They don't have a bathroom I can use and they don't supply their day-or-two-old pastries to the guy sleeping in the doorway.
Walking in rural Iowa is better. My bathroom is the side of the road and if a guy is laying under a tree someone will give him a ride and a 3 course meal.
Since about 2006, you can predict that on every block you will encounter a panhandler if not two. I never know which of my personalities will surface when confronted by someone begging. Sometimes I want them to be invisible and I make no eye contact. People in poverty are often invisible.
Sometimes I place loose change and dollar bills in every cup I see, only to realize that I will never have enough loose change to make a dent in the requests. I would much rather drop a ten spot by the guy sleeping in a doorway.
My friend The Commissioner would first give them a philosophy lesson. Bullwinkle would have a discussion about lunch and ignore them. Tri Limb would give them a cigarette. Bean Counter would ignore them but not on purpose; he just wouldn't notice. My two usual walking partners would steal their last scrap of food and skedaddle.
I never know on which side of me Caring Kim should walk. I was taught old school that the woman should walk away from the curb, however this places her closer to the panhandlers; which makes her uncomfortable, but has saved her from more than one puddle drenching.
It seems that everywhere I walk in this windy city I pass a Dunkin Donut. When I wake up early and go for a long exercise walk I see the most DD's. By the end of this health walk I possibly could consume many more calories than I have burned. There are two curiosities with Dunkin Donut shops. They don't have a bathroom I can use and they don't supply their day-or-two-old pastries to the guy sleeping in the doorway.
Walking in rural Iowa is better. My bathroom is the side of the road and if a guy is laying under a tree someone will give him a ride and a 3 course meal.
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