Today I had to meet with my photographer to talk about the game plan for next week. My appointment was for 6:30. I was still fighting traffic on I-55 at 6:35. I called and said I'd be late, she said that she had another appointment coming in at 7pm. So I exit. And there's construction. And I take a wrong turn, because I'm in Bumblefuck, Egypt. A small suburb of it.

So I'm driving like a madwoman. Calculate that I can make a turn that should take me to my destination. End up in a wooded area. See signs that say 'Wildlife Crossing'. Damn. No racoon or opossum is gonna stop me from meeting my photographer. So I'm flying over a hill, and there she is. Bambi. Right smack in the middle of the road. I'm in shock. I've never seen a deer in the road in Chicago before, or any suburbs I've been in. I've seen them in the forest preserves, but not in the street. I brake, hard. I stop. Bambi glares at me. I glare at Bambi. I mouth to her, 'Get outta my way, bitch.' OK. I didn't. She was so pretty. But I did the international sign for 'Get out of my path because I'm late for my photographer and I still need to go to the church to get my baptismal certificate'. Luckily, Bambi understood and trotted away. I recovered quickly and met with the photog.

On my way to the church afterwards, I took Lake Shore Drive over. I took my time, and let it sink in that I wouldn't be driving Lake Shore Drive again for a long time. I got kinda misty over it. I'll really miss this town. Even when I passed that horrible architectural monstrosity known as Soldier Field (*weeps for the old field*), I was a little emotional. I love this city. To me, it's the most beautiful city in the whole world. From the museum campus, where you can see the skyline of Chicago, to the harbor with all the ships, to the beach with people walking alongside, to just the beautiful view of the ferris wheel at Navy Pier against the lake. No matter what, my heart will always love Chicago.

Posted by Yano at August 15, 2003 09:35 PM

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