Chicago:
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My name is STORYIST. I'm 54 years old, male and currently in Sierra Madre, CA,
United States.
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4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Chicago is a tough town. I learned the hard way.
A few years ago I was in Chicago on business, and between appointments I was exploring the south-side neighborhood where my parents met, fell in love, and got married back in 1948. It was a very cold winter day, but I was ready and motivated. I visited the church, their first apartment, even the street corner where they met.
Unfortunately, all of these places are currently located smack dab in the middle of one of the worst ghettos in the country. Which didn't bother me, but it did bother Chicago's undercover police force....
.....which pulled me over in an unmarked car, dragged me out of my rental car, threw me up aganst the hood, frisked me, and then started asking a whole lot of pointed questions as to what I was doing there. I'm not kidding, this was actual police brutality!
Thank God I refrained from telling them that it was none of their business, which is what I wanted to do. I was respectful and polite, showed them my business card, explained about how my parents met at the corner of 47th and Ellis in 1948 and I wanted to stand on that same corner; to which one of the undercover, plainclothes officers barked, "This isn't 1948!"
I told him I was keenly aware of that, which didn't get me arrested, but did not exactly endear me to this gun-toting law enforcement minion.
At this point, convinced of both my honesty and my stupidity, they explained to me that this was one of the worst and most crime, murder, and drug infested neighborhoods on planet Earth, and that I should get the hell out of it as soon as possible. I replied that I was only too happy to comply, but that I was curious as to why they elected to pull ME over, of all people, in the first place.
They explained that it was because I was driving with my window open (--a habit I picked up years ago and indulge in even in cold weather. I like the cold air on my face while the floor heater warms my feet. Sue me.). Anyway, they figured that i must have broken the driver's-side window to steal the car, because "only a moron drives in Chicago in January with the window down". I said, "Oh." It was a terrific conversation.
Just as I was about to drive away, I asked them, "Hey where can a mororn from L.A. get a good bite to eat?" They immediately referrred me to "Ed Debevek's", a wonderful diner downtown. I thanked them, drove right to Ed Debevek's, and had a great BBQ Pork lunch, courtesy of Chicago's Finest.
It just proves that you never know who is going to recommend a great new restaurant to you....
cheers,
Brad Eastland
STORYIST
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But anyway, I know of a lot of people who don't know much about the city, and then have the police tell them to get back on the 'El' to the next stop, or even escort tourists out of neighborhoods that they found themselves in accidentally. I'm glad they do!
And yeah, it's a pretty hilarious story. I hope it didn't ruin your view of the 2nd City though!
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