monday afternoon

;afternoon

When I arrived in the city I walked straight out of Union Station and walked until I was lost. I needed to burn the energy that had built up from sitting on the train all morning and I needed to be where I did not know where I was. (I also needed to find coffee and free wireless internet and a little something to eat.) I got myself to the point of not knowing exactly where I was and began seeking these things out – desperately trying to avoid a chain. I realized that small cute cafes no longer exist in such areas, but at least I chose a chain that I don’t have at home and have never been to before. I sat and listed to two women screaming at each other at the table behind me. I tried to figure out where I wanted to go in the precious little time I had before I needed to find the blue line that would take me to the airport. Never succeeding in finding anything of any consequence to amuse myself with, I mostly wandered aimlessly. I put my sunglasses on my face even though the sun was barely shining and I lugged my suitcase to and fro. I made it up to Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park. By then my suitcase had become heavy and my eyes were heavy and I was hungry. I took pictures. I stopped at street corners and just watched people. I was a tourist. And I didn’t mind. It is St. Patrick’s day and I wanted to have some green beer. I found the train station I needed and then had a beer even though it wasn’t green and some veggie chili at some random bar I’ve already forgotten the name of. I found myself a little sad that I hadn’t remembered any of the wonderful places that Paul had told me he would take me for vegan food.

The trip to the airport was uneventful and now I am here awaiting my flight. The airport is busy and I really had to search for an outlet to plug my dead computer into. Chicago was cold today and I am looking forward to a warmer city. I haven’t really made any new friends yet. I have felt small and lost with much going on around me and that is exactly how I had hoped to feel today.