Note: I'm launching a new series of "Sketches of Chicago" about life in the big, weird city. This is an older entry, but a good start for the series!
While on the El train to the airport, Ronni and I overheard a guy having a long conversation with the person in the next seat. It seemed that the guy was having trouble with his roommate.
"He has no f#$%^n respect for me!" the guy railed. "Plays his radio too loud, and he's always taking out my boat without permission. 4 in the morning, he keeps me awake with the boat. Well, one day soon, I'm gonna be leaving, and I'm taking the boat with me!"
This is what riding the El is all about. Eavesdropping. Noise complaints against one's roommates and neighbors are no big story, but this guy got more and more animated as his accusations got wilder.
After some delightful stuff about arguments as to who had more girls over, and some threats that violence was imminent, he dropped the big one.
"He don't know what I've been saving up on him. If he f$%^s with me, I'm gonna call the f$%^&n morgue and tell 'em what he did, because every time he does it, I write down the name, the date and the f$%^&&n amount! I'm serious. I wrote it all down. I'll call the f#$%^n morgue and tell 'em!"
So, apparently, this guy's roommate comes home from a day at work, and shouts out "oh, boy, was that some day down at the morgue! They brought in this stiff name Herb Watson, and I got $64.50 out of his pocket! $64.50! Count it! I'll always remember this, March 3rd, as the day I stole $64.50 off of Herb Watson. Now, time for some boating before I have a girl over!"
I love riding the train!
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