Day 2 continued ... Chicago City Tour

Day 2 continued ... Chicago City Tour

 

The yacht guys said there was meter parking up the road. Of course we couldn’t find it. We settled on the parking garage.

$16 the sign said. “That’s expensive,” said Brett.

“Hey, we’re only here once,” I muttered as we rolled into underground parking. We swirled around and down finally to a spot at level 3. A little walk, feeling our way, and we found the entrance – exit – where we marched toward daylight.

                                   Hey Maryland!

I heard someone shouting, “Hey Maryland! “Not that way, Maryland!!!”

It hit me that the rental car license plate was Maryland. I turned my head.

“Can’t walk out there Maryland.” It was a security guard.

“OK. Hold up guys," I said. 

“I saw you drive in - Maryland right?”

“Actually New Jersey,” I said, “It’s a rental.”

The guard, a good-natured soul, directed us to the pedestrian exit, one floor up. Outside on soft grass we exhaled and headed for the banks of Lake Michigan. 

It was a people friendly “park”, mainly wide open lawns with bike paths, walking trails and the endless Lake shoreline.

Anna and I walked along the roomy concrete tiers, roman coliseum-like, abutting the lake at the north side of the park.

                                   Our TV Debut

Suddenly I heard a voice, “Would you mind talking to us about the Great Lakes for a TV show we’re filming?”
Huh?
A shopping mall questionnaire came to mind. I was about to refuse but then looked up at what had to be three of the most quintessential faces of youthful beauty in … Michigan - Illinois?
“No problem,” I said then pointing to Anna, “just keep the camera on the photogenic one.”

They asked questions about pollution and endangered species in the lakes. My learned responses surprised me – really. I related tales of boyhood swimming in Greenwood Lake, NY, and its later necessary dredging. “I grew up in lake country in NY State,” I gushed. They smiled approvingly.

Truthfully I couldn’t imagine anyone that knew where the remote was not using it by ten seconds into my interview. Regardless, a successful debut, I reasoned. The film crew thanked Anna and me profusely.

“We’ll be on TV,” I said to Anna as we walked away.

“Really?” she said.

“Probably,” I said, but I didn’t elaborate.

               May I See Your Badges Please

 We strolled on, leisurely circling the grounds when suddenly around a bend we spotted a small beach.

“Probably six bucks per to get on,” I offered as we trudged over.
I approached a woman seated on a chair with a shade umbrella at the entryway steps. I recognized the type from Point Pleasant, NJ.
“Are you taking tickets, or checking badges?” I said.
She looked at me like I was from New Jersey. “You’re not?” I said. 

“It’s free,” she said.

We (kids) raced to the water where they jumped and splashed for thirty minutes. 

                It's Sea Glass                                                             

Walking back from the water Mike spotted a piece of glass the size of a corn flake. “Sea glass!” he screamed, seemingly to all of Chicago. He rolled it through his fingers like a prospector with a gold nugget. But as luck would have it the nugget slipped through those fingers as we were walking to the car.  With treasure lost, the whole family dropped to the ground and combed the grass. Many minutes went by. Pleas from Brett to “Let it go,” went unheeded.  Cars rushed by on Lake Shore Drive. Chicago rush hour, Friday PM was in full swing. We hunted on.

“Look over there; they must have dropped a diamond ring.”

“Probably.”

“OK, that’s it,” Brett said, finality in her voice.

“No,” Mike pleaded.

This exchange repeated itself several times. I was tempted to say that commuters seeing us initially were now home enjoying cocktails, but that would be a trifle overstating. Just say that we searched long and hard. Finally Brett told Mike that the glass must have fallen out earlier on our walk - not here. Mike swore that it didn’t. We continued combing. I mean – it was sea glass!

The three hour trip to Madison, WI took us six. We traveled the scenic route.