Conversation Overheard

If you ride the Red Line you become privy to some great information. Case in point the three guys who stood over me today. By looking at them I could tell they were Art students, but the conversation alone was amazing. I have named them Dweezil, Johan, and Kevin. Please not I have taken some liberty with the dialogue, but the topics were true.

Dweezil: You know I am excited about graduating.

Johan: So it is your Masters, right.

Dweezil: Yep, but in writing. I am going to write the Great American Novel.

Ken: Then why are you working in the video department.

Dweezil: Digital media is my hobby, writing is my passion. That is why I am not living in Seattle.

Ken: Seattle? I thought you were from Kentucky.

Johan: Seattle, Kentucky..It is all relative.

Dweezil: No I was living outside of Seattle and was taking classes at the community college.

Ken: Tacoma?

Dweezil: Bellevue, and I was in community college and working at Nordstroms

Ken: Nordstroms is for girls.

Dweezil: no way man, I was pulling down some serious cash..enough cash that I almost didn't leave. I was shining shoes and pulling nearly 250 a day.

Ken: 250 a day for shining shoes.

Dweezil: yep, and it was cushy. I would get into work at 9 and work until 5. I would sit in a big leather chair and watch sports center and shine shoes for a living. It was the greatest job in the world.

Johan: Why did you leave?

Dweezil: It was a girl Johan, a girl made me leave my home and then I was living in Chippewa Falls for a while with her and doing the whole domesticated thing, and then when she left I came down to Chicago.

Ken: Sounds like you should have stayed in Seattle.

Dweezil: No Seattle is overrated, but shining shoes is amazingly profitable. I am thinking about taking it up again if I cannot find a publisher.

Johan: Great I have a few penny loafers at home you can start with.

ALL GIGGLE.

So for Dweezil, Johan, and Ken life went on when I left the train, and I have really no idea why I felt compelled to tell this story, but that Nordstroms in Bellevue sounds amazing.

The Red Line

For those who do not live in the city, riding the rails to and from work often brings some colorful situations. Case in point was the blind man who wandered onto my Red Line train today and was asking for change.

I have seen this guy on the train before, and although the CTA claims that solicitations on the train are prohibited, that is really an empty warning. Anything the CTA warns about is really just a suggestion.

The blind guy plays this game very well. He gets on the train at whatever stop ( This time is was Clark and Division) and quietly asks for change. His story is that he is blind (which is true if you see him) and that he is not a threat to anyone but wants to eat. Some people will give him change right away, and for some homeless people that is enough.

The blind guy is different. The blind guy will get his initial change and then will walk up and down the aisle, using his cane to hit people's feet. He will ask everyone for change openly and get louder as the train cruises down the track. By the time the train got to Belmont, the guy was screaming for change. SCREAMING. This annoyance was enough for him to pull down by my count, $5.00 extra dollars. If this guy can pull five dollars each train ride x 15 train rides, he is sitting with some good dough.