Sep. 24th, 2018 12:22 pm
Falling in
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muckefuckSaturday was just about the most perfect kickoff for fall that I could have imagined, but that was hardly obvious in the morning when my attempts to sleep in were frustrated by a dumptruck circling the block looking for spots to dump roll-offs. By the time I stumbled to the window, I saw one already in place in front of the house across the street. Thinking someone was renovating, I was baffled why it was already full and blocking a fireplug.
Then the truck returned with another roll-off that it attempted to leave in front of our building. The ex-prez beat me outside and had words with the driver which resulted in him moving on. Since I'd already thrown on pants, I crossed the street to photograph the dumpster by the hydrant and a resident called down to me from her apartment to say that she'd already called it in to the city but encouraged me to do the same.
I rang the non-emergency number but the operator said, "Do you want a police officer?" and I was like, "Sure!" After all, this wasn't a vulnerable individual, this was a for-profit company flagrantly violating the law. She said they'd send a cop, but I never saw one, just an SUV labeled "Finance Department". Coincidentally or not, the dumptruck returned shortly after to take away the offending slag.
At this point, I still had a couple hours before the organisers of the evening's outing were due to arrive but I was too wound up for sleep. They picked me up in the parking lot of the hardware store, collected three more bears from Rogers Park, and then struck out for the wilds of Lake County.
Despite growing up in the Midwest, I'd never been in a corn maze before. I thought it would be dull; it was not. It also wasn't much of a maze. I expected paths that were barely enough for two people to walk abreast but some were wider than a country road. We returned after sunset, but there was a nearly-full moon beneath a clear sky and it proved almost as easy as navigating in daylight.
The best part of the evening was the cookout. We hit a "Jewel's" on the edge of the city and loaded up with chips, dogs, and booze. I found out that Lily-of-the-Valley used to help out at his uncle's campground so we collaborated on keeping the fire going. Little Moose had a technique for making impromptu pigs-in-a-blanket using crescent roll dough that worked surprisingly well. And apple pie moonshine isn't at all gross.
The weather was perfect, but what really warmed me was the camaraderie. I felt like I was performing the best version of myself: amusing edging on entertainingly goofy without being obnoxious. In the conversation on the way home I was erudite without being overbearing and the day gave me chances to be supportive, cynical, and flirtatious in turn.
I can't wait to do it again next year.
Then the truck returned with another roll-off that it attempted to leave in front of our building. The ex-prez beat me outside and had words with the driver which resulted in him moving on. Since I'd already thrown on pants, I crossed the street to photograph the dumpster by the hydrant and a resident called down to me from her apartment to say that she'd already called it in to the city but encouraged me to do the same.
I rang the non-emergency number but the operator said, "Do you want a police officer?" and I was like, "Sure!" After all, this wasn't a vulnerable individual, this was a for-profit company flagrantly violating the law. She said they'd send a cop, but I never saw one, just an SUV labeled "Finance Department". Coincidentally or not, the dumptruck returned shortly after to take away the offending slag.
At this point, I still had a couple hours before the organisers of the evening's outing were due to arrive but I was too wound up for sleep. They picked me up in the parking lot of the hardware store, collected three more bears from Rogers Park, and then struck out for the wilds of Lake County.
Despite growing up in the Midwest, I'd never been in a corn maze before. I thought it would be dull; it was not. It also wasn't much of a maze. I expected paths that were barely enough for two people to walk abreast but some were wider than a country road. We returned after sunset, but there was a nearly-full moon beneath a clear sky and it proved almost as easy as navigating in daylight.
The best part of the evening was the cookout. We hit a "Jewel's" on the edge of the city and loaded up with chips, dogs, and booze. I found out that Lily-of-the-Valley used to help out at his uncle's campground so we collaborated on keeping the fire going. Little Moose had a technique for making impromptu pigs-in-a-blanket using crescent roll dough that worked surprisingly well. And apple pie moonshine isn't at all gross.
The weather was perfect, but what really warmed me was the camaraderie. I felt like I was performing the best version of myself: amusing edging on entertainingly goofy without being obnoxious. In the conversation on the way home I was erudite without being overbearing and the day gave me chances to be supportive, cynical, and flirtatious in turn.
I can't wait to do it again next year.