Ode to Chicago in Summer

So much has happened since my last post that I don’t know where to begin. Prince, Mohammed Ali and my mother-in-law died. I’ve travelled to Mississippi several times. More states have passed egregious anti-gay laws while other states have passed anti-abortion laws. The governor of Illinois is still refusing to sign the budget which has caused hundreds of college students to drop out as some colleges are close to shuttering their doors. The Trump juggernaut continues its march toward a Republican presidential nomination while Hillary fights for her campaign over email and Bernie Sanders is caught short on his stance on racism in America. And the History Channel hosted a four day showing of a new Roots. It’s been one hell of a few weeks.

With all this and more, I’m happy warm weather has arrived in Chicago. It is a time when this city comes alive. Although the reports coming from my city basically consist of weekends that culminate in violence throughout the city, I relish this time of the year. Yes, violence escalates in my city in the summer because people have been set free from their winter shackles but violence also escalates in the deep of winter when people are killed over shoveled out parking spaces. There is no ambivalence in this city during winter or summer. I don’t believe we really get a spring or fall. I refer to those in between months as stuff because that’s the only way I can describe those months. I relish summer in Chicago because festival season arrives with the Blues Fest and ends in September with the Jazz Festival. From late May through early September we have major festivals downtown on the lakefront, neighborhood festivals that celebrate the diversity of my city, Summerdance where Chicagoans gather together to dance polka and salsa and all other forms of dance, Shakespeare and movies in neighborhood parks, Taste of Chicago and the Printers Row Book Fair. These annual celebrations and events and many others are what give Chicago its flair, its flavor. It’s what makes my hometown wonderful.

I love this city when the temperatures soar. The smell of bar-be-que on July 4th in the afternoon and polish sausages being grilled at Jim’s stand near Maxwell Street at 3am – there is nothing like it. Rainbow Ice Cream opens after being closed all winter with lines out the door. Garrett’s popcorn shops with crowds of tourists gathered outside the door waiting patiently to get a Chicago mix of cheese and caramel popcorn. Lines of people wait uncomplainingly at Gino’s or Uno’s or Girodano’s to get deep dish pizza.

Navy Pier does fireworks Wednesday and Saturday nights. Sitting on one of the long ships in Lake Michigan is one of the best ways to see them. The White Sox do fireworks whenever a Sox player hits a homer. On a clear day from the observation deck at the Sears Tower (not Willis) you can see all the surrounding states. The atmosphere at the Maxwell Street Market on Sunday afternoon is festive as the sounds and smells of Mexico envelop you. Boats dot Lake Michigan from as far north as Evanston and as far south as northeast Indiana. There is excitement in the air as thousands of Chicagoans awakened from another long, cold winter emerge to rush the lakefront. Chicago is alive again and there is nothing like it.

There is much I miss about the Chicago of my childhood. I miss neighborhood movie theaters, Riverview, the original Maxwell Street Market and the old band shell. I miss Soul Train when it was still a local show and the stores on 63rd and Halsted. I miss the electric line CTA buses and drive-in’s. I miss Carson Pirie Scott’s downtown store and the old Greyhound bus station. And with all that is gone from the Chicago of my youth, I still love this town.

I’ve seen many skylines over the years, walked over many bridges, spent days walking through lots of city parks in different cities. They're nice, some lovely and still others beautiful but none can compare to Chicago. There is no skyline as beautiful as downtown Chicago especially when you’re flying into the city at night. Chicago is my town, my home and one of the great loves of my life. No matter where I may roam, no matter where I’ve lived in the past or may live in the future, Chicago will always be home.

Frank said it best. My kind of town, Chicago is. And I bet it’s your kind of town as well.