I just got back to San Antonio from Chicago. It was a good experience. I was in Chicago doing a show for an artist that we have work with for many years here at the theatre that I work at. Running around (literally) in Chicago was a major trip. It was pretty much my first time out of Texas. I stayed with the cousins of the artist I was working with and they were super cool. I hung out with a nephew of the people I was staying with and he was a trip. His name was Marlowe and he showed me around the city. Chicago is pretty cool. There are tons of things to see, maybe too many things. I saw lots of things, but there is one place Marlowe showed that is an image that stays in my mind.
So the second evening that I was there, I met Marlowe and he asked what I would like to see. I said that I didn't know because I had know idea what's around. I did mention that I would like to see some jazz. So later that night after the show I met Marlowe downtown and we were off. I was following this guy around like crazy. I'm about 5' 11" and Marlowe is about 5' 5" give or take, but he was out walking like weights on my ankles. We hop on the red line and take it north to a jazz place called the Green Mill. We saw some slam poetry and found out later that the jazz would start later. So we had some time to kill. I follow Marlowe to the Lake Michigan then to another club where we had some beers and tequila. After obtaining a nice buzz we head back to the Green Mill were we finally saw some jazz and got way to drunk. I barely remember following Marlowe to another train and then a bus. Before I know it Marlowe is telling me to wake up because I had fallen asleep on the bus we were riding and it was time to get off. I hear falling asleep on a Chicago bus is a big no no. I think falling asleep on any bus anywhere is stupid but hey. So finally awake... sort of... we are off once again. I have know idea where I'm at, and Marlowe asked me if I remember his uncle saying something about work at the south Chicago steel mills. I look up and realize that Marlowe is squeezing though a fence. Taking a better look, I see tons of red flashing lights and DO NOT ENTER signs. Marlowe is on the other side telling me to come through. I say fuck it and go through the fence. Why not right?
The wind was blowing cold and hard and my legs are already sore but here we are running in this place that's blocked off from the react of the world. Marlowe is taking about how this place is where the Chicago steel mills were and how they got shut down without any warning to the employees. Supposedly that put a lot a people down and out on the south side. I can't say that that is true but that is what he told me. He talking to me and all off a sudden we walk right up to the lake. I turn around and there are these huge 30 foot tall walls all in rows. This blew my mind. I'm drunk and Marlowe showing some hard core Chicago history at 4 o'clock in the morning. Marlowe finishes his speech and we both are quiet. The sound at the place was just amazing. Water was hitting a wall that was at the shore and the wind was blowing bouncing against the walls making this incredible sound that I can't even describe.
The rest of my stay was cool too, but that moment will be burned in my mind forever. I don't know why it stuck with me so but it has had an effect on me. This story might just be interesting to me but it was still cool to share.
