Thursday, February 22, 2007

I remember the sound of your November downtown

Some people wake up in the morning, roll out of bed, brush their teeth and head out the door. Others have morning rituals. Shuffle to the kitchen in pajamas. Scoop, scoop, scoop. Wait for the coffee to slowly fill up the pot. Make breakfast. Cereal, juice, toast. Maybe eggs. Maybe yogurt. Finish eating, take shower, change clothes, read the paper.

I don't have a morning ritual, except for hitting the snooze. Anything after that strictly depends on when I have to get where I'm going. Sometimes I make breakfast. The other day I made an omelette with cheese, onions, peppers, and smoked sausage, and made a pound of bacon. (I didn't eat a pound of bacon.)

Today I showered, skipped breakfast and went to work. Every day I walk the same way to the train, and I always wonder if I'm going to just miss it. What's left of the ice was dirty, crunching under my feet, and Pancho's had traditional Mexican music pouring outside the doors as usual. I like it. It's upbeat and fun, and not so out of place. I picture people hanging out on that corner when the weather warms up.

I like the el stop, too. There is a nice, but far off view of downtown. One of the steps near the top is a little slanted and catches me every time. The platform itself is old, creaky, and rattles and shakes when the train comes. The wood slats are worn and splitting, and smoothed from so many years of people coming and going. I like to find a spot in the sun and wait. I often think it would be fun to just ride the train to a bunch of places I haven't been yet. I've only really ridden the blue and red lines, and the brown a little. I think when it warms up a little more, I'll start trying to see what else this city has to offer. Maybe just pick a stop and get off there, just to see if I find something I like.

It's been a really busy week, and I've had more than a few nights where I didn't get home from school til after 10. I've felt like writing more often, and I've developed a strange obsession with crossword puzzles. Weird.

It's been over a week since my last post, and I find that totally unacceptable. Be prepared for some major posting action in the upcoming days. I promise nothing, but what I may lack in quality, I will more than make up for in quantity.

Barnacle out.

4 comments:

TaylorStreet said...

he's pretty good with the crossword puzzles. . . maybe too good.

Also, a weird thing that Jay does sometimes is he gets up, then stays in his room, awake, while everyone else wakes up.
So you think he's asleep, and maybe start singing or grooming, and then out schleps Jay, having been awake for two hours. Probably doing a crossword puzzle.

Cass said...

remember your old alarm clock from high school? that thing was a piece of shit. :) anytime i hear an awful noise, i think of it.

also, i was watching a movie the other day and Cal and i agree that the alarm clock sound should be banned from all tv and movies.

Megan said...

You know another sound that should be banned? Emergency sirens in radio commercials. They freaked me out when I used to drive.

Maral Charkhtab Tabrizi said...

Riding the prain to a bunch of places you haven't been?
That's what I did a month ago. I rode the blueline to Ohare and again to UIC medical district, Just to watch the city. That was really fun.

I like the way you explain and express about the world around you. that makes me imagine everything you are writing about.