A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to take a field trip with my eldest sons design theory class to Chicago. We got up early and drove to the train station to catch the 8 am commuter train into the city. We get there and I ask Son,
"Where's the teacher"?
"I dunno", he shrugs.
"Where are you supposed to meet her and the other students. More shrugs. We board the train and head out.
"Do you see her in this car."
"No."
ooooookeeeeee. 2 hours later we're in DOWNTOWN Chicago, disembark the train, standing on the platform with Son,
"Do you see her?"
"No."
Do you see anyone?"
"No."
Where are meeting?"
"I dunno." shrugs.
We're in DOWNTOWN CHICAGO at 10am on a Friday morning. I drag Son through the station and up the stairs, outside to what is basically Chicago's Time Square.
"DO YOU SEE YOUR D*** TEACHER?"
No.
"WHERE THE H*** ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GO."
I dunno.
At this point I totally came unglued and let fly a torrent of swear words at Son. We are in DOWNTOWN CHICAGO. This is not Main street in our small Midwestern town. We cannot simply walk up and down the street until we find the place we are looking for. There is traffic like I have never seen, mobs of people walking up and down,pigeons, horns, bike curriers,business men,buses. I have no idea where we are, where we are SUPPOSED to be, where the teacher is, nothing. I know nothing and apparently neither does my kid. I called Husband and told him what was going on, apparently I was talking a little loudly into the phone since I scared away several pigeons and even the homeless guy started to slowly edge away from me.
Long story short, the teacher called us on Sons cell and said "Get a cab. Its $5 and will take you right to the doorway of where we are."
Fine. We get a cab. Take a 5 minute crazyazz drive thorough DOWNTOWN CHICAGO and he drops us off at the front door. Fare was $5.25. I handed him a $10 as I'm scooting out the back of the cab and tell him
"just keep the change."
"ALL of it!!!???" he said.
"Yes, yes. Just keep it. You saved our lives." I laughed.
I'm walking up the sidewalk and I hear him calling out to me,
"THANK YOU, THANK YOU Ma'am, God Bless you!!!"
I turned around to smile and wave and he's leaning out the passenger side window of his cab and waving the bill at me and grinning a big ass grin.
So was I as we finally entered our destination and found Son's teacher and enjoyed the rest of our day in the Big City.
2 comments:
glad you found it!!! Are you sure you didn't give the cabbie a $20? :) sounds like you had fun, though!
Naw, it was a $10. A $20 and I would have understood the drivers joy. It was well worth it for both the ride and knowing I made someone else happy!
It was fun but every time I visit a big city (and I'm counting anything bigger than Elkhart as BIG) it makes me realize just how much a country girl I really am. :)
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