Chicago Was My Kind of Town

In August of 1999 I moved from the desolate state of Oklahoma to Des Plaines Ilinois. A half hour train ride away from Chicago.

The move occurred because my then girlfriend, now wife. had been offered a job after spending the first five years after law school scaping by free lancing at a number of one-off legal jobs.

She had lived two years in the Chicagoland area, and I missed her fiercely. My three children from my first marriage were raised. I was tired of working at a Mental Hospital that was crippled by the half assed funding and attention that is Oklahoma's constant approach to any health or social problem.

My future wife fell immediately in love with the Chicago area and when I would visit, I could see why.

For all its reputation as a city of tough guys, corruption and crime I quickly learned that the myth like all myths had a sliver of truth, but nowhere near the whole truth.

The reality is deeper, richer.

Chicago is where I saw, not just Van Gogh's, astonishing Starry Night, but also the many draft panels he painted before he was ready to gift the world his masterpiece.

It was also the perfect place for a grieving father to spread the ashes of his eldest son, a fine artist his own self, there in front of the museum where two roaring lions stand guard and where according to legend ten-year-old Orsen Welles sat on one and drew portraits of passerby's.

Grant Park is wonderful treasure. Every year the Taste of Chicago is held there. Regular cuisine and exotic fair are available. African barbecue goat was my favorite, fantastic.

It's also where I saw an American President be elected. The hugs, the jubilation. The giddiness next morning as we left the hotel and high fived anyone who walked by.

Young people read about this moment for soon it will be censored out of your history books.

Printers Row Bookfair. What glorious affair. Six seven blocks of books stretched out demanding that you take as many books as you can haul home.

I had a book signed by the talented Richard Ford. While he was signing it, I asked the dumbest question any writer has ever been asked at book signing, He responded with the upmost graciousness. One of my favorite short story writers is the late Thom Jones. I was able to talk to one of his editors for an all too short fifteen minutes.

Now thanks to the two-legged pile of sludge named Donald Trump this may all be lost.

As you all probably know President Abomination has threaten to invade Chicago in same manner, he has invaded Washington D.C.

So far, the D.C, invasion has been more comical than anything I would not count on that continuing.

I have for some time thought that Trump was looking to incite his own Tiananmen square in order to cancel next year's elections.

He understands that as Bayard Rustin once observed, "Americans love justice, but they love order more."

President bone spurs intends to create violent chaos and then swoop in and install order while taking out largely Democratic cities at the same time.

Be safe my beloved Chicago.