In honor of my fathers birthday yesterday and the fact he told this story totally wrong to everyone, I will reminisce on a story that still haunts me from last summer.
Every Monday my friends and I met up at a restaurant/ bar called Duffies for "Chicago Idol". A friend of our was participating in the singing contest so we would go and cheer her on and then vote for her to make it on to the competition next week. Since I worked later hours than my friends many times I would get off work around 7 pm and meet them out at the restaurant.
One particular Monday I was heading to Duffies and the weather didn't look so great. The storm clouds were rolling in and I wanted to get to the place in time to hear Lindsay sing. Once I got off the brown line I walked a very steady pace to get to the restaurant. It was about 8 blocks from the line so I knew it was a long walk. I was on the phone with someone to make the time pass quicker. I walked quite a distance, maybe 10 blocks or so before I realized that this wasn't the right place. (I was walking the opposite direction I needed to to get to Duffies.) Since I was on the phone I wasn't paying attention to the streets or the landmarks I would usually look for (since I had done this trip many times). I began to turn around and walk back when the rain started.
First, it started off as a light sprinkle. My white shirt couldn't last more than a sprinkle before it was going to be see through so I hoped to get to a place of cover quickly. Of course, this was the one day I forgot my umbrella. My short black skirt began to blow as the rain and wind picked up. The rain kept getting harder and harder. I couldn't find any place to retreat to and I was getting soaked. Pretty soon the sprinkle turned into a near hurricane and I was 18 blocks from my location. Of all times I couldn't find a taxi either!
I continued to walk, rain falling so hard it felt like it was piercing my skin. I witnessed two trees fall and saw so much lightening I thought I would get hit for sure by one of its strikes. The rain was not letting up. This is like one of those storms that you think, omg I have never seen rain like that before, and I was in the middle of it. After about 6 or 7 blocks (which felt like 16 or 17 blocks) I finally got a cab. I only had 5 dollars on me so I told the driver to take me as far as 5 dollars could get me. At this point I couldn't just turn around and go home because I did not want to be on an elevated train with as much lightening as their was and 5 dollars was not getting me home.
The driver took me to the location and when I got out of the cab he told me to be careful because he had heard on the radio that they were comparing this storm to a hurricane. Wonderful. Just what I wanted to get caught in. It wasn't letting up either. When I entered the restaurant the man at the door laughed at me. In my face. Literally, laughed at me. He said it looked like I jumped in a pool before I walked in the door. I wasn't as amused as he was. Another waitress handed me a bus towel and said, maybe this would help. I met up with my friends and they were all shocked. I don't think they expected to see me with mascara to my chin, a see through shirt, drenched hair and a pretty sour attitude. I grabbed one of my friends and made her follow me to the bathroom where I attempted to dry off. Not happening. From there, we went to the table and I dealt with a lot of awkward glances, dumb comments and a few too many drinks. Turns out some people found my wet mess of a self amusing and bought me a drink or two.
On the way home the rain was still going on but the trains began running again. I was mad because all of my friends parents called them to see if they were okay. Apparently, Chicago's weather had been all over the news. Well, they were fine! They were dry and weren't the butt of every joke for the last 3 hours. I, on the other hand, was. My parents (who didn't call) needed to know I was okay so I decided to call them and let them know. Unfortunately, I was not in the best state of mind when I called and my 8 minute and 43 second phone call with my dad at 1:30 a.m. consisted of me singing "paradise by the dashboard light" to him and ended with "I'm singing in the rain".
This was not one of my prouder moments, but it is one of my dads favorite stories. Among others, he finds this an appropriate story to repeat to family, friends and coworkers and inappropriate times. I am not to happy that this is the story my dad likes to tell people but it was one I will always remember... the day I was stuck in a hurricane!
Every Monday my friends and I met up at a restaurant/ bar called Duffies for "Chicago Idol". A friend of our was participating in the singing contest so we would go and cheer her on and then vote for her to make it on to the competition next week. Since I worked later hours than my friends many times I would get off work around 7 pm and meet them out at the restaurant.
One particular Monday I was heading to Duffies and the weather didn't look so great. The storm clouds were rolling in and I wanted to get to the place in time to hear Lindsay sing. Once I got off the brown line I walked a very steady pace to get to the restaurant. It was about 8 blocks from the line so I knew it was a long walk. I was on the phone with someone to make the time pass quicker. I walked quite a distance, maybe 10 blocks or so before I realized that this wasn't the right place. (I was walking the opposite direction I needed to to get to Duffies.) Since I was on the phone I wasn't paying attention to the streets or the landmarks I would usually look for (since I had done this trip many times). I began to turn around and walk back when the rain started.
First, it started off as a light sprinkle. My white shirt couldn't last more than a sprinkle before it was going to be see through so I hoped to get to a place of cover quickly. Of course, this was the one day I forgot my umbrella. My short black skirt began to blow as the rain and wind picked up. The rain kept getting harder and harder. I couldn't find any place to retreat to and I was getting soaked. Pretty soon the sprinkle turned into a near hurricane and I was 18 blocks from my location. Of all times I couldn't find a taxi either!
I continued to walk, rain falling so hard it felt like it was piercing my skin. I witnessed two trees fall and saw so much lightening I thought I would get hit for sure by one of its strikes. The rain was not letting up. This is like one of those storms that you think, omg I have never seen rain like that before, and I was in the middle of it. After about 6 or 7 blocks (which felt like 16 or 17 blocks) I finally got a cab. I only had 5 dollars on me so I told the driver to take me as far as 5 dollars could get me. At this point I couldn't just turn around and go home because I did not want to be on an elevated train with as much lightening as their was and 5 dollars was not getting me home.
The driver took me to the location and when I got out of the cab he told me to be careful because he had heard on the radio that they were comparing this storm to a hurricane. Wonderful. Just what I wanted to get caught in. It wasn't letting up either. When I entered the restaurant the man at the door laughed at me. In my face. Literally, laughed at me. He said it looked like I jumped in a pool before I walked in the door. I wasn't as amused as he was. Another waitress handed me a bus towel and said, maybe this would help. I met up with my friends and they were all shocked. I don't think they expected to see me with mascara to my chin, a see through shirt, drenched hair and a pretty sour attitude. I grabbed one of my friends and made her follow me to the bathroom where I attempted to dry off. Not happening. From there, we went to the table and I dealt with a lot of awkward glances, dumb comments and a few too many drinks. Turns out some people found my wet mess of a self amusing and bought me a drink or two.
On the way home the rain was still going on but the trains began running again. I was mad because all of my friends parents called them to see if they were okay. Apparently, Chicago's weather had been all over the news. Well, they were fine! They were dry and weren't the butt of every joke for the last 3 hours. I, on the other hand, was. My parents (who didn't call) needed to know I was okay so I decided to call them and let them know. Unfortunately, I was not in the best state of mind when I called and my 8 minute and 43 second phone call with my dad at 1:30 a.m. consisted of me singing "paradise by the dashboard light" to him and ended with "I'm singing in the rain".
This was not one of my prouder moments, but it is one of my dads favorite stories. Among others, he finds this an appropriate story to repeat to family, friends and coworkers and inappropriate times. I am not to happy that this is the story my dad likes to tell people but it was one I will always remember... the day I was stuck in a hurricane!
waiting for the train on the way home from duffies (sick of the rain)
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