#942: The Thick Red Line

June 18th, 2018 § permalink

D41. Hazardous. “Mexicans are scattered thruout, as well as other foreign elements.”

It’s Tri-Taylor.

B67. Still Desirable. “Jewish infiltration has started along the edges and may be expected to continue because of favorable reputation and location.”

It’s Ravenswood Manor.

D74. Hazardous. “[The then-upcoming Ida B. Wells federal housing project] has the realtors guessing as to what the ultimate result will be when so many of this race are drawn into this section from the already negro-blighted district… Already Washington Park at the south, a very fine park, has been almost completely monopolized by the colored race… Washington Park is doomed.”

I’m reading about the history of America. I’m reading about redlining. » Read the rest of this entry «

#610: Leaves on the Water

March 21st, 2016 § permalink

It was the chatter chatter chatter of Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Spanish.

It was the eat eat eat of the herring, pelmini, pierogi and chilled vodka shots.

It was the schvitz, dunk, schvitz, dunk, heading from blistering Russian dry or Turkish wet steam rooms into a 41-degree plunge pool that had to be skimmed once in a while for stray leaves that had stuck to the Russian men when they beat each other with bundles of tree branch in the steam. » Read the rest of this entry «

#581: The Podcast Cometh

January 13th, 2016 § permalink

Listen… » Read the rest of this entry «

#549: Miss Sweetfeet Breaks

October 30th, 2015 § permalink

She sat at a bench in the park, reading a book about samurai. Her lips were crimsoned to perfection, her hair in perfect Andrews Sister style in prep for swing dancing a few hours later.

But when the hip-hop pumps, the banker’s on the floor. She flips, she turns, she toprocks and down. She 6-steps and Indian steps and freezes, flares, swipes.

This is Miss Sweetfeet, B-Girl of Chicago. » Read the rest of this entry «

#262: Peace to 2013

December 30th, 2013 § permalink

Peace to the old man sipping drinks at the VFW bar.

And the bagpiper on the condo roof.

Peace to the newsman, chasing stories for cartoons.

Peace to the lady who jammed in Tunisia.

And peace to the one who makes really sexy ladies’ underthings. » Read the rest of this entry «

#115: The Last Canoe

January 21st, 2013 § permalink

Rich Gross was in the back of the shop, soaking the birch bark for the box that would hold his friend’s remains. » Read the rest of this entry «

#70: Spider-Man Saves the Day

October 8th, 2012 § permalink

The young woman stocking the spinner racks with novelty glasses was chuckling.

“Have you seen our store superheroes?” she joked. “I was eating a Starburst and started choking. Spider-Man saved me.” » Read the rest of this entry «

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