11:04 AM.

 

“Wanna run, I want to hide

"I wanna tear down the walls

That hold me inside.

I wanna reach out

And touch the flame

Where the streets have no name.”

If you have been to a large city recently, you may find something missing. People. 

It’s been nearly a year since I left my office, walked to the train, and thought…”I guess I’ll be back in two weeks when this is all over.”  I was wrong. 

Chicago, like other cities around the country has been rocked by the pandemic. When I went downtown today, I took the train, wore a mask, and knew it was going to be different; I knew something was up when they didn’t take my train ticket, and all I had to do was show it when I got off the train. In other words, it’s still good and I can use it next time. That next time was the ride back home where once again no one wanted it, so it’s still good.

But my gain in a ticket is being felt by the loss of what so many people who live on the streets have had to deal with. I went to the branch of the bank that only a short while ago I would go to nearly twice a week. Today, it is temporarily closed, however I believe if things don’t get better, the word “temporarily” will change to “permanently.” Sitting outside was a homeless man with a cup. There was nothing in it because there was no one around. There was something in it when I left.

As I walked along, I saw empty stores, restaurants, and boarded-up buildings. It was like I was in the “Twilight Zone”—-but in this case, I wasn’t and to think this is how a city I have lived in for so long has ended up, it’s depressing. I do believe a year from now it will be different, but I also believe a lot of damage has been done. We have always been resilient in Chicago, I certainly hope we can pull through because of what I witnessed today, we have a lot of making up to do.

The photo above was taken at 11:04 AM this morning. It was not a Sunday, it was a Friday. Usually at this time the streets are packed, the sidewalks full, and if you stand in the middle of the street you get honked at. Today was a reality check, let’s check this year off and move forward.

Thanks for stopping by.