So after living and working in Chicago for the past year, I was just told this week I’m being transferred to Missouri. Podunk, Missouri, I believe it’s called.
Bummer.
But between you and me, I plan on being back in Chicago real soon. I’m even leaving my entire DVD collection with a co-worker/friend as a way to motivate my ass on back here.
In the mean time, here are the top ten things I’ll miss about Chicago (in absolutely no particular order):
Abby Ryan doing traffic on NPR.
$5 movie, with free parking and popcorn, Tuesdays at the City North Cinema
That hot Polish waitress at the Pick Wick Diner in Park Ridge
Oh, man, I feel for you. I had to spend most of my life in Missouri, and I don’t intend to do it again. A few years ago I lived in Chicago for a year and a half and moved back to St Louis, but I missed Chicago so much I had to come back.
Now, a lot of my friends and relatives live there and seem to like it…I just don’t understand those people. But hopefully you will find enough to keep you happy. Good luck.
Oh, I feel your pain. I moved to St. Louis from Chicago a few years ago (for grad school, in my case). I didn’t really realize how much I missed Chicago until I went back last weekend – now I’m feeling all nostalgic and stuff!
What I miss most is the theater scene – if one is a student of classical theater, St. Louis is not exactly the greatest place to live…
Well, I just had my going away party, and I can’t believe how hard it actually was. I’ve known some of these people only 11 months, others less, and it truly felt like I was leaving some of my best friends in the world. I’ve worked in a bunch of jobs in my life, one for 5+ years, and I’ve never felt this sad about leaving a place.
And I’ve thought of a few more things I’ll miss about Chicago:
Being able to go 15 over the speed limit on the Dan Ryan, with a cop right behind me, and not really worrying about being pulled over.
Wrigleyville after a Cubs game.
The Blue Line
That used bookstore on Milwaukee in Wicker Park
The late-30s cashier at Dominick’s that I used to flirt with
Taking a lunchtime cat-nap at the Forest Preserve at East River and Higgins
Some of us manage to live in Missouri and still be perfectly normal, well-adjusted little hicks. Why, some of us even have one of them new-fangled talkin’ picture boxes, and fancy indoor privies and everything.
Where’d you say you were gonna be? Podunk? Isn’t that that little town down the highway from Mulebonk?
The only thing Farmington’s really known for is the mental hospital. The best thing that can be said for the place is, it’s not all that far from St. Louis and Cape Girardeau (pronounced Jih-rah-doh, or just Cape).
Really, Missouri isn’t all that bad. I assure you, your DVD player will still work there. The cost of living’s low. Make the best of it.
– Tentacle Monster, who lived in Missouri for about twenty years
Farmington is pretty country. I grew up not too far from there. Mostly I know it by the mental hospital and the fact that all their sports teams beat all our sports teams in high school.
Ah, Farmington. Not far from the birthplace of Rush Limbaugh.
Well, you’re about 70 miles from St. Louis. We have a Major League sport team – we only get one at a time, right now, it’s baseball – and free museums in Forest Park. And the Arch.
Looking over your list, I don’t see much hope for you. What is it about Grant Park you like? There are a lot of state parks around there if you like hiking or backpacking or camping.
And get a new job before May. You don’t want to experience a Southern Missouri summer. Trust me.
Hey Happy Lendervedder…Are you sure you’re not me? I love so many of those things. Do I know you?
TBK is the standard in my book, the Pickwick (Park Ridge is my hometown), the blue line, Abby Ryan (tho I like Sherman Kaplan’s restaraunt reviews on WBBM, too. Ohh, and Kevin Matthews! Hey now!), 848 and Gretchen Helfrich, Old Style, forest preserves (are you talking about W. River and Higgins or Dee and Higgins [think BigTen HQ] ?), Wicker Park…
I go to the Moretti’s on Olmsted, near Basta Pasta…Is that the one you mean? Which is your Dominicks, Cumberland?
My miss list would have to include late night SuperDawg, all blue cop car flashers, having the express/reversable lanes all to myself, Vision nightclub, Italian beef from Suzy’s on Montrose, the scores of suburbs to keep straight, Daly’s press conferences, the Trib, Map Room for beers, American Science and Surplus, “That old car is worth money”, …
Ok, I could go on and on. I’m away at school in Milwaukee (not far, I know) but I graduate in May. Then, back to sweet home Chicago. Maybe I can pick up that DVD from the hot girl in #7 for you?
" after “Hmm, did I miss anything?”
