Chicago : My first glimpse

Writing about Chicago after a peep hole's view would be totally out of focus. But my first look came to be a very enlightening and "sublime" experience. Laughed it out when I landed home though I was terrified during my stay there.

Chicago : the windy city. The most unsafe city of USA. The city of AL. All words seem to fail when we land at Chicago. I realised that words can only do justice to a certain extent and never more. Also delivering the punch in anglais!!! My God..No way. English is a very hard language when compared to Tamil. It is comparitively easy to emote in Tamil than in english. Anyhow.

I had been warned repeatedly against any nocturnal adventures in Chicago. So I managed to catch a flight that landed(supposed to land at 6:15) but actually ran into Midway by 7:10.

My cousin was waiting to pick me up. Being a very "busy" doctorate student : He was actually cross with me for the pilot overshooting his landing procedures. Forgiving this minor slight and cursing myself for the 24 hour halt at Chicago, I meekly followed his friend and him into the waiting car.

I know that gas prices are shooting up and in Chicago it is more so. Gallon @ 3:40 seems to be a gargantus amount as compared to 2:89 somewhere in the sixties..But to have a spider spin cow webs not allowing a compassionate person to get into the car!!! Dont even dare tell me that you are a member of SPCA.

I got in through the other door and we left Midway for good. Situated very close to the University, the street in which I was about to spend my first night at Chicago was beautiful. It was the first place in the US that had terraces and I was charmed.

The car stopped and we got out. After lugging in the bags to the ground floor apartment(Thank God!!), I stood like a door post!! Hoping to be intorduced to his roomates.

It was a three bedroom apartment/ single bath. Maximum of 4 people can give an impression of comfort. That's all.

There were four in the living room. This made me accept them as mon cher cousin's roomates. I helloed them with no appreciable response other than a millimetric inclination of their thick heads. I towered over them and I thought that might have been the possible reason of this cold reception.

Anyways not the least bothered, I followed my cousin into the kitchen where I found three more of these numbskulls!!!! Shocked I looked around for an explanation.

My cousin : Hey meet....
Me: next apartment?
Cousin : actually they are in transit!!
Me: what!! like me? are they also leaving tomorrow?
C: Not exactly. S is moving to Florida in three months. N is rethinking as he has a job now.
P will actually be here for 6 months

God!! This is "transit".

Me says: Cool. so there are actually 7 of you in this apartment and now for tonight 8.
Not even a slight hint at the arrows of sarcasm shooting at him
C: Yes. We make a snug apartment. Jolly: always full of noise..
Me: rolling eyes and looking at Heaven

I was already stymied by the impossible task of spending a night with 7 guys in the house and a single restroom. To think about dinner provided a pleasant reprieve. I was engaged in conjuring a gourmet's dinner at one of Chicago's Indian restaurants when a mound of Lady's fingers grinned at me. I was so irritated that I turned the other way. I hate okra in the states. Stupid, gellous substance fit for pigs!!!

As I smiled to myself thinking about my dinner and these poor guys, I almost felt sorry. ALMOST. My cousin's voice intruded into my half faint stupor. It was 9:00. Two hours since I came. No offer of even water.!!!! What happened to "Thamizhar Varaverpu"?? Everybody worried whether I will take their juice. Man!!! Was I irritated!!!!

C: Hamsa, variya velila poitu varalama?
Me: Jumping..
C: Sari, Hey S, Samachu veida. enga than vanthu sapduvom!!!
Me: NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(no other way. resignedly follow cousin out of the door)

Another cow web destroyed, in another dilapidated car, we left for Chicago's attractions. after a brief guided tour, we came to Lake Michigan. WOW!!!Beautiful. Thankfully there was a display of fireworks to end the trip.

When I entered the house:::: Oh My God!! what the ----!!! what's happening


I just stopped myself from screaming. There were around 13 guys, Marlboro lights, rum, beer, chicken, CARDS!!!!

I just stopped myslef from crying.

Whatever I write and whatever I say: I am still typically the TN Girl with a sense of South Indian Decency. Even If I peddle drugs, I wouldnt have guys like this over with a "girl" coming over. I was appalled. This threw Chicago in a new light altogether. Has this culture eroded away the minds of these guys that they behave like boors!!!

I wished I had checked into a motel at O Hare!!!

As we sat down to a stupid-------------- dinner of Parupu sambar and Okra, I felt I couldnt take it. Man!! I cooked better when I touched the stove for the first time. Lousiest most tasteless dinner. I wish I could be a Hindu reporter so that I could have slashed it with a red pen.!!!

The noise grew boisterous. My cousin who had not spoken more than 10 words since I landed now asked whether everything was allright. I wanted to shout at his face. But maintaining my sense of decorum, I said I needed to sleep. He showed me into his room. I locked the door to shut out all noise and covered myself with a quilt he so generously offered. Not washed for his entire stay, a homeless bum outside would have smelled better..

Gnashing my teeth, I wondered if the AC could be lowered.
C: No di. The buys would die of burning.
Oh!! Let them die before I kill them!!!

Silence..

He was gone. To join those ----------.(expletive)

Anyways.


I dont know how I managed to spend the night. It was a fear filled one and totally scary with dreams troubling my already frustated mind.

I got up at 8:00 and wandered towards the kitchen. After the night's party, All the asuras were slumbering. I opened the fridge and got the shock of life. Everything that had happened the previous night was nothing at this!!!




NO MILKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

NO COFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


GOTT IN HIMMEL!!!!!!


I started crying. I sat at the kitchen counter and cried for 10 minutes. :))

Then got down on my knees and went to sleep cursing.

10:30 AM..

C: Hey Hamsa. wake up. I have to go to the lab and I cant be late. I have to be there by 11:00
Me: Have you finished your ablutions?
C: No. I just woke up.
Me: WHAT!!!
C: yup. I am a bit late for I slept only by 2:30. So be ready by 10:45 and we shall leave by 11:00

Man!! Guys. I really cant understand them. They shout at girls for having to dress so much, frills and laces and all that stuff. But then give 15 measly minutes to brush, bath and be ready????I gave him a look that would have frozen any other living heart. No. No way. NOT HIS ..
No reaction.

Got into the restroom and slammed the door. To realise I had no brush. Going back to my primitive origins, I forced my lips open with my fingers, tears tumbling out of my eyes..

Finished brushing. Somebody had decided to provide me with music and there was a rhythmic beat hammering into my head "NO COFFEE. TRA LA LA NO COFFEE".

Dazed I walked upto the bathtub and yanked the shower curtains off to reveal that the tub's window opened very kindly on to the neighbour's porch and was not covered.

NOW!! THIS WAS THE LIMIT!!!! I rummaged the entire bathroom for somekind of a closure. Finally got to the original curtains(kindly provided by the owner but never put up). Wondered how much the neighbour paid them for this perverse pleasure and hung the curtains up.

Took bath and was out by:: guess when?

C: Hey what the hell are u doing!!! Come out fast.. no/
Me: Came out and took a look at the watch: 10:50.

Gave him a look and a piece of mind to go with it.

Subdued C walked into the bathroom and slammed it.

We finally left by 11:20.

After a coffeeless morning, I ran into Descartes. I was about to order coffee when

C: hey 4$ for a coffee too much.
Me: I pay it very morning at starbucks. No problem
C: wow!! rich kid

I could only shake my head: I an unfunded G S. He a funded RA. God gives us money but not the mind to spend it. I thanked my stars that I had had not that much money that I did not want to spend it at all.

Thought of all those happy evenings at starbucks. walked silently past Descartes minus coffee.

After a yucky subway sandwich for lunch and 3 hour wait..His prof had come in and he could not leave. My flight(international unconfirmed flight was at 7:20) , we left for the airport by 4:35 and reached by 5:15.

My parting was probably the happiest thing that happened to me...


This visit and 24 hours showed me a lot of things. How not to take care of guests. How not to behave when a girl/ guy comes home. I had never realised even when I lost my scholarship that money was so scarce in US as not to afford a single cup of coffee to someone when they come home.

Maybe I am extravagant. No. I know I am not. I am decent. I am glad. I realised that all relations in the US are forged after money. After a few years of living, people become so tight fisted that they no longer have even the courtesy to offer dinner to a long lost cousin. I met him after 3 years. Life.

It teaches you a lot of things. But Money. Now that gives you the lesson of your lives.

Again morals. I am immoral. Ethics. These kinds surprise and revolts me. I am glad I recognized I dont fall in tune with these....Whatever they may be. My ethics are different.

Thank God for it...