As we approached the signal to cross over to the side of the Chicago Art Institute we saw this man who was saying to no one in particular:
Buy a copy of Streetwise magazine and by spending just 2 dollars you can help the homeless of Chicago.
I wasn't surprised that no one paid any attention to him as they kept their eyes focused on the signal.
Then he said
There is a tradition here at this signal. You either buy a copy of the magazine or you have to skip to the other side with me. Follow me.
The signal changed and the man kept skipping ahead of us and we all walked.
As we reached the other side he turned to us and said with a glint in his eyes:
Now that is cheating.
I loved his spirit. He was obviously homeless or at the risk of becoming homeless or he would not be vending the magazine. But he could smile from where he was and make others smile. Even if you did not buy the magazine, you would remember him for the zest with which he peddled the magazine.
The magazine he sells doesn't talk much about the likes of him although it is advertised to cover news of the 'city from the streets'. This issue was obviously a father's day special and carried articles about
'The meaning of dad' 'successful women on making up for missing dads' and "real men cook'. But if you bought a copy for $ 2.00this nice man would get $ 1.25 which is more than what an article about the likes of him can give him.
We asked him if he has ever wondered why the magazine did not talk about the homeless and their problems and he said:
'Sorry brother. No one is interested in our stories.'
Isn't that true? We only want to hear about the successful and the rich and decadent in every intimate detail.
On our way out of the art institute he was again escorting us back to the other side asking us : '
'Have you bought your copy of streetwise yet?'
So I said:
"I will, if you let me take a picture of you"
He posed willingly and then he said
"come here ma'm I will show you some thing. You see this road that goes all the way down. That is route 66. It goes all the way from here to california and has been here even before all your other interstate routes.
Ah yes, Route 66!
Well if you ever plan to motor west,
Just take my way , that's the highway that's the best.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.
Well it winds from Chicago to LA
More than two-thousand miles all the way.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.
Well it goes through St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty.
You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona,
Kingsman, Barstow, San Bernardino.
Won't you get hip to this timely tip
And think you'll take that California trip.
Get your kicks on route sixty-six.
Get your kicks on route sixty-six.
I don't plan to take that trip on route 66 but I got my kicks at its beginning thanks to Will, the street vendor.
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Hi Usha,
You in the US? Mail me ur number pls.
Ah ! Now I get it ... you are in Chicago, hence no posts lately !!
But yes, some of these street people really have a nice spirit !
Nice to hear you are in Chicago :) Hope you are having a good time..
We drove part of route 66 from arizona to utah last winter. It was amazing. There is so much life along the route in small towns, and then you can see the santa fe railroad and the vast desert in some places. Just amazing.
you this side of the pond? any plans of visting the nation's capital??
well street smart people do leave you wondering why they did not get a better deal in life.with their smartness they need not remain homeless or at the lowest rung of society but many are just there.I think street smart people are aso kind of lazy and expect fortune to just land on their laps.If it does fine, if it doesn't that's okay too.
Some of these streetsmart types (even in India) simply tug at your heart with their enthusiasm to do the accepted assignment as best as they can. And you end up supporting more for their attitude than the contents of what they are selling...But better this than spurious activities...
Are you likely to be travelling to N. Calif during your trip? Sometime early August ? I already got one blogger meet set up there :-)....Would love to agelessly bond in person .....
Hey Usha, thanks for taking me back to my city. So did you like the downtown of chicago and visit all interesting places like the bean, navy pier etc?
You seem to be having fun, Usha! :-) May you meet lots more interesting people and see lots of lovely places!
Heh heh, happy holidays, and many such happy memories for a million other posts! Missed you Usha!!
Akhila: sent you.
CA: Yes. but this guy impressed me so much that I had to record it. :)
Doli: Yes, I am.
Shilpa: I bet it is if it deserved a song like that. It is such a pleasure to drive through the U.S - the sights are great and the roads are so good and it is all so convenient.
Dotthought: Not this time S. It is just a 3 week visit . It was Arizona (the grand Canyon) and Las vegas this time.
Hipgran:I thought about it too. May be he made some bad choices and may be he was in the wrong jobs. But it is the spirit he brings to a mundane job that I was impressed with. I googled a bit and found a few comments about him. Apparently he got a job elsewhere but could not work for some one else so he is back doing what he wants to be.
Ugich:You are so right and that is precisely what I did.
I am back in Bangalore by the end of the month - let us bond right here in Bengaluru or Pune.
Sumana:Have you seen this guy?
Yes I liked Chicago but I am not a big city person at all. They all look the same to me and that is why I prefer visiting museums and are galleries.
Unmana:I am. For me , at this point, the joy of travel is in being able to meet interesting people and understand their cultures and attitudes. If the process takes me to some nice places that is great too. Thank you.
Diya:Thanks Diya and Hugs! Back soon.
Hi dear Usha!
I've met Will too -- on my visit to Chicago last year. His spirit is precisely what struck me about him too.
According to my brother, who lives in the Chicago area, Will has been selling newspapers at the Art Institute for quite some time. Yet he puts so much energy into his work, you would think it was his first week at it. He cannot possibly make too much money at his job, but his circumstances never seem to get him down.
Did you enjoy the museum?
Chicago museum-a?
Lucky you.
Did you drop by any of those famous blues joints? Chicago's music history points to the wealth of great music from many impoverished but talented singers.
Lucky lucky you.
Good to have you back, Usha!
The magazine guy showed such a wonderful spirit.
Paul: Isnt that guy something? Apparently he makes 600 p.m selling the magazine. He got a job sometime back but was back again to selling magazines because he could not work for someone else.
I loved the museum.
Maami: My son showed me a few of these places and that he had been there a couple of times when some of them played. I am not much into this kind of music although I am sure I'd enjoy it when I hear it.
Dipali:He does.
Arrey youre abroad ?
I liked your style of writing.... and for a veteran blogger like you.. I don't have to say 'Keep Posting'
Street Smart is published by the more industrious homeless in many major cities in the US. It is one way to give money that one can feel pretty good about: the recipient is working, and will get a good share of the money.
Homeless in the US and homeless in India are very different things - but I am not yet sure how to describe that difference :)
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