PERSONAL Chicago Rains On My Birthday Parade
Today is my twenty-fifth birthday. Happy Birthday to me, indeed. There are a few things to which I am accustomed on my birthday: 1) I don't work... it's three days after Christmas and I've never had to work [or go to class] on my birthday; 2) I sleep in... don't wake me up on my birthday--I'm sleeping in; 3) It's always cold and, more often than not, snowing... three days after Christmas? It's not going to be, say, raining. Well, son, times are certainly different this year... and my birthday has been different. I woke up, early this morning, to a gray sky and a misty drizzle. It's not really all that cold. The Weather Channel says that it's about 36 degrees right now. For a birthday-day that's quiet warm. So warm, in fact, that I can hardly believe it's my birthday. Perhaps this is a sign of the times, or of my age... as, taking a look at my birthday-day, I can hardly believe today is supposed to be a celebration myself. What do I mean? Here we go:
My day started by noticing dog excrement on my shoe. It had hardened and was wonderfully disgusting looking. Now I'm not sure that you know how to clean hardened excrement, but it involves making the hardened, dry substance neither hardened nor dry. This is both gross and smelly... and it makes for birthday fun! When I left my apartment to head to Chelsey's office, I noticed a smearing on the floor of the elevator. Most of the time, I love the fact that my building has dogs... it means cute doggies walking around all the time. But, apparently, it also means that poop can be on the floor of an elevator for an entire evening.
This made me hungry for a birthday lunch! And that's just what I got! Chelsey and I normally get lunch on Tuesdays and, even though my birthday didn't fall on a Tuesday, we decided to do our Tuesday lunch a day late. Our weekly Qudoba rendezvous was perhaps not a "special" backdrop for a birthday lunch, but the burrito I had was perfect: Chicken mole with guacamole... it tasted so amazing. It made me feel like the day was looking up. Actually, even the dog feces didn't put a damper on my day. My day was going pretty well, all in all, which is why I was surprised when I went to the L stop. I heard the train coming into the station while I was still walking up the first set of stairs behind a very slow, oblivious woman. As I sped to pass her, I scanned my pass and headed up the second set of stairs only to run into the mass of people leaving the train. As I was weaving my way through the people, I made it as close as three feet from the doors when they closed. I laughed. This type of crap isn't supposed to happen to people on their birthday. For those of you who don't know... missing the train like that means an eight-ten minute wait for the next one. So I stood around the train platform waiting for the next train. Boo-hoo, right? It still didn't really put me in a bad mood. Other days it might have... but not on my birthday.
My birthday wasn't going to be dampened by waiting for things. And, just to prove that statement correct, I waited at the bank. I waited at the bank for a very long time. There were only three tellers, and each one of them seemed to be doing the most complicated transactions when I entered the bank. I was easily waiting for ten minutes before the line even moved (I moved because the guy in front of me left)... and it was another ten (at least) before I got waited on.
If over twenty minutes at a bank doesn't sound like a lot in retrospect... then feel this, my 312 bitches. It's a well-known fact that the Cheesecake Factory is pretty much my favorite place to eat. Even if it's not a well-known fact, C Wage knows it... and that's all that matters. We got to the Cheesecake factory somewhere around 8 PM... and were told it would 15-30 minute wait. "No problem," we thought. Over an hour later we were finally seated. Upon seating, I was told that my beloved Fresca--the greatest beverage that only one restaurant (Cheesecake Factory) carries (that I know of)--was out. In it's place, I ordered something called the "Flying Gorilla"... which is an adult beverage consisting of banana, chocolate, ice cream, and banana liqueur. It was delicious... and tasted like dessert. I then proceeded to get my spicy chicken chipotle pasta and engage in intellectual conversation--the only kind of conversation I have. Don't buy that? Then you're right... I most probably talked about video games and strategically designed lighting fixtures. When our food arrived, it was obvious to me that my food had been prepared much faster than Chelsey's... because my food was almost room temperature. Ehh... it didn't bother me on this day. Not on this day... as it seemed nothing would bother me.
Nothing except... birthday singing. When Chelsey asked if my cheesecake could have a candle in it, I was worried that they were going to sing. I hate birthday singing in restaurants... I don't want people to make a big deal out of it. I did, however, want the candle. This year was the first year that my mom didn't get me a cake (not even to say "we got you a cake, you have to come home if you want to eat it"... which is so totally my mother)... so I wanted the candle. Thankfully, our waitress was totally cool... and brought a candle with my festively decorated piece of cheesecake and no fuss. She lit the candle, discretely wished me a happy birthday, and was on her way. Not a bad way to end my day.
Want to know what IS a bad way to end your day? Having the most psychotic cab driver ever! Granted it's not far from Michigan Avenue to my apartment, and we've made the walk before... we were just very tired and wanted to get back. Now I've heard of "crazy cabbie" stories... but they've never had the punch that they will now have after my birthday. This cab driver cut across three lanes of traffic--probably without signaling--and with other cars definitely honking at us. He accelerated faster and braked harder than anyone I've ever ridden with... and the cab fair, which STARTS at $2.25, ended up being just over $3. This means that the trip was extremely short... and about three minutes shorter than it should have been. I treated the cab ride as if we were riding an amusement park ride... and was happy to be walking on the ground when we stopped. Chelsey and I tumbled out of the cab... and kissed the ground. Nothing like a near-death experience to end your birthday with style. Happy Birthday to me.