Chicago has some things wrong with it. All cities do, I understand that. Chicago really has problems, though. Living in this city is sort of like having Christmas dinner with that crazy uncle everybody seems to have. You love them because they are family, but they should really seek professional help. I don’t mind the political scandals, the cussing mayor, or the outrageous prices. I do, however, mind some of the people.
The other day I was riding the train after a long day of classes. In a comatose-like state, I was content listening to the chatter of fellow train riders. The train is loud, because it is essentially a tin can, but the voices usually intertwine themselves into one large body of static that is almost peaceful, in a way. On this night there was a change. An obnoxiously loud voice rose above the rest, demanding the attention of everybody within a twenty food radius. I turned to investigate the nonsense, and witnessed a tall African American man yelling at two smaller white females. He was trying to convince them they weren’t American. Yes, that’s right. He knew what a “true” American was, and he wasn’t about to let these two ladies exit the train without informing them of his knowledge. The discussion continued for what seemed like days, covering topics from what it meant to be black to social classes. Like the rest of the people on the train, I couldn’t rip my eyes off the debacle that had suddenly erupted. They made me angry, frustrated, and depressed all at the same time. They were unapologetic about their ignorance. I popped in my headphones and cranked the volume up, turning back around and facing the window. I could still occasionally hear a disgusting remark about how “a black man should act”, and when I looked up, their dancing reflections were in my window. Ahhh!
These are the type of people I do not appreciate. They are the ones who made the great city of Chicago so segregated. I live in the loop, which is full of suit-wearing aristocrats who fear the south side. I’ve been to the south side and lived to tell the tale. How can somebody judge another person they met on a train, or think they understand a place because of what they hear in the media? Has anybody actually experienced the south side before swearing to never step foot there? Such outrageously beautiful things could happen if people put aside their hang-ups and tried something new. Chicago has so much to offer, so much culture. But, these things will soon fade away if people don’t want to collaborate with one another.
