Well, at least it isn't Schaumburg. Oh look! Brake lights. So pretty.
Those were the thoughts dribbling through my head last night as I was making the trek from Milwaukee (the land of the super-cool) to sit down, have a weiss beer and do a bit of catching up in the Golden Ghetto of Chicago's Northwest burbs with my wicked slick friend, Jenn, of Jenn's World.
It's been a while since I'd driven in Illinois, and not only did I seem to seriously overestimate the driving skills of Chicago drivers, I'd also forgotten that the Illinois tollway has been in a perpetual state of reconstruction since the end of the Civil War. In short, it's absolute madness with exact change required.
Fortunately, my crazy mad hockey playing skills prepared me for this, and I was able to anticipate more than one approching automotive body-check which would have left my poor little, Jeep a crumpled, red wreck of mangled Dan with twelve bucks' worth of loose change spilling out. But, I will say it's quite an adrenaline-rush tooling along at 80 mph with a chugging Freightliner heaving a hot breath down the back of my neck behind me.
"HEY JENN! I'M GOING TO BE FASHIONABLY LATE!" I shouted into my cell.
"Where are you?"
"I THINK I KNOW WHY THEY CALL IT HALF-DAY ROAD!"
"You're an idiot."
"I GET THAT A LOT! SEE YOU SOON!"
The cool thing is, even after being reduced to a spastic, chattering mess at the hands of the Illinois Department of Transportation, it was definitely worth it. Jenn's the kind of friend who not only eats lettuce sandwiches, but after ten minutes of talking to her, your sides are either hurting from laughing so hard, or she stuck a six-inch shiv into your ribs because you weren't paying attention.
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful and wild weekend. Be safe out there, and if you should see a Freightliner with half-a-pack of cigarette butts stuck in its radiator, do me a favor and flip him off.
-DP
Glad you had a good time!! And arrived safely!! It's always fun to be with people that make you laugh....hence.....I keep on reading your journal!!
ReplyDeletePam
you should have stopped by me, I live off of 22 in Lake Zurich. I love Schaumburg, Love the mall there.
ReplyDeleteGrrrr this is my 3rd attempt to leave a comment. If this doesn't take I am giving up. It's not even all that interesting of a comment!! I was going to tell you that I think my son and DIL (who are on vacay-driving) ended up in the same ghetto. They told me they took a train to some museum and there they are in the ghetto. The only white people. Obviously unwelcome. They did make it out safely and have driven on to Sandusky OH.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a wonderful visit with your friend. Sounds like my kinda gal. Hope your drive home was less eventful.
Barb
And when are you coming down to the Nati to have a drink with me? We have plenty of orange cones and "my daddy works here" signs for you to avoid . . . glad to hear you survived your trip to IL though.
ReplyDeleteAmanda :)