the ocean

Yesterday I did the unthinkable and actually went to a street festival that required low-level interactions with dozens to hundreds of my fellow citizens. As frequent visitors to this space (as if) will know, I am not the biggest fan of crowds, as I tend to fear that I'll be shot or subjected to unusual aromas or stale small talk. But the weather was beautiful, I had friends over and a few drinks in me, and we decided to head to Northalsted Market Days. (Northalsted being the more inclusive name for Boystown, where rest assured people will judge and exclude you every bit as much as they ever did.)

It was, for all intents and purposes, fine. It is of course galling that they have the nerve to seek a "suggested donation" of $20 at the gate and then charge $13 for a can of spiked seltzer, but price gouging is by now a grand American tradition. We did get some nifty free sunglasses with the name of a pharmaceutical company on the side to make up for it. And there was free entertainment, of a sort. We heard several fine cover bands, none of which acknowledged my repeated entreaties to play "Crash Into Me," which was admittedly the correct and perhaps only response. We got some sun, saw some friends, and did not get shot, so I'll call it a win.