I drove from my home in southern Wisconsin to the Chicago suburbs and hopped the train into town. I’d initially planned to drive to Harvard, IL and do the two-hour ride in on the commuter train but the weekend schedule is limiting. Since a day of parking in Chicago can approach the cost of a good bottle of scotch, I explored the Chicago Transit System (CTA) which I’d never used. I headed to the Blue Line train at Rosemont station near O’Hare. To my surprise, the nearby Anime convention had overwhelmed the parking lot with cars and colorfully-dressed people. After ten minutes, I realized I wasn’t going to find a spot, so I quickly checked Google Maps and proceeded to Cumberland station, a few more miles towards downtown. The parking lot here was empty and my adventure began.

I paid $6 to park there and $10 for an all day CTA train pass. I don’t know how this compares to parking in downtown Chicago on a Saturday, but I wanted to try this out anyway. The 40 minute train ride was mostly above ground and traversed many interesting neighborhoods. Although I was the only one who noticed as the dozens of other people on the train were doing extremely important things on their phones the whole time. After eighteen stops, I detrained at LaSalle station.

My first stop was for lunch at Cafecito, a great little Cuban cafe specializing in pressed sandwiches and coffee (see photos below). I had a Jerk Chicken sandwich which was very moist and spicy. Yummy! This restaurant is located in the same building as HI Chicago Hostel, a youth hostel. Of course, I couldn’t resist, so I went in and walked around. The whole huge second floor is a lounge with a pool table and books and computers; a large kitchen and dining area for anyone to use. It seemed like a very nice place. The clerk said the single, private rooms are $149/night which is reasonable in Chicago.

I intended to stop by Hero Coffee Shop and then wander through Grant Park towards my later event, but Mother Nature had other plans. Just as I was about to walk outside, the apocalypse unleashed a torrent of rain upon us. I stood under a canopy for a few minutes, and when it quieted a little, I did the two-minute walk to Hero. This little place was so friendly and off the beaten track and a good spot to dry off. I had a Cafe Latte and a chocolate scone and stayed there for an hour or so.

The rain had calmed to a drizzle. I put on my raincoat and, even though I still had 3 hours to spare, decided to make my way a half mile north to the American Writers Museum. To make a wet story short, the drizzle did not let up, and my feet and pants were drenched by the time I got there. I went into the museum to find out my options. It was 4pm, the show started at 6:30pm but the museum closed at 5pm. I asked when I could get back in after 5, and the nice, dry clerk said I could just come in and stay. That was music to my ears and exactly what I did.

I first visited the American Writers Museum (AWM) in May of 2017 at the time that it opened but hadn’t been back since. I wandered through and came upon a room that is specifically for visitors to read any of the dozens of classic books that are shelved throughout the space (the last photo below). I found a comfy chair, got myself settled, and started to read while I dried.

I wasn’t there long before one of the staff started lining up chairs, and I realized I was sitting in the area where the event would be held. I couldn’t have devised a more clever strategy than what I had fallen into. Then at 4:30pm, Joan Osborne showed up. She spent quite awhile looking through the museum, especially at the Bob Dylan exhibit. She did an album a couple years ago of Bob Dylan covers. I had a front row seat (actually I was the only non-staff person there) to see them set up, talk with her about the logistics of the show, and watch her do a soundcheck.

This event was a conversation with music sprinkled in. The interviewer was Terry Hemmert, a famous DJ from WXRT who received grand applause from the audience. I didn’t know her but was so impressed with the way she approached the evening. She was completely relaxed and had a homey, familiar way of chatting with Joan.

The conversation was amazing, and an hour went by in no time. It was the kind of thing you had to see for yourself, and it’s very hard to capture it in words. Terry asked wonderful questions and got Joan to talk about so many things. She shared how she got grew up in Kentucky, moved to NYC for film school, then sang at an open mic on a dare. This grew into regular open mic performances, forming a band, getting regional recognition in the Northeast, and getting a record deal. That’s ten years in a nutshell. Her “overnight” fame with “One of Us” was completely unexpected, and she struggled with being recognized, approached, and followed around NYC as well as the pressure to repeat the success of Relish with a second album. At the end, I bought a copy of Relish (which I already had at home) and got an autograph. All in all, it was a fascinating event, and I look forward to attending another one at AWM.

In the glistening dusk, I walked a couple blocks to the Washington CTA station. The city was shining and mysterious on the edge of nightfall, lamp lights reflecting and blurring the motion on the streets.

Underground, during the six-minute wait for the train back to my car, a lanky, young street musician echoed through the station… 

I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that’s why I love you
Don’t be afraid to let them show
Your true colors, true colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow