I am Very Slowly Becoming a Fine Wine

 Doesn't seem like too much to ask. Does it? 

I spent last night walking around Chicago. By the end of the night I had walked 10.17 miles and donated to many people's buckets. On the way back from Navy Pier I passed an elderly lady off the Chicago Lakefront Trail. She had about six large duffel bags that were completely full as well as a few of shopping those bags with handles. She was not close to the path and she did not appear to be looking for money; it was maybe like she was bedding-down for the night? I was so tempted to go over and give her ten bucks but so many things came into my mind. Would I be offending her? Maybe she would think me a masher? If she needed/wanted money wouldn't she at least have a small bucket or cup sitting out? So many things went through my mind. She was the first woman that I have seen for the past four weeks but, this is also the first time I have taken this path. Perhaps it is safer there because people are probably biking and running and walking all night long on this path and I imagine it is highly patrolled by officers. It is also fairly-well lit. A couple of times I almost doubled-back but did not. Maybe next week, just after dark, I will pass this area again and see if she is looking for some help. 

I am a very empathetic person which is one of my great strengths and also one of my great weaknesses. 

I would say that I put money into about seven or eight people's buckets last night. Actually, one of the guys I got him going one way and then back the other. He just had his cup there and did not have a sign and did not say anything. As I passed I put some paper money in the can and he looked up and smiled very big, looking right into my eyes, and thanked me with a huge smile (and words). I always look them in the eyes and smile to show them that somebody cares about them (learned that from Dick Gere). I realize I am creating scenarios in my head but aren't we all doing that all the time? We all need to know that somebody cares. On the way back I hit him again and I said, "if I keep passing by you'll end up being a millionaire." I noticed there was no paper money in his bucket though I know there should at least be mine in there. It dawned on me that this money thing, just like just about everything, is all about marketing. If people see too much money in there they may be more unwilling to give. There didn't seem to be as many people out looking for help last night as there had been in previous weeks. 

 The EL has starred in so many movies - "hey you sleaze - my bed!" 

I do not write about this to be braggadocios as I know I am not that good of a person. I do it, rather, to try to inspire others to do the same for others as Richard Gere, through Jill (that doesn't sound right but GOOD FOR HER), has done for me. Maybe it is a little selfish in that it makes me feel like I am helping fellow human-beings down on their lucks but that is not my intent for doing it or writing about it. PAY IT FORWARD - that didn't work-out very well for Haley Joel Osment did it? Whatever, we all have to die of something.

We parked the car in a parking lot right next to an alley under the EL (elevated train) at the beginning of night. Actually, many of the parking lots are right beneath the EL because who would want their store or restaurant or apartment under the LOUD trains all day and all night long?  Anyway, I learned that Jill does not like alleys. I suppose, if I weren't Mattman I would feel the same maybe. I kiddingly said, "I know it's because it is because of the movie Ghost" and she said that I was right. It was not specifically because of that movie but the scenario in the movie. She agreed to walk a very short way in the alley with me and it showed her that, as early as it was (like 21:00), there is too much activity going on in alleys for anything to happen. The pizza deliver folks are loading up their deliveries in the alleys (back doors)... Later at night it probably would be a worse idea. There was more chances of getting hit by a delivery person driving like a maniac than getting a shiv in the gut. Speaking of pizza - we had Lou Malnati's pizza before her class. Some of the best pizza in the world. We just had a small deep dish and I was full for an hour. I was really happy I walked as far as I did though my feet do ache a bit today.

 Cha Cha really hates blood 

I am going to start walking more - maybe every night. I sleep so much better if I walk at night. Maybe I am becoming one of those old farts; I know why they walk now. I have always been a fart (Jill even has called me FART off-and-on for the past 30 years or so) but I am now adding the old part. Everything about farts is funny to me: the sound, the word... maybe not the odor of other people's though mine smell like chrysanthemums. I bet Jeff would walk with me. I walk pretty briskly and, since he has four legs, he does too. I know he would love it. I think we will start tonight though we won't have quite the views that they have in Chicago. Maybe I will take him with me one week? That seems like maybe a bad idea but I will mull it over.

I took lots of notes of things that I saw and did last night but I will either save them for later or, more likely, lose them. I have to get some things done so I will end now. Thank you so very much for stopping by. I like that you keep coming back because it makes me want to write so, one day, when my mind is completely gone, I can read about what I did when I could do things. How come when we forget things but we don't forget how to talk or write? I am not complaining, just my curious nature. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!