The Chicagoan talking to herself in the photo above is actually working on an ad agency team building video to launch a new product – of all things, a catheter for women. Everyone on her team is required to produce some sort of video clip set to a lip sync of Rick James’ song, “Super Freak.” When they piece it all together, I am sure it will be solid gold. And what woman wouldn’t want to buy a catheter endorsed by (RIP 2004) Rick James? I mean, although he went to jail for a couple years for kidnapping, the torture charges were completely dropped. But I digress.
On another snowy afternoon, a few days after the above encounter, I meet a young woman named Jacqui. I don’t know if you spell her name with an “cky” or “ie” or whatever. But I do know she is the mother of a 5-year-old girl and that she lives in a neighborhood highrise with a doorman and monthly assessments that are well above my pay grade. And that she had a friend who strongly recommends some sort of vitamin D droplets you put on your tongue to ward off COVID-19.
I don’t have a photo of Jacqui. I wish I did. She was all bundled up, kneeling in the snow on the steps above Lake Michigan. I saw that she was writing something with a stick when I decide to approach her. I ask, “What sort of message are you writing to the world?” And then I see, “STAY CONNECTED.”
She gets up and asks if I care to join her on the rest of her walk. Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to do that on my solo walks in these COVID times? As I walk past other solo walkers, where all I see behind their masks (or scarves) is their eyes? That takes courage. Three hours later and almost five miles later, we part ways.
The point is, on my little daily walks to Lake Michigan, how did I learn all this vital information? Is it because I am a journalist? A naturally curious person? Or simply because I actually take 30 seconds to interact with another human being. To stop and ask, through my mask. From more than six feet away.
And that’s kinda my point. Even during COVID times, there are still ways to travel (responsibly), connect with all sorts of interesting people and create fabulous new experiences. Stay connected, indeed.
