Tall, dark, and mysterious- always enchanting her next victim. She is unlike any other. Luring in people from all walks of life with her beauty, millions of people locked within her complex maze of intertwining streets. Her stature is raw yet elegant as it pierces the blueberry skies. That was my introduction to my first love. Not a love acquired over time because that would mean there was a time I wasn’t in love. I was born in love from love. Her hands meticulously and carefully molded me. Trained the nose to know what danger smells like, eyes to know what ready looks like, and ears to know when a storm is coming.
Although now separated by 673 expanding miles, I still feel her touch with a vividness that makes my heart go weak and the hairs on my neck stiffen. Driving down Lake Shore Drive - LSD for short - the dewy lake breeze kisses my skin. The heavy rolling Chevy tires scream my name. Starting north in Uptown, she is known as Little Saigon. Little Saigon is but one of her many personas. Here she is culturally rich because there lies Vietnam. Waves of airy baked bread, freshly washed lettuce, pickled daikon, and sweet pork- all the wonders of Bánh mì- attack the nostrils. The sound of a bà catching up with friends fills the morning market. Their tongues violently twist and turn with the speed of a master. Rough syllables that scrape against my ears accompany them. Though their words are unfamiliar to my untrained ear, I still appreciate their difference in communication. Little Saigon taught me to appreciate what I do not understand.
As I continue south down LSD, I meet her next persona- Windy, better known as Windy City. Here lies her heart. Here lies a culmination of all her personas. Not only does she conquer fast-paced trends but also the poor. Often blinding people with her dazzling cars and expensive clothes, they merely act as a cover to hide her darker sides. The everyday worker travels through the dirty stain-stricken subway system and confronts the cars of the wealthy. Coming from the darkness below, hoping to find a new light- a new opportunity. Influence and wealth are in juxtaposition with poverty and powerlessness. She sneers at the workers as they pass by. They head towards the next dollar to feed their families, but she watches from high above, all-knowing and all-seeing. Windy taught me not everything is as it seems. Wealth and poverty are neighborhoods, yet one never helps the other. Windy and Saigon taught me to value the cultures of others and challenge what I think I know.
Lastly, you should know her real name. Remember it. Engrain it in your soul. Should you ever meet, do not falter or show weakness; those are her favorite snacks. Conquer her steel interior with a strength that breaks mountains. Explore her many changing roads with courage that shakes oceans. However, always respect her; respect Chicago.
