Chicago...

I drove my car yesterday. It hadn't been run since friday (less than a week) and the bettery had already died. I assume from the cold as it has been wicked-ass cold and my car is outside in a parking lot. I asked a fwe people to help me jump my car, and finally caught some guy about to leave the parking lot. He said he didn't know how, which didn't matter because I didn't need him to know how, I just needed his car, but I thought it was common knowledge for any car owner to know how to jump a vehicle. He also didn't have any jumper cables and said it was the first time he'd ever opened the hood of his car. I said "oh, is it new?" Nope. He'd had it over a year. . . . ? I was quite surprised. I guess I probably shouldn't be, but everyone should know how to jump a car, no?

So, as I said, I drove my car yesterday, and decided that it would be a good idea to at lesat start it up again today so the battery won't be dead by friday when I plan on driving home for the weekend. I took the subway down State street to the parking lot. At the foot of the stairs up to the street was a bum lying across the floor and a cop standing beside him telling people to just step over him. By just glancing at the bum, he looked slightly uncomfortable, like he'd managed to get himself frozen to the ground or something stupid like that. But I walked by and went up to my car, taking note of the blue flashing lights across the street and an ambulance/fire dept. vehicle pulling up behind them. The car had a bit of trouble starting, but it did start. After one day, it had nearly died again. I'm going to assume it's just the cold weather, but I should probably get the alternator tested soon just in case.

Anyway, sitting in my car, waiting for it to warm up, I saw two college-aged kids and a black guy come out of the subway and walk over to the fence right beside my car. The black guy had his back up against the fence, and the shorter college kid kept looking around suspiciously. The taller kid started patting down the black guy and took out a cd player and wallet from the guys pockets, so, assuming he was being robbed, I held down the horn of my car while I reached for my cell phone. The two guys just looked irritated and shot me dirty looks before showing me their police badges. Apparently they weren't college kids. oops.

So, a few minutes later I drove off, came back to my parking spot, and walked down to the subway. The cops and the ambulancy-vehicle thing were all gone, but frozen to the ground where the bum had been was the remains of a cut up jacket. Apparently he had been frozen there.

So, that was my evening. exciting. I hope my car works tomorrow.