Chicago my Love

Chicago produces a reaction in my soul. It lifts me from my current state of mind and transports me back to a time when my love for Scott was just taking off. Ahh, that time when love first starts. If I could bottle that feeling, I'd be a rich woman.

We walked the streets of his home town. He told me his life story and I breathed in every word like he was my last chance for oxygen. Chicago was really where I fell in love. I knew it with every thick crust pizza that man shoved in my face. With every red hot sausage bought at the taste of chicago and with every cuddle session had in the magic Sofitel bed. I was done. Scott has a picture of me, still on his desk, of me on a patio eating a Chicago style pizza for the first time. Chicago fills me up. Emotionally and physically. The city reminds me of what is important. Family, Love, and 1000 thread count sheets. Let's get real, it's not always about family.

I remember lying on the ground watching the fireworks. I was wearing light blue shorts and a white frilly tank top. We were hot and sweaty, but I didn't care. I was so wrapped up in being close to him that I could have been literally overheating and wouldn't have noticed. I met Scott’s family that first trip. You know if a man fly’s you across the country to meet his family, you’ve got something.

Scott’s brother taught me how to drive stick that first trip out to Chicago. Learning how to drive stick shift doesn’t sound like an endearing activity, but for a girl riding a wave of serotonin that would last for the next 3 years, it was a memorable activity. I thought, I’ve got to show Scott that I’m up for whatever, that I’m a thrill ride, that I’m not scared of anything. All of that is of course untrue, but he didn’t know that. We were not yet at the phase where you tell the other person, p.s. that first date where we ate Sushi and I told you I love sushi, yeah, that was a lie. I only mildly like sushi and I reach my max at about 4 little rolls. No, we were not there yet. To him, I was a wild curly haired girl who wanted to learn how to drive stick. Right then, right there. Inside I was having a mini panic-attack and truthfully it was sort of painful to be removed from his side for anymore than a few minutes. But I was a woman, and I was with his Brother. All ladies know that getting the Brother’s approval is almost as important as getting the Mother’s approval. Scott’s brother David is a lot like Scott. He’s just a quieter version of Scott, but he’s got that calm assertive thing going on. Kind of like the dog-whisperer. “David, the scared girl driving stick for the first time, whisperer”

So as you can see, I’m not just going to Chicago, I’m going back to where it all began. I’m not just going to a new city, I’m going to our city. When I say Chicago has my heart, in a lot of ways, it does and it always will. My heart has expanded 100 fold in that city and it’s good to feel the fullness again.

I'll be back to reality, and Colorado, July 9th.