A Billgrimage
As a Bill Murray fan, there are many strict rules I need to follow. 5 times a day I have to stop whatever I'm doing, face Wilmette, IL (his hometown), and quote a line from "The Life Aquatic". For a month of every year I have to fast and the only thing I can drink is Suntory Whisky. I have to live February 2 over at least 5 times in a row (this one is difficult). And of course, every true fan has to make a Billgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Well friends, over the weekend my girlfriend and I finally got my chance to go to the holy of holies, and I wish to share with you my tales of Wilmette.
We left on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, and took the highway to the northern suburbs of Chicago. Along the way, Amanda and I talked about the things we would do while in Wilmette: walk, breathe, talk, move, see, hear. We quickly became very excited. After a 30 minute drive, with the anticipation mounting every second, I could barely breathe by the time we arrived at our first stop on our trek: Loyola Academy, Bill's all-boys Jesuit high school.
It seemed very prestigous. According to his English teacher, Father Reuter, he was "brilliant but a terrible student".* After ceremoniously busting a ghost in effigy (get it? ghostbusters? one of his movies?...), we returned to our car and drove to our second destination - Border's Books. As a Bill Murray fan, I had no choice but to buy a Bill Murray movie in his hometown. It was a glorious feeling as a cashier rang up my selection and a hole in my movie collection, and my heart, was plugged.
Wilmette is talking about Bill Murray, of course. Savoring the moment, we then proceeded to stop # 3 on our Trek, the magnificent St. Joseph's School where Mr. Murray attended grade school. "Unfortunately for his teachers, he was an irrepressible character, keener to entertain his peers than concentrate on the lesson in hand. This would lead to him being kicked out of both the Boy Scouts and Little League".*
Oh how I long to have been one of Bill's peers. Maybe I was? The next stop was of vital importance for Bill Murray fans. We drove 6 minutes from St. Joseph's School and came to the Indian Hill Club, where Bill Murray worked a part-time job as a caddie. Influencing movies such as "Caddyshack" and kindling Bill's insatiable interest in golf, this job helped make him who he is today.
Our Billgrimage was nearing an end, but before we headed to the Final Destination, we had to of course pay our respects to other systems of belief, whether or not they acknowledge Bill Murray's acting as divinely inspired. Because being a Bill Murray fan means being tolerant. So, as we were in Wilmette, what better way than to explore the beauty of the North American Baha'i Temple?**
We then drove into Skokie and completed our Billgrimage with a visit to Little Caesar's, where the Billster worked a part-time job after being kicked out of college in Denver for possesion of marijuana. The first picture is one I took of Bill in 1971.***
And thus ended our holy trek to the promised land. The tale isn't over yet, though, for a "documurray" is in the works and will be released onto YouTube by the end of the summer. Prepare yourselves.
* Quotes courtesy of http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/bill_murray_biog.html
** No better way.
*** Not true. But it really is a picture of him working there in 1971, at 21 years old.
We left on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, and took the highway to the northern suburbs of Chicago. Along the way, Amanda and I talked about the things we would do while in Wilmette: walk, breathe, talk, move, see, hear. We quickly became very excited. After a 30 minute drive, with the anticipation mounting every second, I could barely breathe by the time we arrived at our first stop on our trek: Loyola Academy, Bill's all-boys Jesuit high school.
It seemed very prestigous. According to his English teacher, Father Reuter, he was "brilliant but a terrible student".* After ceremoniously busting a ghost in effigy (get it? ghostbusters? one of his movies?...), we returned to our car and drove to our second destination - Border's Books. As a Bill Murray fan, I had no choice but to buy a Bill Murray movie in his hometown. It was a glorious feeling as a cashier rang up my selection and a hole in my movie collection, and my heart, was plugged.
Wilmette is talking about Bill Murray, of course. Savoring the moment, we then proceeded to stop # 3 on our Trek, the magnificent St. Joseph's School where Mr. Murray attended grade school. "Unfortunately for his teachers, he was an irrepressible character, keener to entertain his peers than concentrate on the lesson in hand. This would lead to him being kicked out of both the Boy Scouts and Little League".*
Oh how I long to have been one of Bill's peers. Maybe I was? The next stop was of vital importance for Bill Murray fans. We drove 6 minutes from St. Joseph's School and came to the Indian Hill Club, where Bill Murray worked a part-time job as a caddie. Influencing movies such as "Caddyshack" and kindling Bill's insatiable interest in golf, this job helped make him who he is today.
Our Billgrimage was nearing an end, but before we headed to the Final Destination, we had to of course pay our respects to other systems of belief, whether or not they acknowledge Bill Murray's acting as divinely inspired. Because being a Bill Murray fan means being tolerant. So, as we were in Wilmette, what better way than to explore the beauty of the North American Baha'i Temple?**
We then drove into Skokie and completed our Billgrimage with a visit to Little Caesar's, where the Billster worked a part-time job after being kicked out of college in Denver for possesion of marijuana. The first picture is one I took of Bill in 1971.***
And thus ended our holy trek to the promised land. The tale isn't over yet, though, for a "documurray" is in the works and will be released onto YouTube by the end of the summer. Prepare yourselves.
* Quotes courtesy of http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/bill_murray_biog.html
** No better way.
*** Not true. But it really is a picture of him working there in 1971, at 21 years old.