Cold Hands, Warm Heart
Sometimes Chicago gets to me.
The mayor decided that it would be a good idea to only salt and plow main roads this winter, which meant that biking was an extremely treacherous feat after last night's sleet storm. After quickly nixing the idea of riding all the way to work, due partly to the state of the roads and partly to the frigid cold, I walked my bike to the nearest main road and rode to the Blue Line. I thankfully got on a train right away, but it sat at every station for 5 minutes or more, because of "signal problems." By the time I got to my stop, I was late for work. I cursed Chicago and its failing infrastructure and crime and filth and corruption and GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU STUPID TOURISTS AGH THE WIND IS CUTTING ME TO THE BONE all the way to work. The one glimmer of light was the fact that my days here are numbered, and I will be living in the land of efficiency, cleanliness, and politeness soon. Oh how rosy Japan looks on days like this!
At a meeting one of my coworkers (who spent many years teaching English in Japan) asked if I had heard of the new crime wave in Japan. He explained that the elderly have been getting into quite a lot of trouble with the law lately. Mostly it's just petty theft, but the reasons behind the crimes are quite sad. Some people really don't have the money to pay for food, but others are so lonely that they steal just to get arrested and have human interaction. You see, while Japan is the land of politeness, when it comes to community rehabilitation, they are somewhat lacking. Japan has been struggling in recent years with a rash of family- and personal-based woes. For example, the rate of shut-ins among young people has soared. Divorce among the elderly is commonplace. Child abuse is largely ignored. Why? Because people don't feel comfortable confronting each other. It just isn't polite.
Later I saw a posting on Chicagoist about the Resurrection Homebound Elderly Program. This program ensures that at least some of Chicago's "low-income, socially isolated and chronically ill” homebound elderly get food and a friend to talk to. OK, so I was wrong. Chicago may be rough around the edges, but it sure has heart.
I'm sorry Chicago. Let's never fight again.
The mayor decided that it would be a good idea to only salt and plow main roads this winter, which meant that biking was an extremely treacherous feat after last night's sleet storm. After quickly nixing the idea of riding all the way to work, due partly to the state of the roads and partly to the frigid cold, I walked my bike to the nearest main road and rode to the Blue Line. I thankfully got on a train right away, but it sat at every station for 5 minutes or more, because of "signal problems." By the time I got to my stop, I was late for work. I cursed Chicago and its failing infrastructure and crime and filth and corruption and GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU STUPID TOURISTS AGH THE WIND IS CUTTING ME TO THE BONE all the way to work. The one glimmer of light was the fact that my days here are numbered, and I will be living in the land of efficiency, cleanliness, and politeness soon. Oh how rosy Japan looks on days like this!
At a meeting one of my coworkers (who spent many years teaching English in Japan) asked if I had heard of the new crime wave in Japan. He explained that the elderly have been getting into quite a lot of trouble with the law lately. Mostly it's just petty theft, but the reasons behind the crimes are quite sad. Some people really don't have the money to pay for food, but others are so lonely that they steal just to get arrested and have human interaction. You see, while Japan is the land of politeness, when it comes to community rehabilitation, they are somewhat lacking. Japan has been struggling in recent years with a rash of family- and personal-based woes. For example, the rate of shut-ins among young people has soared. Divorce among the elderly is commonplace. Child abuse is largely ignored. Why? Because people don't feel comfortable confronting each other. It just isn't polite.
Later I saw a posting on Chicagoist about the Resurrection Homebound Elderly Program. This program ensures that at least some of Chicago's "low-income, socially isolated and chronically ill” homebound elderly get food and a friend to talk to. OK, so I was wrong. Chicago may be rough around the edges, but it sure has heart.
I'm sorry Chicago. Let's never fight again.