Genie In A Bottle of Beer

Janet and I make it back to the hotel. A little sweaty, and tired, but excited that we saw Harpo. The men we met that spoke to us were so sweet, and we are convinced that the Mid-West Mentality that you here about is not fictitious. Chicago has it all. A great lively city, beautiful architecture, and greenbelts. Plus the sea, and a kind attitude. It's like meeting a really nice and warm super model, who will eat pizza with you without telling you she needs to go to the gym afterward- that's Chicago!

We are tired, and debate on whether we can muster the energy to walk across town to Rick Bayless' restaurant, but we are hungry. Hunger wins, and Janet is excited about this chef she's watched on Food Network. I love good food, so I'm in, but we take a cab. Frontera Grill is packed, and the host tells us it'll be an hour and a half wait. Janet isn't sure if I want to wait, but my attitude is "Why Not?" Plus, I used to be a hostess in a restaurant- we always oversold the time- to get customers to leave. When you're not the owner, and you're in your youth,there's a local party at 10pm  that you want to get to, it's common to tell the customer a time frame that only the desperate will wait for. The theory: the less customers the quicker the closing, the quicker to the party! So I always subtract these arbitrary wait times by measuring the age of the host.

We walk across the street to a bar called Fado'. It's authentically Irish. The bartenders speak the dialect, and the dark woods, and smell feel as though I am in Dublin. Janet thinks so too. We are loving this, and if the dinner reservations don't happen- we are perfectly, content. Plus- we get carded twice. I finally ask if we are being Punked! There is no way we look under age- but it worked because we are giddy! Nothing like a little stroke to make us purr.

Janet orders a beer, and I order this fabulous drink- a bluberry something, gin/vodka and tonic. I think next to a recent Gin Fizz in San Francisco, this is my new favorite. Note to self- call Fado and get details of drink. Next to us is a gathering of three men. I have my camera, so it seems it is obvious we are from out of town. The men next to us make their way over, and chat us up. We tell them we are out of towners, and they go nuts wanting to give us a proper itinerary. Viagara Triangle is mentioned, Chicago Pizza, Top of the Hancock building, Blues on Halston. Of course the Viagara Triangle gets our attention, and we laugh over this. But then the Chicago Pizza is argued over, and I chime in that "Pizano's is on Oprah's Best list!" I use Saul's quote to act like I know what I am talking about. The conversation switches to where we are individually from, and I tell them that I have driven myself to Chicago, and Janet tells them about the Tear Drop. They are cracking up, and I show them a picture of my trailer. Brent, one of the guys says, "So you guys are Oprah fans?" Janet and I look at each other forgetting my earlier tout of pizza lists. We aren't sure how to answer. We laugh, and say, "We like Oprah." Brent says, "I work at Harpo!" Janet and I then look at each other, and start laughing. We can't stop. Our thoughts are "Of course, he does!" Which brings Genie wish number 2 full circle. Brent works at Harpo, and then continues with, "I can give you guys a tour if you'd like. When do you go home?" This is incredible. This is the wish I threw out there earlier today, but didn't get. He walks away and Janet and I are once again stunned. I video tape her so we don't forget what just happened, and the energy surrounding it ( but somehow this gets lost). When Brent, and his dad return, Janet tells them of my script. We tell them what the journey is about, and that us meeting him is part of the enchantment. He is so sweet, and loves my idea. He tells us little sweet things about Oprah. How he was a cameraman on the Oprah and Gail Road Trip. He is thrilled about my idea, and says he is the last one to get in the way of a mission. He will absolutely give us a tour. Before we leave to go back to our dinner reservations we exchange numbers with a promise that when the movie is made, I am buying him a drink at Fado. I really can't wait for that to happen. Everyone in Chicago, so far has been incredible, and I cannot wait to come back with my story to share it with them.

Dinner reservations end up being about an hour, maybe an hour, ten- we get Sangria (I love this), and Janet orders ceviche- which she has been craving!  The food is great, and right next to us sits a funny group of men who are in the Gaming Business. they make video games, and one of the men went to my rival school where I teach. So crazy, and just yet another example of "small world" reminders.  We are all connected. Dreams are simple to achieve when you realize that each person you meet, is connected, and it's all a matter of threadbare walls that keep you from here to there. Moments- change our lives. Simple moments.

When we leave it's pouring outside. It's a beautiful Summer rain, and a perfect night. I love that I came. I love that Janet came too. We are in awe...keep laughing at all the little coincidences that keep happening, and our statement every time something happens is "Of Course..."  Our cab driver picks us up, and says, "You're a couple of teachers!" We laugh, not sure how he knows this, but at this point we are just going with it all. I ask him where he is from? He makes me guess. I say, "Ghana" I win points for not saying "Jamaica" and he tells us he is from "Nigeria" I was close. This little detail doesn't mean much, but it's just an example of how the feeling is that we are experiencing. It's like we've stepped into something magical. Both of us feel it, and are exhilarated by it. It's fun. Really really fun! I'm so glad I am rewarded by taking the step to journey.

See you in a few years, Brent! Thanks for being a part of all this!