Chicago Is Hard On Carts

We lost a cart last week, and our friend Tricia is going to Europe next week to travel and gave us her hand=me=down cart. I took it to Trader Joe's and off came a wheel first time out. Candy had bought another cart when she was out getting groceries so at least we still have one new one. We really use a cart for walking with our art work for busking and on two or three market trips a week.

It was another beauttiful day. I wore my stylin' black kinda RUN DMC 80's fedora atop my noggin and took my pull over sweater and green army jacket coat just in case. On I was to Broadway Ave. in search of a new spot for busking. The sunny side of the street was a great location to set off the "new" tarot themed paintings amonst the others for sale. I got some evil stink eyes as well as some happy passer-bys. One cute elderly lady even gave me a lil' pockey size bible thingy. A lady approached me with clownish make up showing me sidewalk chalk constantly telling me how much my art was like hers. All par for the course as she walks into traffic without looking I guess then this crabby croak sarcasticvally asks me to move-as I looked towards the way of this ungodly sound-I see this lady waving her cane at me repeatingly barking orders-I stand up for myself and tell her in my nice-nice tone (of all time) that I have a vendors licence and the storefronts I'm in front of are for rent or lease...this sets her off on a serious crank about "not on her building and she has had it and is calling the police". I calmly move on.

Now I know why very sucessful record stores, gift shops, and trendy clothing joint all moved-it's because of the barking croak of the scary waving cane. I consider other "test" spots but the traffic just ain't happenin'! Onward north on Broadway near the parking Garage-most everyone is cool there. A street like bycycle guy hangs out-we're talkin-and a silent whirring sound arises-from nowhere-it's a policeman on a segway. He was sooo cool! Liked my licence and everything. Then I make two sales to a serious like collector-things start pickin' up. Another man is totally wow=-ed by the vibrancy and colors. he starts singing praises about my talents and "grace". A little girl picks out a painting for her room. Now I'm all full of myself until out barks this grey hair moustache guy barks out "what's this?" I gave him prices as he laughed to himself about my answer-and one-upped us both (for this was his goal) by saying "this is your art-I kinda like the political one"-he goes into this whole story about not having either money or wall space...due tohis too cool for school attitude. I just listened and then he wished me luck. I thanked him saying I need A LOT OF IT! Time goes by I meet an ol' friend. Another customer buys another painting-and I can even make change from previous sales. These two friends were talking to one another and introduced themselves to me. I was laughing out loud they were very funny and one of them bought a painting. What a great experience I thought until I looked up into the clouds. it didn't look pleasant. I hussled it home only to pass the Chicago celebrity that was on Southport Ave...the one and only Ronnie Whoo Hoo. I also saw the infamous Chicago celebrity Rod Blagojevich jogging right down the street from our house. Time to stop and put on the sweater and jacket. I make it inside before the bad winds and storms.