Almost There

Recent events on earth, especially here in the US, especially here in Chicago, have had the animals strutting their cages with frustration one moment, depression another, high flying elation at Grant Park followed by a terrible sense of impatience the next. I walk around downtown Chicago every day and marvel at the strumpet of sound, the clash of energy, the rumbling sounds of the El and cars and sirens and notice, now, since Barack gave his incredible speech Nov. 4, a plethora of secret service men in their black suits, black messanger bags slung over their soldiers, talking incessantly on their black berries as they stride swiftly down State Street and Michigan Avenue. I duck into H & M looking for deals but I am always thinking: what's happening next? When will this ever end? Not just me, mind you, cause this is the question on many people's lips. It's the Economy Stupid is the phrase I hear over and over again as I park my ass in the phone room of the Goodman Theatre where I am telemarketing subscriptions and trying to raise funds. The Goodman is stellar, the work we do is fantastic, it's all for a worthy cause, but who has the money? More than half the people I talk to have lost their jobs, some have lost their health, their houses and their jobs! Is President elect Obama going to be able to pull us out of this? Do we need to make that major adjustment some of us on the perpetual bottom have been praying for: a major shift in values? Maybe, Maybe. But whatever happens, shift or no, there's going to be a lot of weeping, wailing and knashing of teeth before it's over.