Saturday, February 27, 2010

To Infinity (Shop) and Beyond

Had the boys down to the Adler Planetarium, and back. They enjoyed it, although the pricetag of that establishment makes me glad I only hit it maybe twice a year. Whew! Apparently they've opened it for evenings every third Thursday of the month, cocktails and what-not for human singularities (Get it? A little black hole humor, there). It was pretty crowded today, and the boys had a good time. I asked them what they liked best about it, and they both said "Everything!"

The bus ride home was typically amusing -- some real characters on the bus. The weekend is always a great time for people-watching on the CTA. I snapped a few covert pictures, just because it was too amusing not to.

Saw a drug deal on State Street! Probably crack, since it was something small passed from hand to hand by their nervous selves. The one guy had gloves with skeleton hands, and he saw me notice it (I was sitting on the bus with the boys -- thankfully, the boys weren't visible to the guy) and he gave me his Look of Death -- we just gazed at each other for a moment, me impassive, him threatening. Serious killer eyes, like a shark's. He and his pal split after the hand-off was made, one heading north, the other south.

There was a guy on the bus with a fur coat, serious sideburns, and just this look of an aged black boxer -- sky-blue mock turtleneck and black suit, a worn red cane, assorted bling, red sunglases perched on his forehead, scowling at nothing in particular. Great outfit! He looked like a middle-aged Black Panther dandy.

B2 often dozes on the bus -- I think it soothes him. It's very sweet, him laying his head on my shoulder. My shoulders lend themselves to that, I think, at least when I'm on the bus.

The boys and I gave up our seats to a trio of blind passengers who boarded -- we went further into the bus, toward the middle. Just being nice. Nobody else gave up their seats. That's usually how it goes -- I'm always the one who does it.

The boys travel very well on the bus. Exene makes it out like it's a big deal, but it's not -- they love to travel, and they are accomplished little city boys. They board and off they go, right into the bus. Very plucky, very cute.

Now we're home, I made them some lunch, and I'm going to rest and watch the Olympics while they play with some of the bric-a-brac I (of course) bought at the "Infinity Shop" (the Adler Planetarium museum shop). I took a bunch of pix, and am going to load them up and see if any are worth sharing.