My kind of town

Chicago is. Not one of my top five (only NYC, Washington DC, and San Francisco in the U.S.A. make the cut), but it's still a fun place.

And this weekend was no exception. However, that had more to do with the company we kept than with the location. Alison and I met our best friends, my friend Helen and her daughter, Claire. We met when Gary and I moved in up the street from them in 1995; Alison and Claire are about nine months apart, and Maddie and Richie are only four months apart. When Helen called me from the hospital to let me know her youngest daughter was born, I told her I was pregnant with number three. The little girls are, naturally, good friends.

I've moved away from Helen twice. I'm not sure she's forgiven me for either move, but we have stayed in touch. She is one of those people that when I talk to her, it's as if we just talked yesterday. We have similar child-rearing philosophies, similar outlooks on life. We both can't stand the likes of Kathie Lee Gifford, Brooke Shields, Kirstie Alley (it's nice to have a friend with whom you can have a celebrity hate-fest!). We read a lot of the same books, like many of the same movies and TV.

Yet we are very different. She is a devout Lutheran; I, an equally devout Unitarian. I love The Office, she loves Grey's Anatomy, and neither of us watches the other show. She is a health care professional, I'm a writer. She likes Nicholas Sparks, I can't stand such schlock. And - here's a surprising fact - she is a REPUBLICAN. Big one. I am ... um ... not. But she knows this about me, and I know about her, yet we respect one another's opinions and remain best friends. She does not forward me e-mails that she knows I would find offensive; likewise with me. (But this doesn't mean either one of us is above the occasional jab or two ... and she has enough of a sense of humor that she doesn't take it personally or get upset - another reason I like to be around her.)

But she knows me and understands me. She has been a true friend and would do anything for me - when I had to take Maddie to the hospital and Gary was out of town, she was in my driveway to pick up the other two before we were off the phone. That is the kind of person she is. Fun, kind, generous - and, like me, flawed. This, I suppose, is why we get along so well.

Thus a weekend together, with our daughters, was wonderful. We stayed in a charming, funky little hotel (Hotel Blake on Dearborn), well within walking distance of Michigan Avenue, where we spent much of Saturday. The girls were on a quest to find Urban Outfitters; we dutifully followed. Dinner followed at Bistro 501 - fabulous food, complete with Cosmos.

Then, the piéce de resistance: Wicked! Alison and I have read the book, listened to the cast album in preparation - we know all the lyrics. Helen and Claire said no, no, they prefer to go in fresh, not having heard any of the music yet. The show was wonderful - better than I had even thought, and I have been enjoying the music for months. I am not usually big on prequels or fake sequels, but this one intrigued me. I like the idea that the Wicked Witch was misunderstood, that there's more to her story than originally thought. And I like that Glinda isn't really as good as she's made out to be. It's just fun - and the songs are smart and clever and catchy.

However, the performance was somewhat marred by the behavior of the women right behind us, who sang along with the songs. Unbelievable - sang right out loud! And, even worse, with every joke, they said the punch line OUT LOUD before the performers on stage could. I could not believe it - I'm not sure I can fully express my outrage. As I said, Helen and Claire had never heard any of it, and these women (adults - over 60, I think) were ruining it for them. And I did not pay $100 a seat to hear them sing! Can you even believe it? A few glaring stares in their direction seemed to solve the problem, but not until the second half. I was preparing to say something, but it seemed to be taken care by that point. People really have forgotten how to behave in public performances - you hear cell phones ringing in movies, people talking out loud. Perhaps a reminder is necessary to let people know what is and isn't acceptable. Though it should be obvious. Really.

After the show, we indulged in more Cosmos, along with some extravagant dessert. We might have lingered in the restaurant longer, had Helen not seen an unwelcome visitor of the rodent variety. I didn't see it, and she had already finished her Cosmo ... but we'll say she saw it. We left in a hurry (though not without informing the hostess, who seemed somewhat incredulous at the suggestion ... it is a major urban area, and I think these things do come with the territory).

All in all, a delightful weekend, filled with fun. A fantastic show, great food, nice shopping, a lovely city. Late night giggling. But all of that was because of whom we spent it with. I miss having these amazing women as part of my everyday life. Maybe we'll be neighbors again someday.

Thanks, Helen - it was fun!