Hurdy-Gurdy Whirly

For a city of 3 million and a metropolitan area of almost 10, Chicago's small town atmosphere never ceases to amaze me. While I fully know that certain demographics of people frequent the same areas, when our paths continously intersect with alarming regularity I grow increasingly able to use adverbs. I mean, intrigued. By what a small city it is.

Take the past few weeks, if you will. This is not merely "oh, you went to the U of I and moved to Chicago; so did I." No, my friends, this is far more complex. Witness:

Sun. 25th June - I'm watching the World Cup with my girlfriends at Small Bar, where we befriend an adorable Anglo-American couple and their 4-month-old baby. Turns out the English husband plays Ultimate Frisbee every week with one of my roommates. I'm chit-chatting to a friend of the American wife when the guy in front of me turns around. "Nathan?!" I cry. "You were my Geology lab partner my sophomore year!" I'm still stunned I remembered his name so easily; perhaps it has something to do with thinking he looked like a young David Duchovny all semester. Ah, igenous rocks. It's all coming back.

Wed. 5th July - Basking in the sun during my lunch hour, a shadow looms over my book. Turns out it's my friend just passing by. Later that day I'm at the Pontiac Cafe for the first time with my brother and some friends. I see a guy I casually know from my European social group, EuroCircle, who comes over to say hi (and hit on my friend). As we're leaving, in walks my college roommate and her boyfriend, it also being her inaugural visit to the Pontiac.

Sun. 9 - At Small Bar again for the World Cup finale, I run into my hostel volunteer coordinator and her friend, even though they live in a completely different neighborhood. We happily watch the match together.

Tues. 11 - Taking a group of hostellers to the Museum of Contemporary Art, I see a guy I'd met (okay, drooled over) two weeks prior during a World Cup match. This encounter yields the all-time best pickup line I've ever said while at an art museum: "So, are you hear for the art?" Classic.

Fri. 14 - One of my acquaintances happens to be out with his friends at the same place I'm having the first part of my birthday party. Happy birthday to me indeed!

Sat. 15 - As if seeing him at the Pontiac Cafe on the 5th and EuroCircle on the 13th wasn't enough, I run into my EuroCircle acquaintance in an ice cream shop.

Mon. 17 - After work, I pass a dancer guy I'd seen perform at a fashion event the afternoon prior; half an hour later, while walking down the street in Wicker Park, I run into an ex co-worker I hadn't seen six months.

As the whirlwind of my social life swirls around, and I now live in one of the more densely populated areas of the city, I'm confident these occurances will continue their frequency. Luckily, I haven't yet run into anyone I don't want to see. But at this rate, it's only a matter of time.