The Diary - July 20
July 20, 2026
My short break is over. I am on the train heading back to Princeton. Think of this entry as a revival of the dreaded “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” essay of long-ago school days.
Last Wednesday, I reunited with my Brazilian friends Bete and Rogerio at my place in Chicago. They caught me up on their latest adventures. When I awoke Thursday morning and gazed out at the lakefront, Chicago had changed. Smoke from wildfires in Canada had stolen into the city overnight turning the sky a hazy orange. The city looked dystopian and apocalyptic. Folks were wearing masks on the streets below, evoking troubling memories of the pandemic. You could even smell the smoke inside the building. I was hoping to attend the MLS debut of Robert Lewandowski at Thursday’s Chicago Fire match, but the game was postponed until October due to the unhealthy air.
By Friday, the skies had cleared substantially and Rogerio, Bete, and I were able to attend the Cubs game. The Cubs played poorly and lost, depriving us of the chance to sing “Go Cubs, Go!”, as Bete had hoped. My friends loved how the stadium glowed in the twilight under enormous silver clouds, the buzzing neighborhood around it, and the people watching during the game. Between innings, a young man a few rows in front of us got down on his knees, opened a ring box, and proposed to his girlfriend. She hopped up and down for a minute, hand over her mouth, and then flew into his arms. My section mates took this for a “yes” and broke into applause.
On Sunday, my friend KP, responsible for the beautiful rehab of River City Reading Room, drove into town from Crystal Lake so we could jump into Lake Michigan. We walked to the Waveland Avenue breakwater. And a “Waveland” it was! Winds were whipping up breakers that crashed on the rocks, making it too dangerous to enter the lake. We headed to Montrose Beach where there are no rocks, and the water is shallow and the lake bottom smooth and sandy. The waves were still large and relentless. We had a wonderful time body surfing right in the middle of the big city. Great summer memories.
I am looking forward to going back to work. It will be a busy week in the Reading Room. On Thursday, the store hosts its first poetry circle. On Saturday, Jared Bartman will talk about his work designing book covers. I think that will be fascinating. In between there will be quieter moments. I hope someone will share a summer vacation tale.