When people ask me where I am from I say Chicago. Was I born in Chicago? No. Was I raised in Chicago? No. So why do I say Chicago? This is a good question and hopefully I can offer some sort of explanation on this matter. Sometime during the summer of 83’, a small baby named Chasey was born in Houston, Texas. Yes, Chasey. You know, the place where drinking a six pack to and from work was considered normal. A place where the Bushs’ ruled and longhorns roamed. Well, Houston is the place I call my “birthplace”. I lived there until I was three and then moved to the great state of Illinois. My parents moved to the far north side of Chicago, not considered a suburb of Chicago, but rather an outlining city. The town was called Winthrop Harbor and it was located on the border of Lake Michigan and Wisconsin. This is the place I was raised. After college, I moved into an apartment in Chicago. The neighborhood of Chicago I lived in was called Wrigleyville and was literally 1 block away from a Taco Bell, MacDonalds and Wrigley Field. There, I fully embraced and participated in all aspects of urban living. No car, only public transportation; No dollar beer nights, only 5 dollar bottle nights; No yard sales; only thrift stores; No house parties, only bashes; No more decorative art on the fridge, only the Field museum and Art institute; No more running in to an ex-ex-ex girlfriend at the local tavern, but now the surprise of running into the girl you hooked up with two weeks ago, conservatively dressed, on the L. I only lived in the city for 2 years, but the city made a big impression on my life. 2 years out of 24 is not much, only about 8% of my life, but the effects were much greater then 3 years in Houston where I was trying to learn how to walk without shitting myself. So, moral of the story, I consider myself a Chicagoan now.
Now, with that out of the way, onto the Bulgarians. If I tell a Bulgarian I am “From Winthrop Harbor”, they will look back at me with a blank stare and say, “Where?” If I say Chicago, then they tell me about one of their brother’s neighbor’s wife’s cousin once knew a girl that gave a HJ to a guy that had a sister who visited Chicago for two days. Everyone in Bulgaria knows someone from Chicago. So, as you can tell, it is easier to say Chicago then Winthrop Harbor.
Ok, now for the superest, coolest, bestest gift ever. One Friday night, in the great town of Belene, I was talking to some of the guys I hang out with here about Chicago. I have kept a tally of the two most common statements that a Bulgarian says about Chicago and they are: “Al Capone BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM” and “Michael Jordan, SWISH SWISH”. I am not lying about the sound effects. I think they feel like I don’t understand them so they use sweet audible cues to help me. Anyway, one of the guys there, which also has one of the sweetest nicknames, the “General” talked about how much he loved the Chicago Bulls when he was growing up. How he would wake up really early to watch the Michael Jordan and the Bulls play throughout the 90’s. The “General” told me that he was going to bring me a gift the next night. So I am thinking gift, hmmm. The last time I saw a Bulgarian give an American a gift in Bulgaria it was a statue of a baldheaded eagle (Which I ended up breaking later that night, sorry Kellen). So needless to say, I was a bit nervous about the prospect of a gift. Little did I know that this gift was going to be bad ass.
Yes, that’s right. A replica Chicago Bulls, number 23, Michael jersey. I am sure most of you out there have owned this exact jersey before, but for some reason, coming from a Bulgarian was freakin awesome. The size 40 Champion jersey was in fairly mint condition. It was a little tight, but still, it’s a Jordan jersey. I proceeded to put it on and wear it for the rest of the night, even to the disco. You better tell all the moms and dads to lock up their daughters and cattle, because this guy was going out. With Jordan written across my back, there was no stopping me that night.
Greatest gift so far in Bulgaria, thanks to the “General”.
That’s all for now, Stay Classy and talk to you all later.
4 comments:
That's awesome, Chase!! I don't think I had that one, but I think I got the new jersey, when he came back. I think it was #45? I would have been pretty pumped too. It would be like someone handing you a slice of pizza by Gino's East!
Two things:
1) Since when did you mind wearing tight things and
2) I was given a sword by a guy that looked like peter pan.
Love the stache Chase. Happy early birthday!! Have fun over there, and stay safe! I can't wait to see you when you get home.
T-bird
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