Walking the streets, disguised as a tourist

I need to post this before I forget...and it may not fit into the correct date order for a while in this blog. I am reflecting back about all the walking we did in Chicago. (as my feet still hurt and won't let me forget). My family is not normally used to walking a lot. So, it was quite a culture shock for us to walk around so much. This was a good thing, don't get me wrong. I am not complaining...well....yes I am. You see, we walked more than normal tourists who visit and tour the city. Half the time we had no earthly idea where we were going, so we went blocks out of our way to find something. But what I remember most about these walking excursions, was the action itself. The first day, we started walking, we took up the whole sidewalk. In many parts, there is not much width to the side walk. So I kept pulling the kids over and telling them to walk single file, to the right. I was reminded of a funny video that a comedy club had produced in New York and it had floated around YouTube for a while. Members of the comedy team painted lines and arrows on the sidewalks and you walked down one side if you were a tourist and the other if you were a local. This kept the tourists from clogging up the side walks, taking pictures and or gawking. So, as I walked, I realized that I had to speed up if I was not going to be considered a total tourist nerd by the locals. I think back and realize I may have "drug" my kids along hurriedly, so we wouldn't lose our place on the side walk. I compare it to racing cars or horses. Once you jockey for your spot, there is no giving it up. The second reason to "rush" along is so you can make all the traffic lights and the little "white" hand telling you it's ok to cross. I was doing great. I had not lost my spot in the long line of walkers for several blocks. I had also prodded my family to make 3 of 4 traffic lights. We were walking...er...racing along to the 5th block, when it happened. There on the side of a building was a HUGE Red Charcoal grill, just jutting out of the corner of the building. It was the headquarters for Weber Grill Company. Oh my gosh. Would this be a cool picture to add to my vacation photo's? Would anyone else have this picture to brag about? Has anyone from Louisville EVER seen a HUGE Red Charcoal grill glued to the side of a building? No! Our special effects in Louisville only include a large balloon looking thing that has stringy arms and legs and it sits in front of Valvoline Oil Centers. It's so not ON the building, just in front. We sometimes have scary looking Liberty Statues that appear on the side of the road, during tax season. But no Weber Charcoal grills. So my dilemna was whether I should stop to take the picture and risk losing my 4th place spot in the long line of people walking the side walks. Would it be worth it? Could I get the picture quickly and gain my place back near the front? I had to strategically plan how I could get the picture, make sure it was not blurry AND keep my spot. I saw the light change up ahead and noticed it was our turn to cross the street. I steadied my camera. I pointed it towards the grill. I walked closer, and closer. I noticed a young business guy in my peripheral vision on the right, getting ready to pounce on my spot. He didn't have kids nor a 30 pound camera case, with 3 zoom lenses. He could take me. As I got closer and closer, I had a plan. It would work, I was sure. The business guy was right on my tail. As I raised my camera to get the picture, still walking, and as he stepped his foot to take over my spot, I yelled over to my daughter Kennady that her shoe was untied and that she needed to tie it before she tripped and fell. Ha haha.....Mr. Big Shot Business guy. You are no match for tourist lady. I am a pro when it comes to pictures. I got my picture, he was held up for a few seconds by my daughter, and we both missed the traffic light. But in years to come, I will always have a fond memory of that HUGE Red Weber Charcoal grill picture, when I show the family my slide shows.