The Streets On Fire

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FORT 1451

So obviously we just got the biggest snow fall of our lives as Chicagoans, some people stayed inside, others dug out their car so they could get back to the real world eventually. I myself don’t drive and the snow was too irresistible to stay inside. So on Wednesday about 4pm, me and my roommates Roger and Monika decided to build a doper then life Snow Fort outside our house on Maplewood Ave!

All of our neighbors were out shoveling sidewalks and digging their cars out of burial, everyone was drinking or smoking something. Our neighbor Andy brought out his ghetto blaster and a bottle of Jack. The whole block got down to jams provided by 93.1 XRT which was playing the best music, from Jimi Hendrix, Echo and the Bunnymen, Radio Head, Talking Heads, Pink Floyd, the list of good just kept going. Its makes me wish radio stations would treat everyday like the snow Apocalypse! seriously

The party lasted about 4 hours and at the end of it, we had a good buzz and an even better Snow Fort. I slept well that night…..zzzzzzzzz

So the next morning, the worst case scenario came to life…………

more after the break I expected to gaze out my window to our creation of Happy and instead… SOME ONE HAD WRECKED OUR SNOW FORT! Damn damn damn

Just then my roommate Roger came running up the stairs, anger and disappointment was all over his face.

He says, ” these kids man!”

I reply, “yeah wish we knew who did it”

He says, ” I know who! these two little kids man, the older brother just totally ratted out the younger brother to me, right in front of the fort!”

NO WAY (Keanu Reeves style), I said. But what was I going to do? Go looking for em?…. hahaha. “Not I” said this guy

Well the fort’s wrecked, but there are worse things happening in the world. So I went down stairs (with my can of green spray paint) to check the damage. Fort 1451 wasn’t completely f-‘ked, the pillars were gone and the sky lights we messed. Sad face

As I am spray painting THE STREETS ON FIRE! on the side of the fort, our old bass player Sebastian pulls up in his car…. I’m like dude peep the fort. Hes like, Yeah Dude pretty cool.

I start to tell Sebastian the story of how these two kids totally messed it up, and get this…. As I am telling the story, 2 little kids are walking behind me on the side walk. They had a guilty strut that made me think they might have done it.

I turn to them and said, “HEY, did you kids mess up my fort?” the older brother (10yrs old) immediately points the younger brother (8yrs old)….. “He did it!”….. the little brother had that classic grin of busted on his face! haha i started to laugh, but maintained my semi-serious manner.

I ask the little brother, “Whats your name”…. he replied, “De-Angelo.” So i said, “D’Angelo, why did you mess up my fort?” He quietly responds, “I don’t know man, I guess i was just bored, I’m really sorry.” he was a good kid, so i said, “you know you should try to be more creative then destructive.” he said, “I know, I’m really sorry….. but hey can I use your spray paint to write my name on the fort?” I quickly responded, “NO, you gave up that privilege when you destroyed the fort… (I’m totally laughing at this point)

De-Angelo and his older brother start walking away, and I start to feel a little bad. I always encourage kids to paint…. So I call out, ” De-Angelo, you can write something but not your name, you can write “RESPECT THE SNOW”….. D’Angelo jumps to the occasion. “OK Man!”…..

As he starts with the capitalized (R) his older brother says, ”D’Angelo, can you even spell RESPECT?” D’Angelo doesn’t reply right away.

I then start to sing Aretha Franklin’s Respect, just as i start the song, the two brothers join in the sing along and D’Angelo Angelo spells it R-E-S-P-E-C-T perfectly with good can control.

We High Five and go our separate ways.

Fort 1451 (the fort that keeps giving)

Also after the kids left, Monika agreed to do a little snow fort bunny shoot. much thanks doll.

Happy Fort Building everyone!

Truly,

Chadwick