Chicagoist: A Joy Buzzer in the Face of Death

Spook

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:53:11 -0600

It’s funny, until your post the only thing I ever mentioned to folks about that trip was watching an amazing movie called “Slam” on video and reading Bradbury's “Something Wicked This Way Comes. Nice Hamlet reference, how apropos. Your post, combined with the dog days of summer, offer like the Grave Digger, reflections off Yorkicks skull Thanks for the memory,Salute! Spook

Shannon

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:16:47 -0600

surreal. that'd make a good short story.. all the more so due to the truth behind it.

Spook

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:39:34 -0600

It just so happends that your very own Spook had a brush with Hammond, and a Death Train! I wonder was there some sort of ghostly connection! A few years ago I was passing the summer with a cool G.W. grad student who was summer house sitting at a lake home in Michigan City, Indiana. One Thursday night we caught the last I.C. train leaving Chicago for Michigan City. Rightfully so, she was pissed at me because we missed the earlier train because I didn’t know the liquor store on Michigan and Balbo had closed. With out liquor we luckily caught the last train out for the night. Around Hammond, our train ran over a man who timed his earthly demise by stepping into our path. The train braked and came to rest about a half mile right in front of a liquor store in Hammond! A bunch of "Hammondites?" traveling in and out of the liquor store joined with the few of us left on the train, also now well fortified with liquor. Together we gathered around the gory remain of the dead man, his upper torso and head was lodged in the wheel break, and the locals told stories of the man they knew as a strange local loner. Three hours later the train finally pulled off. We reached our destination past midnight in a reflective state of drunkenness as my friend and I hiked in the pitch black night up into the dunes carrying a half case of beer to get us through the night. I will always remember as a down home proper Hammond Indiana style Funeral

guest

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:37:12 -0600

I agree with you, Shannon. I think a clown is always a clown, even in death. I think they'd love it, and that this is the perfect memorial for otherwise anonymous people. And this really has to be the best written and most interesting entry on the site in months. You guys should do more like this. Thanks.

Shannon

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:58:07 -0600

thanks, guest 4. you know, i don't know that they'd be so upset. once a clown always a clown, hence the nature of the ceremony sunday. not all of them were clowns, though...

guest

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:32:27 -0600

if i were one of the dead circus people i would be pretty upset that clowns were dancing on my grave. nicely written piece.

guest

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:33:11 -0600

making a lollapalooza wink of a joke in an otherwise somber post shows what a disconnect chicagoist writers have from their readers. you so funny!

guest

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:29:56 -0600

it's not as sweet as you think.

Chuck Sudo

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:25:32 -0600

That photo reminds me that I have a sweet-looking Bozo the clown cycle jersey.