Grocery stores are where it’s at
Living in a new town can be an interesting experience. Aside from having to carry a map everywhere just so I can find my way home, it’s an adjustment to get acquainted with its character. Understandably, a town’s character is heavily decided by the people that live there. (A stunning revelation, don’t you think?) With that being said, I headed to the grocery store. What place represents the local population better than the local grub hall?
I’m living on the south side of Chicago (yes, Karin, I’m aware of the “technical” location of your house, but it’s easier just to say Chicago). Southsiders are a proud bunch. Hard workers. Generally, very blue collar. The Chicago accent is bred here like a prized pitbull.
Everyone in Illinois knows that some areas around here are better than others. There is a marked difference between the northern and southern neighborhoods (and definitely the suburbs). Because of this, I was a bit wary of my knowledge of the area. So I declared a sociological experiment. Off to the grocery store I went.
Step one: The parking lot.
Clean. A wide variety of quality cars. Vehicles abiding to pedestrians.
So far so good.
Although I did note the lack of uber-liberal political bumper stickers. I decided that maybe I had just been living in a college town for too long. hmmm
Step two: Enter and blend.
I decided it was important to at least give the appearance of familiarity. I wanted to keep these southside creatures at ease with a foreigner like myself in their presence. Making a point to purposefully saunter towards the dairy products, I whistled softly while deciding on munster or colby and tactfully read the nutrition labels. No one was the wiser.
Step three: The people.
I stared, but not noticeably. I observed, but wasn’t creepy. In the pasta aisle there was a woman in her early 20’s looking as if she had just come from the gym. In the produce section was a middle aged professional squeezing pomegranates for the perfect ripeness. Not once did I see a crack deal or a hand gun. I got into a conversation about the weather with some random dude. If that doesn’t scream normalcy, then I don’t know what does.
Conclusion: This place is, gratefully, not very bad ass. And that’s totally to my liking. I might as well be in Iowa. Well, maybe that’s too docile of a comparison. I think perhaps it’s the accents that make the place seem much tougher than it is.
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Comments
The grocery store experiment was a very interesting concept. But you left out all of the typical southsiders screaming at each other “HEY, I’M IRISH!” “YEAH, ME TOO! GO IRISH!” “YEAH, IRISH IRISH IRISH IRISH…”
This is what happens on an hourly basis anywhere between 103rd and 115th along Western.
Mommo on 
Skitz M. Jones on 
Acai Berry on 
Ms. Babble on 
That’s a good read Jami, particularly interesting for me at the moment because I’m coming to the US next month, for a vacation which co-incides with the Pumpkins Fillmore gigs (I have a ticket for the 18th).
I know it will be great, but I’ve never been overseas before although I’ve travelled extensively here. I am really a bit apprehensive about fitting in with the culture and mingling with the locals. I really don’t know what to expect.
Reading what you’ve done with your little social experiment is great, doesn’t make me feel as bad about it if you can feel the same way in what is more or less the same city. I’m not sure if I’m coming to Chicago yet, I may just stay in CA, but the funny thing is, because I want to travel lite and only bring hand luggage, one of the first places I’m gonna go when I hit LA is the supermarket, to get stuff (like a toothbrush), so now I will be able to use you social experiment myself.
I’m gonna be driving when I’m in the states, so that is worrying me a little - I’m sure Ill be fine, but driving on the other side of the road, in the other side of the car will be interesting. I hope this particular social experiment will not lead to disaster, heh heh.