They would have bought it before leaving Boston but couldn’t take it on the plane.Ĭhicago is the 20th most violent city in the country.
But the purpose of the stop was revealed: Before they could venture into Chicago, they needed to buy pepper spray. I know better than to quiz young women about what kind of necessity might inspire a visit to a drugstore. “We need to stop at Walgreens,” one of my visitors said. if you kids are tired from your long trip, we could just walk in the Chicago Botanic Garden. What’ll it be, girls? Navy Pier? Most popular attraction in Chicago. That said, the unwritten code of familial responsibility dictates that I pick them up at the airport, buy a welcome lunch and host their initial foray into the city. As long as I’m not expected to squire the teens about the city, they’re welcome to use our house as a base for their explorations. Sure, I said, yes yes, of course, a week is fine. Having readily agreed to the visit, in concept, I did blink a few times when informed of the specific span, thinking of a Yiddish word, mishpocha, which means “family.” And the obligations thereby implied.