She's going to make it after all.

My friend, Chris (better known by her last name, Couch), is living in Chicago for the summer. I'll admit that I don't know Couch THAT well. I think I've probably only had five interactions with her since we met my sophomore year in college. They are as follows:

1. We met at a party at the Lifestyles House. She drove me home to my substance-free dorm (ha!). My friends, whom she also carted back to Converse Hall, were singing selections from The Little Mermaid at the top of their lungs.

2. On the Monday after the party where I was too drunk to make it home, I saw her while on my way to class. She laughed immediately, right at my embarrassed face.

3. I ran into her on the Quad one day and she had me sign a petition to rehire a popular English professor who had just lost his job.

4. I went to a dinner at my friend Dan's apartment and drank really bad wine from a HUGE bottle given to Couch by a couple she babysat for. She told me that she once saw the previously mentioned professor making out with an English student in the street.

5. She visited Chicago last year and we went out in a group for lots of drinks. This was the night I first watched people play Guitar Hero 2, which promptly made me sick.

So, Couch has basically only known me in the context of unscrupulous English professors and drinking. Oh, and this blog, which is basically about me drinking and my, let's face it, path to becoming an unscrupulous English professor.

I'm really excited because Couch is living in Chicago for the summer. Apparently if you just freelance for a living, you don't really need to keep roots in a city and can just decide, "Hey! I want to try living THERE for a few months." (I'd totally do this if I knew for a fact that I would not be able to get insurance - as I've already been rejected once - and I recently saw Sicko which made me terrified to get sick.)

I'm really excited about hanging out with Couch this summer because she's the type of gal who invites me to do awesome things like seeing Stomp the Yard in the park. I mentioned this in my last post; the plan was to get some gin and then head down to Grant Park for a slice of cinematic gold. Then I got an email from her this morning:

Hey kids:

Stomp the Yard is tonight, for free, 8:30, Rainbow Park and Beach (I have no idea where that is, but I have a feeling that unicorns live there). Invite your friends. I will also bring a flask. I encourage you to do the same. Also, if you're thinking 'hey, maybe I'm kind of a pussy and won't be showing up,' here's the trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/stomptheyard/

I think you'll be showing up.

---Chris---

* I just looked it up, apparently Rainbow Park and Beach is "located at 77th and the Lake." I just moved here, so I hope you guys have some clue of how to get to that location.

Now, if you're like Couch and have NO IDEA ABOUT HOW CHICAGO WORKS, you should click this link to see where Rainbow Park is in relation to where I live. Notice that dotted line in the lower left hand corner near the park? Yeah. That's the Illinois - Indiana state line. It's, um, kind of far. Needless to say, we're not seeing Stomp the Yard tonight. But hey! Bless her heart for trying! My other friends wouldn't have even entertained the idea of getting drunk and watching the movie in their living rooms!