Anonymous Men: #1 and #2

On Saturday I got in my car to go to an audition. Apparently I had parked in a spot that was very easy to get into, however not so easy to get out of, due to ice + mushy snow combination. And front-wheel drive. So I drove my car forward - nothing. Drove it backwards, gained a little headway, then slip-sink-stop. Back and forth, I keep on going, forming plans B and C in my head. Should I grab a cab? Or call my boyfriend and have him take me? Because apparently I'm beating a dead horse with my car.

At this point in time Anonymous Man #1 walks by in a beanie and long black car-coat. He offers to push, and promptly sets his coffee cup in the snow and braces his shoulder against the front of the car. He pushes, I slowly accelerate, and nothing. We do this, with a sprinkle of verbal negotiations, for about five minutes. Enter Anonymous Man #2. Brown leather coat, striped scarf, birthday present in hand. He yells from across the street, "Yo man, you need some help?!" and then joins Anonymous Man #1, plopping the birthday present in the snow next to AM #1's coffee cup. After a few more grunts, pushes, scratching of heads and staring at ice-encrusted wheels, they form a brilliant plan that involves rocking the car. Four Anonymous Man hands push, back and forth, back and forth, building momentum until my car pops over the ice bank and onto the road. I scream "You guys are brilliant!!! Are you okay??!!!" They salute, wave, yell, "Yes! Of course!" and then disappear into the gray Chicago afternoon, one off to a party, the other off to .... plan his retirement on a caffeinated high.

This is why I love this town. I will never be stranded. Everyone always puts down what they're doing to lend a hand. Everyone helps, without fail. You have to, when you're faced with ice, snow, freezing winds, and Rod Blagojevich.