Taking back the night

one night at a time

07/16/2011 0:47 AM

By Bonnie McGrath

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The full moon hanging over the South Loop @ Roosevelt and State tonight (photo by Bonnie McGrath)

By the light of the silvery moon, I ventured out tonight: a free woman. Word came and came--and came again--today that there were arrests of the bums who have allegedly been mugging South Loopers for the last week or so in the neighborhood. I was glad and felt courageous; I felt like running out to mail my health insurance premium just before midnight when the third go-round of Bill Maher began on HBO. (Friday night is my Bill Maher repeat-after-repeat-of-the-live-show-at-9 PM marathon night.)


I had my own little neighborhood walk, to rival the organized ones led by the police this weekend, word of which came and came--and came again--today.

All seemed well under the full moon. There was a van on State Street with three people sitting in it, which gave me pause. But the van was pretty upscale and the people--heads turned in one direction--seemed to be waiting for someone to come out to the car from across the street. A down-and-outer was sitting on the base of a street lamp smoking a used cigarette butt-but when I sized him up, he seemed harmless.

I made it to the mailbox and back without incident. Although I gave a number of passersby a deep once-over. Everything was OK. The cops got the bad guys.


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By Fluffy de Crossharbour from Winnetka
Posted: 07/18/2011 7:48 AM

B: Caroline used to always mention the full moon and how it was the harbinger of bad conduct or other weirdness (it was never attributable to weed, of course)...perhaps you can gauge the return of the muggers by virtue of the full moon...did you know that the crescent symbol of the Muslim lands originates from their having once been moon worshippers? It's a prediction and predilection on which you too can rely as you lie in wait for the lawbreakers...B2