Sufjan's Chicago

I found these two pictures of my friend Alain from my trip to Chicago last year. I just finished taking the bar exam and I got on an overnight train to visit Dan and Alain.

I was thinking about going to St. Petersburg, Florida, to visit my birthplace and see what America might have first looked like for my parents. But quirkiness reigned and I wanted to see Dan and Alain more. Dan was going through a bit of a happiness crisis and I wanted to go and just hang out. Rent some dvd's and talk some mierda.

After a late night, the next morning I suggested that we dress each other up and walk to the shopping district of the my friend's area and rent a movie and get some drinks. They agreed with a nod and an "ok." Dan picked out an outfit for Alain; Alain picked out an outfit for me; and Alain picked Dan's.

Dan had the obvious advantage here. He knew his closet. He probably already put together an ensemble in his head and I must admit he was a picasso. A loud Puerto Rico jersey that incorporates the flag and has nasty mesh, are you kidding me? By nasty mesh, I mean that somehow the holes were slightly bigger than in a regular jersey, almost fishnet but not quite, but big enough the show the color of the pale yellow of the grandma windbreaker underneath it. genius. I suggested the belt to show a little more of his form and strip him of any semblance of an athletic statement. Then Dan went to the bathroom and brought out the scrub brush.

I got a huge afro wig and 10 neckties tied around various parts of my body. I remember the ones around my crotch forming some elaborate harness system were uncomfortable. Alain kept commenting that we had to do something more for me because I looked "too cool." If I did, it was only because he was comparing myself to him.

Dan just looked crazy and homeless. With scraps, a bathrobe and puppet, we tried to do something. Again, it wasn't as good as Alain's.

Getting drinks in the afternoon, we soon forgot what we were wearing and were engaged in heavy conversation. Occasionally, we'd remember when any of us got up to go to the bathroom. It seemed, for the most part, people averted our eyes especially when we'd look at them as weirdos.

I need to hang out with them again soon.