As we rode our bus through the urban areas surrounding Chicago, on our way to the concert venue at the Ravinia Festival, we had the privilege to observe many interesting store fronts.  “Beef and Pizza” (I’m not sure I want to know what that means…), a men’s fedora shop, “School of Italian”, a White Castle (I haven’t seen one of those in ages!) with a marquis declaring, “WIN A TRIP TO THE BET HIP HOP AWARDS”, a hookah shop, a Polish bookstore, “Ribs, Chicken, Gyros, Vienna Beef Sandwiches” (once again, I don’t think I want to know…), “Fifth Third Bank” (OK, that one was on the south side of Chicago, but the name struck me as funny), the tavern right next door to the day-care center, “NOW RENTING LARGE 1 BEDROOMS” (isn’t that an oxymoron)), “VENTAGE CLOTHING” (that’s how it was spelled), a bar right across the road from “Physician and Surgeon” (in case you get hit as you stagger across the street), and many others. 

But the best one of all?

The building is about the size of a small fast-food restaurant.  Nestled between gas stations boasting prices nearly a dollar higher than we are currently paying in Utah, the one-story yellow brick building sported windows all along the street, each festooned with white letters: “SURGICAL CENTER: Lap Bands, Vascular Surgery, Hip Replacements, etc.  WALK INS WELCOME”