Normally I ride my scooter to work every day, but due to a nail puncture wound, my tire is history and I’ve been forced to take the Western Avenue bus. The night my tire died, I was slogging my way home, and at Fullerton and Western, slumped at the bus stop, was the most glorious retro eighties girl.
At first I wasn’t sure if she was a girl. All I could see was a shock of brownish green hair sticking up randomly from a headband wrapped around her forehead and long zebra skin clad legs thrust petulantly out in front of her. She was slumped over with her hand covering her face. She looked like a rock star. Except rock stars don’t usually take the bus.
Two days later, I saw her again. It was about 9:00AM and I was on my way to work, mindlessly staring out of the window of the bus, when I caught a glimpse of that green, mega-gelled hair once again at Fullerton. This time, she was dressed just like Josie Cotton in the prom scene from Valley Girl, complete with mini skirt, skinny wrap around belt, high heel short boots and fishnet stockings. She still had the headwrap on. She was glorious.
I don’t know what it is, but I’m dying to know what her story is. Is she a musician? Does she just like to dress up every day? Is she really a man and very good at eighties drag? Why was she so sad at the bus stop that one night?
I haven’t seen her again, though I look for her at Fullerton and Western every time I pass that intersection. Maybe she was just passing through Chicago on her way to bigger and better things. Maybe she’s out on tour. Who knows?