lake michigan

so i didn't make it to borders, but found a barnes and noble. i bought a time out guide to chicago and perused it over a strange tub of food that comprised vegan macaroni cheese, 'cooked greens' and 'bbq tofu'. it was quite nice but, needless to say, massive so i had to leave half. after my trip i had to run some errands, harder when you don't know where anything is/can't remember people's directions a few seconds after they told them to you/can't understand the grid system/can't read a map. i eventually found a post office (possibly the largest one i have ever seen) and queued for about 10 impatient flo minutes to get some stamps for my postcards. i bought the wrong stamps then had to queue up again. then i was sent to the 'manager' to exchange the stamps, a shouty lady who was mean. she made me wait behind this guy who was also a little shouty (waiting for a package to be delivered for 'six WEEKS!' he told me) and eventually, upon reaching the front, she told me to join another queue. luckily the lady who had served me the first time took pity on me with my puppy eyes and fifteen-year-old-looking face and let me go to the front. after this debacle i needed some cake, so went to a bakery but freaked out at how big the cakes were and bought a tub of granola and yogurt instead. tub in hand i walked to lake michigan. it's so big. you can't see the other side. it looks like the sea but with something slightly different about it that you can't quite place. it's a bit like that fake sea in the truman show. ok i have 2 minutes left. this evening i saw sunset boulevard on an outdoor screen in grant park. met some fellow travellers, watched the sun set orange over scattering clouds, and the lights from the buildings started shining all of a sudden. one building was lit up in the shape of a face with two square eyes and a straight line smile. i really like chicago, shouty stamp ladies or no shouty stamp ladies.