Being part of a series involving Chicago and its surroundings.

Early Saturday morning. Springtime. The sun is out and it’s already warming up. A woman wearing oversized sunglasses is crossing the street. Slung over her right shoulder are four or five handbags or purses, it’s impossible to tell, and she’s got a faux fur parka draped over her arm. From underneath the parka extends a leash that she’s holding, at the end of which is a giant gray and white husky. The dog boisterously pulls her along, compelling her to cross the street faster than she’d like, for with her left hand she’s dragging an upright vacuum cleaner trailing its plug. The wheels of the vacuum cleaner scrape the pavement unpleasantly. Upon reaching the curb, dog and owner and vacuum cleaner bound onto the sidewalk in a single, smooth motion.