Chicagoland and most of the continental United States is under a dome of heat and humidity, not experienced since 1999.
"It's a two-footer," my Old Pappy used to say, because on nights like these urban Chicagoans of yore would often post their feet on the window-sills and catch a cooling gangway breeze. The more fortunate south siders along Garfield Boulvard might pack up all the kids and sleep in the grass for miles along the tree shaded parkway - folks from Visitation and St. Basil's parishes between Wentworth to Western Avenues.
Did I mention that it is a trifle warm? Early this AM, as I wandered in search of a 20 oz. coffee, I passed several Georgians, bungalows and raised ranches with lawns sporting a sign for Carroll Roofing. Eddie Carroll is Carroll Roofing and a finer man never hitched up his strides in the pride of knowing that he remains not only a craftsman of Old World quality, but a roué of Old World manners and sensibilities to charm the affections of women - 16 to 60, blind, crippled or crazy. That last is much, too much a heavily layered jape. Suffice it say, Eddie Carroll is the Morgan Park Maurice Chevalier. Thank Heaven for little, mid-sized and Botticellian proportioned Girls!
Recently while quaffing a pint of iced soda water and lime with my pugish nose tucked into the leafs of Rilke's prose collection Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge, my peripheral gaze caught the sight of the affable contractor, Eddie Carroll himself, saunter through the black doors of Keegan's Pub ( 10618 S. Western Ave.)and amiably call for a round on him. Another soda water for me and some pink concoction for the young woman sitting on the North ( Protestant) side of the bar beneath the poster of Irish balladeer Christy Moore. She was the sunny side of forty and fetching in a summer weight frock with Auburn tresses that adorned the thick athletic whiteness of breasts that betoken the bounty that is woman.
Eddie Carroll immediately noticed this young lady at the bar on her own. After requisite cooling swallows of malted grain beverage, he decided to offer her another drink and make the afternoon light with small talk and the broad promise of mutual affection.
"What's your name?" Eddie aked after opening gallantries regarding her habiliments and the tautness of her frame.
"Carmen Needham," she replied.
"That's a lovely and operatic name," he said. "Did your mother or father name you for Georges Bizet's tragic gypsy who scornfully tosses the ring Jose gave her only to take his blade -Cette bague, autrefois? I absolutely live for dance and the Dionyisian spark of music! Did mother and Dada so name you?"
"Neither parent was responsible," she said. "I changed my name when I was 18 from Sharon to Carmen."
"Odd that -As Sharon betokens the the fertile plain of Israel, why did you do that? " he asked.
"Well," she explained, "I like men and I like cars, so that is how I got my name. What's your name?"
"Mr. Beertits Quickly," the affable contractor replied.
I thanked Eddie for the bonus cocktail and returned to Rilke.
Is it warm. or is it me?
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Carroll Roofing & Construction
Carroll Roofing & Construction
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10912 S Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 445-5756
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