The day started like any other day, I wake up, get dressed, eat, then head out to do what I know best: work . But suddenly my preconceived notion that this day would be like any other was thrown out the window. Today, the third day of the sixth month of the year two thousand and nine, was a day that, for me personally, opened my eyes to the real life of Chicago. My friends and I all love the city of Chicago because it's a great getaway and we get to see the real life of a city. That day we planned to go to Chicago to watch the world famous fireworks at Grant Park. After work, my friends came to pick me up, in a rather unorthodox way, but let's not get into that. We continue our happy path from Union to the Elgin Metra station. Late, we are all annoyed by the rush hour traffic in Elgin. We arrive at the station, and further down, a car accident prevents us from entering the parking lot. We find a place and head to the waiting platform, as we see our train in the middle. Alas, we board and select our seats. Sit back, relax and enjoy the soothing rock of the train. Even as the Sears Tower makes its phenomenal debut, I anticipate an eventful evening. Today was a busy day for all Chicagoans and their visitors. This became evident as soon as the travelers' feet hit the dusty cement of the station floor. People rush from every exit, reminding me of a clash of cultures, from white-collar gentlemen to pacifist Buddhists. It was everywhere in the station. Until we saw the glistening sun reflecting off the windows of the Sears Tower, which rises above us along the banks of the Chicago River. The descent to Grant Park was uneventful. As we reached the park,...... middle of paper... a cop sitting at the top. Cops on horseback, what a sight to see, for some strange reason I found it completely hysterical, further along there was a line of them. All the police officers, sitting happily atop their trusty horses, watch the visitors stream in. It was a bit like that back at the station. Once I see that familiar Chicago bridge, I know we're almost out, relief sets in. As we wait for our train outside Union Station, we overhear a couple talking about last year's fireworks on the same day. Come to find out, the year before there was a gang shooting or some sort of gang war, and many were killed. Suddenly recruiting police officers seemed to make sense, but the next question arose: why, if there was a gang war, would people want to go there next year. Well, the Taste of Chicago answered that question, filled our stomachs and delighted our taste buds..