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The Bears (or is that Da Bears?) are no longer undefeated. Grossman and Co. put on quite an embarrassing performance this afternoon, and the struggling Miami Dolphins were able to leave Solider Field with their second win of the season. Oh well, I figured that the Bears would have to slip up sometime. I’m just glad that me and my dad were witnesses to last week’s victory as opposed to today’s sad outing.

So, I wasn’t at the stadium this week. But I was a spectator.

Let me explain:

One of the great things about the Chicago neighborhood is that everything that you need is right around the corner. Restaurants, coffee shops, cleaners, supermarket, etc. And of course, the neighborhood bar. It’s hard to walk a few blocks into any direction without running smack into one. So I decided I would leave Apryl to her studies and try out a few Bucktown bars that were “in the neighborhood”.

First up was Burke’s Web Pub, which by its name, I thought would be full of youngsters sipping on foamy brew and typing away on their labtops. Okay, perhaps “web” has nothing to do with the WWW, because the bar was only occupied by older gentlemen who seem to have arrived at the pub years ago and decided never to leave. I stepped up to the bar and was immediately questioned by one of the regulars.

“You’re not from Miami are you?”

“No.”

I ordered my Old Style and took in the environment. These were all hard workin’ men who were diehard Bears fans. Everyone was wearing some type of Bears merchadise. And they were all shouting out F Bombs on a regular basis, as the TV with poor reception hanging from the ceiling gave them plenty of opportunities to be colorful with their vocabulary. As the game got worse and worse, I was fearing they might start to see me as a hex in their Sunday ritual. I finished my beer and moved on a few more blocks…

…to Charleston. There were only three men at the bar, who all gave off the impression that they came together. I picked up another Old Style from the young bartender and glanced over my new environment. Things were a lot calmer here. There was a pool table in the back room next to a piano. And over the bar there was a sign: No Smoking Please. Of course the game was on. And everyone was watching and rooting for the home team. But I didn’t get the impression that any of them were as devoted as those at the Web. I finished my beer and decided I would check out one more bar before the end of the fourth quarter. While I was leaving, everyone at the bar told me goodbye and wished me a good day.

Final stop was The Corner. And it was packed. I mean not packed like a Saturday night. But in a standing room only way. I noticed that their complementary buffett (which is pretty standard at local bars on Sundays) had more to offer than the other places’. There was a sign by the jukebox: No Music When The Bears Are Playing. I got a pint of Old Style, which was a buck and a quarter. As I was reaching in my pocket for the exact change, a guy at the bar offered up his own quarter. “Thanks.” This was primarily a young crowd. Again, the game was on and most were enthralled but a few didn’t seem to care (though who could blame them at this point). Smoking was allowed. And dogs (was I back home at the Lamplighter?). Another thing I noticed was that this was the first place where both sexes were present. As the game clock expired, I finished up my last beer and stumbled (just kidding) back home.

Chicago Bears 13 – Miami Dolphins 31