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♪ She doesn't make much, but she still gets paid. ♪
♪ She's a lower-level Mayorial office aide. ♪
[Mayor's Aide, off-screen]: Connie? [Connie]: Hi. [Mayor's Aide]: So, what can we do for you today?
-Well, I am a lifelong Chicago resident...
-Oh, that's wonderful! -Yeah, ever since college.
-So you grew up...? -In Michigan, and then I went to Michigan
State, and then I moved here, so ever since then.
-Oh! It's a wonderful city. -Yeah, I was just in Bucktown, and that place
has changed. It used to be gritty, and alternative, and real, and now it's like, totally gentrified.
-Yeah, that'll happen.
-It's all like Starbucks and baby stores. -Oh, yeah. Tell me about the baby stores.
It's like, woah, slow down, I'm not ready yet!
-Right? Like, don't come into my neighborhood and tell me I need a stroller.
-I know, I'm not done with all my drinking yet!
-I'm not really a drinker. -I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... -I'm just kidding!
-Oh, haha! -I went to Michigan State!
[laughter]
-Now, I don't live in Bucktown. -You don't.
-No. But how do I get what happened there to happen where I live?
-You want your neighborhood gentrified. -God, yes. My neighborhood is a dump. And
I don't want to change it completely, I just want a couple restaurants I can walk to, and
like a Coldstone Creamery, and a dog-grooming place, and like a Trader Joe's, and
maybe one of those trendy houseware stores.
-Oh, like Crate & Barrel. -No, not Crate & Barrel. Something edgy. Like,
CB2. -But isn't that... nevermind. Uh, CB2.
-But I want the neighborhood to keep its charm. -Okay, what do you mean by that?
-Well I want it to stay authentic. And quirky. And quiet -- I don't want crowds all of a sudden.
-So you want all of the popular stores to
move into your neighborhood but you don't want all the people to come to your neighborhood
to go to those stores? -We're on the same page! Oh, I did some of
the leg work for you actually. This is a list of the 5 check-cashing places in my neighborhood.
FIVE.
-Okay... -I mean, you change one of these into a Coldstone, no one's gonna miss it.
-Okay, you know the city doesn't actually open those stores.
-Why not? Maybe if the city ran some ice cream places, you could keep your schools open.
-Fair. That's a fair point. -I'm not being racist.
-Excuse me? -Just because I wanna close the check-cashing
places -- that's not like a race thing. -I don't think there's any specific racial
stereotype associated with check-cashing places. -Well. *I* don't know anyone who uses them.
-I don't think you're being racist.
-Well. I just don't really understand them, anyway. It's like, get a bank account and they'll
do all that stuff for free. -I guess some people just don't trust banks.
-Amen! Am I right, sister?!
-Sure... -Ooh, a bank! Yeah, that would be a good thing
to have in my neighborhood. But one of the good banks.
-One of the good banks? -Yeah. You know what I'm sayin'.
-I'm not sure I do. -Yeah, you're with me.
-I'm winking back at you, but I don't really know why.
-And you'll get me my Coldstone? -You know what, I will refer your suggestion
to the city planning committee. -One more question...
-Sure! -...Can I cash a check here?
-The mayor has a responsibility to his constituents, right? So if I can't find anyone,
he needs to go with me.