Remember those "razor scooters" that were all the rage about 2 years ago? Everybody and their kid wanted one. Nowadays, I rarely ever see a child [or adult] riding those cool-but-emergency-room-filling contraptions. Rarely had there been a wheeled human-powered vehicle that looks quite as contrived as this. The device is just hazardous enough that a rider should be wearing a helmet, but unlike bicyclists or skateboarders, a helmeted razor scooter operator looks hopelessly gauche.

Today, however, being a blissfully sunny late spring day in Chicago, wheeled devices are in full force: skateboards, Rollerblades™, what have you. Sometimes, eccentric sorts like college professors enjoy riding razor scooters while dressed in bike helmets to coordinate with their finest tattered Harvard tweeds. But the scootergeek look doesn't suit everyone. I also spotted one business-suited guy who appeared to be in his 20's or early 30's riding a red-wheeled chrome razor scooter down Sheridan near Loyola University, and it confirmed my longstanding opinion that most adults look utterly foolish stupid riding razor scooters.

"But, wait - " as Ron Popeil would say, "there's more!"

Last night at around 6:00pm, I was sitting in my car parked on Maple Street in Evanston near the YMCA, when I saw a truly odd city sight. On the cross-street sidewalk, I spotted what looked like a very large brown dog (sort of like a skinny Great Dane) sans owner or leash bounding in a westerly direction. A few people were also on the sidewalk, and their faces registered a look of disbelief when the creature bounced closer. No dog bounces quite like that, at least not one I've ever seen.

It was a young deer, obviously terrified of the cars and city noise. Yes, it was Bambi in Chicago, or Evanston at least. It's not unheard of, however, deer do live around here. Last winter, we actually saw a family of deer grazing amongst the headstones at Calvary Cemetery, between Sheridan Road and Clark Street on the southern boundary of Evanston and Rogers Park. Amd one summer midnight last year, a big old opossum took up temporary residence on our back porch steps, crouching perfectly still as his big moon-white eyes reflected our kitchen lights. Talk about the "Urban Jungle."

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