Caribou Coffee

I don't know what it is, but for some reason I find it to be my civic duty to help people navigate Chicago. The latest adventure isn't all that exciting or really blog-worthy (but really, what is?). As I walked back from my lunch at Barnes and Noble (bought a book so I could sit inside the cafe portion and eat my Jimmy Johns), I hear a thick-accented fellow asking a Traffic Management Authority figure (you know, the ones in the bright yellow vests who stand at intersections "directing" cars) where the nearest Caribou Coffee is located. This particular TFA figure didn't seem to knowledgeable about the coffee in the area, so as she sent him off to River North (like 10 blocks away), I stop him to ask if he's looking for a Caribou Coffee (knowing there was one within 2 blocks). He explained that he was, and that he googled it before coming downtown and knew there were 2 in the area. He kept pointing that out to me. I only knew of one, and if he'd stop pointing out that he knew there were 2, I could get on with giving him directions.

We had walked almost half a block at this point, so I figured I'd just walk him to the Caribou Coffee, rather than explain where it is. By "walk him to the Caribou Coffee," I mean that we walked back to my office and I pointed down to the Italian Village sign and explained it was right before that, on the left.

Why I didn't just quickly explain that it was one block west and one block north is beyond me. It's just what I do. I think the more details I can give about the walk ("oh, you'll pass a Walgreens and then it's a quick left. If you pass another Walgreens, you've gone too far" - are details people probably don't need). Granted, Mr. I know there are 2 Caribou Coffees nearby didn't give me a chance to give the quick directions, but still.

There was no reason for me to feel bad that he was about to wander 10 blocks north to River North, but I did and I wanted to help.