Swimming In The Muck Of Chicago Politics

• Mick Dumke
• In January Lake Michigan looked like a tundra on another planet. Now it’s time to swim in it.

As I waded into the water one morning last week, I was reminded that a lot can change in a short period of time.

I’ve long since learned that when it’s crisp you’re better off plunging in quickly, before your feet convince you that they’re turning purple and numb. And it was crisp. On the upside, it wasn’t cold enough to sting my face. Off I went.

We all have our drugs of choice, and as I’ve written before, mine is open-water swimming.

So I kept thinking about stretching out and gliding. After a few minutes I was warm and far down the beach, and my thoughts had drifted off to their own pleasant place. During my return trip a seagull floated above me, and I kept thinking: this is living.