Really Inside Chicago Politics

The arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich brings to mind a party I attended in Chicago a few years back.

It was a yuppie type party and one of the party goers struck me more like a 30-something young tough, rather than a yuppie. At some point we are next to each other and start talking. For whatever reason, people tend to confess things to me that I don't think they do with many others.

He was clearly edgy about being at the party, and points to another guy and says, "See him." I nod. "He's my cousin. He is the reason I am here. When I was a kid, I robbed a bank. I figured no one would think I would rob it again the next day, so I did. I robbed it the third day, also. The fourth day the police were waiting for me. My cousin is running for office [I think he said for alderman, but I forget]. He is short on cash for his campaign and he wants me to rob a bank for him. He tells me he will give me the money back and more when he is elected."

"Are you going to do it?", I ask.

"No," he said, "this is the first time in years that he has called me. I don't rob banks anymore, let him rob his own bank."