Blog

This month’s Short Tales recounts two docent experiences with celebrities, a tour during the last restoration of the Louis Pierre Rigal mural ceiling in the Palmer House lobby, and Rebecca Dixon’s (2003) letter to CFL after a challenging tour. Bob Pratt’s (2019) celebrity encounter was on a River Cruise, and Bobbi Pinkert’s (1999) occurred in Millennium Park. The Palmer House tale took place on Suzy Ruder’s (2019) Historic Treasures tour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE CELEBRITY KIND

by Bob Pratt, Class of 2019
Jason Alexander, a/k/a George Costanza of Seinfeld fame, is in town starring in Judgment Day at Chicago Shakespeare. He was on my 1 p.m. cruise today. Neither I nor anybody on the boat recognized him during the cruise (despite the fact that he answered my “where are you from” question during boarding with “Brooklyn”). But dockside after the cruise, he waited until I was through chatting with the other guests, then approached me and said some very nice things. As he was talking I wasn’t entirely certain I was right about his identity, but as soon as he walked away it all came together. Unfortunately my effort to belatedly acknowledge that I recognized him was thwarted, as he was then engrossed in a cellphone conversation.

You never know what will happen on the river!

AND THE REST IS HISTORY

by Bobbi Pinkert, Class 1999
As part of the opening of Millennium Park in 2004, Mayor Richard M. Daley wanted the CAC docents to be guides to the new park. Led by docent Linda Marcus, a group of us were given the backstage scoop from its very beginning, led by Ed Uhlir, the mayor’s Park Manager. On opening day, the late Myra Gary and I were stationed at Pritzker Pavilion to show the public the fantastic structure. As we were standing there, Myra said, “Look who’s coming” and I replied, “Oh, Ed Uhlir” and Myra responded, No, next to him. That’s Barack Obama,” and I stupidly said, “Who’s Barack Obama?”

 

SHORT TALE OR TALL TALE

by Suzy Ruder, Class of 2019, Education Guide, Exhibit  Host
On a wintry morning in 2019 I headed out the front door of Chicago Architecture Center with 10 guests. Hopefully they were eager to experience my version of the “Historic Treasures” tour. To keep my audience involved, I had just explained that we were going on a treasure hunt and would definitely see some gems along the way. By the end of the tour I would be asking which gems they would take home … in their hearts. Perhaps a specific building, an architectural term, an historic figure like Montgomery Ward, etc.? Usually this was just enough to keep their interest and engagement.

The Palmer House is at midpoint in the tour. The entire tour could take place right in this building since it is filled with such richness! I led the group south on Wabash and entered into the vaulted passageway so they could gawk at the Art Deco elevator doors, historic photos and a mural, sending them up the escalator ahead of me. I was the caboose and enjoyed hearing their joyous gasps as they took in the beauty of that splendid room. The buzz always happens … yet today was a wee bit different. Scaffolding was obscuring our view. Big splotches of white were exposed on the ceiling. Artisans were repairing the ceiling filled with 21 murals from French Art Deco painter Louis Pierre Rigal.

Truly a treasure was unfolding! Suddenly one of the workers began to descend the scaffolding and I quickly moved to the base. He noticed my presence and I softly but boldly asked if he had a moment to answer a few questions. Think fast! What’s most important? Intrigued with the training and skills to make these repairs I asked how he learned his trade. As he paused, he smiled at me and the group. Slowly he looked up at the ceiling, then turned back to ask in his slightly accented English, “Do you know of Italy?” “Well yes,” I stuttered. “Good, then you will understand that our team practiced on a ceiling there before we came to Chicago. We knew we were going to be working with major pieces of art and our training in Italy prepared us for Chicago,” he replied quickly turning away. Did I catch a twinkle in his eye? A ceiling in Italy? Can that actually mean that he worked on THE Sistine Chapel? The group seemed frozen, too, as the artist departed. We ALL pieced together that he was mysteriously referencing the famous Sistine Chapel.

Finishing the tour a half hour later, we discussed the experience of coming face-to-face with an experienced master crafter! THAT was our treasure to cherish and hold forever in our hearts. Masterful repairs hide the story.

Now, Reader, you get to decide; is this a short tale or a tall tale?

LUMINARIES YOU SHOULD KNOW

by Rebecca Dixon, Class of 2003
To Chicago First Lady Cruises staff and crew:

I was thrilled to see Capt. Diamond Gibbs’s picture above the fold in the Trib’s Life and Travel section today (May 12, 2024). Congratulations to her, to all who helped in her training, and to all associated with CFL cruises. And for the Trib reporter managing to work in a reference or two to the Chicago Architecture Center.

But I also write to acknowledge the manner in which Captain Keith handled an emergency on the Classic Lady yesterday (May 11, 2024) during the 4:00 River Cruise. A passenger became ill. Deck hands swabbed the area of her stomach upset (to put it mildly), but about 45 minutes into the tour Capt. Keith reversed the boat and “dashed” back to a dock which had been cleared to accommodate us. The passenger was offloaded to an ambulance. I hardly noticed what was going on, as was true of the other passengers. After some 500 cruises, I can natter on, even if my usual “splendid narration” is out of sequence. I was pleased that the captain reversed the boat again and headed for the turning basin, knowing that 210 passengers would be displeased to have their $60 tour cut too short, if he had ordered them to disembark early. He made a point of thanking me for managing, even though I didn’t think that was necessary, given his more pressing responsibilities. I made a point, on the mic, of praising passenger behavior and thanking Capt. Keith for putting passenger safety first, something all of us would have wanted, had we been in distress. Later a couple of passengers graciously thanked me, but most seemed intent on their destinations at 5:30 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I was never concerned for our safety.

I should also add that Capt. Keith and the crew started their day on the boat for the 8:00am docent river training that morning. So it had been a long and tiring day.

I am grateful for the excellent training and quick thinking all of our captains have. They ably accommodate us docents as they can, but everyone agrees that we’re on a big boat with careless activity too often around us, and safety takes precedence over sightseeing. My sincere thanks to the Agras and to all associated with CFL.

---

We are always looking for Short Tales to share.  If you have one, please send
it to Jill Carlson who coordinates this regular feature on The Bridge.

 

 

CLICK HERE for more stories on The Bridge.