Living and Working in a Long, Cold Windy City Winter

by StreetWise Vendor A. Allen

Living in the Windy City, we have to deal with what Lou Rawls in "Dead End Street" called "The Hawk," the ice cold, damp wind, that blows into Chicago every winter off Lake Michigan.

Yes, after the holiday celebrations, starting with Thanksgiving, Christmas and now ending with the New Year's happiness season, we vendors are still here suiting up and booting up, showing up and posting up at our locations to be there when customers may want to purchase a StreetWise magazine.

We are not a seasonal magazine. We are an all year round magazine. Therefore, we must show ourselves to be all year round vendors. The magazine cannot sell itself, but needs some diehard vendors, vendors who will be there thick and thin -- not when things get thick, vendors get thin.

We continue to endure with hardiness like good soldiers, accepting the bad with the good.

Yes, we've had our holiday season, with the many cards, gifts and tips. Now comes the other part: showing up and being faithful during hard or cold times.

As vendors, we know this is all a part of our job description. Chicago has its seasons and winter is part of the four seasons. We don't just show up for three seasons and take a break. We show up for the coldest and worst season because we are dedicated to the code of conduct and work ethic of accepting the good with the bad, because this is what we do.

We know how to prepare ourselves for the weather. It's not like it takes us by surprise. It happens gradually, and we have plenty of time to boot up and layer up for the blistering coldness of Windy City Chicago.

I have a Weather App on my phone and I check it the day before. Every 10 degrees of cold calls for adjustments in dressing.

The weather can be hazardous to your health, so you have to prepare yourself by putting on layers: long underwear, jogging pants, thick corduroy pants, jeans, or snow pants; then, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters, jacket and a coat. Some vendors wear canvas overalls. Don't forget the headgear, which includes hat and earmuffs with face covering. Last, but not least, you need handwarmers and gloves or mittens.

Vendor A. Allen (right) and fellow vendor Adrian Gardner suit up for the cold.

Feet are especially important. You need two pair of socks, and leather shoes to hold in the heat. "The Hawk" will cut right through canvas shoes and their holes. On a snowy, wet, day, you can have plastic bags over the socks to keep the moisture away from your feet.

Many of us have come from challenging backgrounds. This could be our last chance at an honest life.

So, we want to thank StreetWise and all of our supporters for making this opportunity available.

Rain, sleet or snow, every StreetWise magazine must go. If our paths cross in the blistering cold weather of Chicago, we want you to know your support during these cold and harsh times is really appreciated.