More of a mental exercise really

Everyday here at the university, vendors from all over the city swarm the busier sidewalks on campus and hawk their goods. Tuesdays are for the "Farmers Market" (in quotes because there is only one stand devoted to actual produce) where you can purchase dishes as varied as crepes, smoothies, Chinese barbecue, and falafel. There's also a vendor who sells Torpasta, a culinary delight I'm too frightened to try. What if I end up really liking it? Today, there was a whole slew of people selling general merchandise. I didn't have time to stop by the shoe guys, nor could I browse the used cd selection, but I did manage to try on some sunglasses before I headed back to the office. I don't know what's in store for tomorrow, but I'm sure it'll be exhilarating.

I'm not bragging here. I rarely have the money to pay for these extravagances -- $7.50 for a crepe? I'm just curious why we didn't have this kind of thing back at the old U of C. Everyone seems very happy strolling in the sunshine and talking to the friendly merchants. Sure, we had the poster people for the first week of each quarter, and occassionally there'd be the weirdo jewelry lady; but other than that, we were left pretty much alone. Did any of you actually let the creepy guy massage you at the Reynolds Club?

Doesn't it seem like this would be just the sort of thing to brighten all those unhappy Maroons' days? I mean, sure, most of the area's restaurants already sell their food at all the campus's eateries, and they'd have to cancel half the time because of all the unscheduled torrential downpours, and most of the local merchants don't have the kind of stuff that interests college students, and... Never mind, I get it now.