Kumar stayed behind last Saturday, having spent much of last week riding shotgun as we Boo’d throughout the Chicago area, so I, Harold, went at it alone.  I had thought someone had pulled a fast one on me as I turned the Q101 Mobile Command Center of Death, Destruction, Terror, and Mayhem north toward downtown Glenview.  The  address provided by “Chris”, the winner of the Boo bucket with $101 in cash I was delivering, looked on my Google map like it was the Glenview Public Library.  I was relieved when I noticed the address was an odd number, and the addresses on the Library side of the street were even.  Still, there were no houses anywhere in sight, so I was a bit chagrined, feeling like this “Chris” character had put one over on me.

I studied his email that included “biker” and I thought to myself, “Oh, nice; Some Harley  dude thought it would be funny to lead me on a wild goose chase.  Thanks.”  Then I  spied the red awning up ahead across from the Library.  It read, “Glenview Cycle.”  “Oh, he’s THAT kind of biker,” I chided myself.

I grabbed my bucket and headed inside the bicycle shop.  It was empty sans two dudes:  One sitting behind the counter, and the other vacuuming the floor.  As I approached the vacuum was switched off and its user looked up.  “Is Chris here?”  I inquired.  “I’m Chris” said the vacuum driver.  “Did you sign up to be Boo’d by Q101?”  I interrogated.  “Yes,” Chris replied.

All at once I felt a rush.  Don’t know why.  A handing out a hundo isn’t exactly on par with Oprah giving out cars.  Even Ty Pennington gets to give people houses with sweet-ass chair lifts and stuff.  Two little slips of green paper are hardly life-changing.  Still, though, it was pretty cool, I guess because the two little slips of paper were from the wallets of Kumar and me.  This was our $101.  Normally when I hand over this kind of money this quickly I’m at a blackjack table at the Rivers Casino and I’m hoping to get an hour of pleasure from it, or I’m at the Message-a-Trois in Calumet City and I’m hoping to get an hour of pleasure from it.

“Congratulations, Chris:  Here’s your $101 and your Boo Bucket, bro” I told him.  The dude behind the counter stared ahead with no expression on his face and drolly said something like, “Oh, it’s cash day.”  Whatever it was that he said, and whatever the hell that meant, he was hardly brimming with joy at his co-worker’s good fortune.  It was pretty clear who the brains of this operation was, so I turned my attention back to him.  Thankfully, Chris, on the other hand, seemed like he was pretty pleased.

“Can I get a picture?”  I asked.  “Kumar will be sorry he wasn’t here to witness this.”   I snapped a few quick shots and turned to continue dispensing the buckets across the northern suburbs.

“I miss Q101 on the radio,” Chris offered. “I love the app and all, but I miss it on the radio.”  I didn’t argue with him the way I do with others who say as much.  I didn’t have the heart to disagree with him and offer ways people can listen in their car the way we do when we cruise for desi chicks in the Q101.com MCC of DTTM.  This was Chris’ moment.  “Thanks for supporting us” I said, and I rode off into the midday sun to follow the road to Itasca and continue Booing Foos.

Did you Boo anyone this year as we begged and pleaded you to do?  It’s fun.  First, it’s always fun to ding-dong-ditch someone.  If you ever get too old for that, you’re a pathetic old fart or a hipster who needs to lighten up.  THEN, add in the fact that your DDD’ing AND leaving them some cool stuff…or stuff in general…and then it feels like watching Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (the good one with Gene Wilder not the creepy one with Johnny Depp) when the FIRST golden ticket was discovered!

Our FIRST belonged to Tony of Crown Point, Indiana.  Sure Q101 could have played it safe and stuck to the near west suburbs….but NO…that’s not the Q101-Way.  Tony couldn’t wait to share the images of his BOO spoils.  But then again, Tony’s the creative type.  He’s even in a BAND called Late Night Summer (website).  Check out their stuff on facebook here.

There were tricks…there were treats…we laughed…we cried….  It was the feel good hit of Crown Point.

Looks like Tony got everything BUT the $101 cash.  You can’t win em all kid…  But you are the big winner tonight!  Congrats Tony of Crown Point.  As we say to all Q101 fans, whether they get BOOED or not… PROTECT YOUR BOO BAG BROTHER!

Thanks to all of the three dozen boo’ees from Chicago, Crown Point, Markham, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Frankfurt, Bolingbrook, Plainfield. Montgomery, Aurora, Naperville, Itasca, Skokie, Glenview, and more…the list goes on and on!  Why are we thanking you?  First, for not shooting us.  Second, for signing up to be Boo’d.  Third, for passing it on and Boo’ing other people (you did do that right?)

Harold and Kumar had a blast making this happen!