The next sign of summer in Chicago

Along with the tourists and "summer" homeless people, the next sign of spring downtown is summed up by three words: Save the Children.

Yes, the Save the Children reps are out in force in the Loop! They prefer to grab unsuspecting tourists and city-folk by Macy's and even on Michigan Avenue by the Wrigley Building. I tend to avoid them by refusing to make eye contact and pretending not to hear them over my iPod, which is turned up a bit louder when they approach. Usually, these methods are successful, but sometimes they catch me off-guard and I'm forced to have some fun with them.

Below is a slightly dramatic reenactment of a past run-in I had with Save the Children:

Save the Children: Excuse me miss do you have a minute?

Me: Actually I'm running late.

Save the Children: Are you interested in saving a child today?

Me: Really, I'm a not a big kid person so I don't think so, next time!

The guy gave me a horrified look and, granted, it probably wasn't the best response, but with all the noise and clutter on Michigan Avenue in summer, you have to find something amusing.

I bring this up because today because my friend KMo mentioned that she was "attacked" by Save the Children while exiting the El and when she commented that she was running late for work too, the rep actually said, "I think work will be okay if you're late because you're helping someone."

My response in that situation: "I work in communications, we care once our morning e-mails have been read and media monitoring is done, then we can talk." But KMo is a better person and said nothing, even though she found my response amusing...and true.

So watch out everyone when you're downtown. And if you do take the time to listen and save a child, I applaud you. You are a much better person than me.