My wife and I drove out of Chicago for the first time in months today (Saturday, May 30). Illinois cities and towns, with the exception of Chicago, took their first steps to reopen. We were anxious to enjoy it.
Restaurants and bars in Ottawa, Ill., were opening with outdoor seating, with some streets closed to accommodate additional seating with proper social distancing. The quaint shops were opening, with marked floors and masked cashiers.
This server at the Cat’s Eye Wine Bar presented my check on a Square Terminal. I was delighted to see the new tech, released last fall. It made it easier to pay. “I love it,” she said when I asked how it worked for her.
As we drove back into the city in the early evening, we saw dark smoke over Chicago’s Loop and found most exist into downtown closed. We knew the city, the country, and the economy had changed dramatically and quickly once again.