Will The Mayor Help This Man?

I met "Max" while walking on State Street last Friday evening. You see so much when you're not sitting in a quiet attorney's office, you know?

Max was begging, but he's not a lifestyle beggar. He owns a house down on 57th Street. He and about 30 other people lost their jobs recently at Ashland Cold Storage, and Max has 25 applications - and counting - and he just needs some cash until his unemployment comp kicks in. That'll be few weeks.

Max's 17 year old daughter hopes to work at a local fast food restaurant; his wife is applying for work, too.

Max told me that Mayor Daley approached him on Thursday. There was a broken down CTA bus in the intersection of State and Madison, Max said, and Daley came over to see what was happening. He spotted Max and his sign, and walked up to Max. According to Max, Daley read his sign and said, "What's this about?" Max told him about being laid off. Max said that Daley told him, "Come see me Monday morning."

"What time?" Max asked the Mayor.

"Eight o'clock," Max says the Mayor said.

"Did he promise you a job?" I asked Max.

"Why else would he ask me to his office?" Max replied.

Good question. I hope Mayor Daley can help this guy. I'd hate to see Max become the 25th homeless person living in Downtown Chicago.