Many kinds of one-track minds

Last week, I told a couple of my classes that I'd be going to the Museum of Contemporary Art on Sunday afternoon for the Intonation/MCA Rock/Art show. "If you're interested in seeing some great art and independent music, it's free, and this is a free country, so let me know, and we can meet up," I said.

Here's what's cool about the school where I work: Nine students showed up.
Here's what's really cool about my school: The ethnic mix of those students:

• One African-American
• One Bosnian
• One Ecuadorian
• Two Filipino
• One Indian
• One Mexican
• One Pakistani
• One Vietnamese

Here's what I said to them on the CTA ride home: "You know, you guys are really lucky, with so many different types of people getting along so well. You just don't see this kind of diversity in society very often."

Here's what I thought: "I'm the one lucky enough to hang for a couple of hours with this kind of crew."

To the kids, on the other hand, it was no big thing, and they quickly changed the subject.

"I really liked that singer in the 1900s," one guy said. "She was great, and then when she started moving her hips ..."

Photos: Above, Califone; below, checking out the 1900s