What IS a Meeker?

Ahhh, the age-old question.

I heard this question arise from someone on the street the other day as I was meandering my way to the Belmont el station in the Lakeview area of Chicago. I did a double take to make sure I heard correctly, "Did somebody just ask what a meeker was?" I stopped for a second, turned on my heels and did a quick sweep of the sidewalk. Nah. My mind went through the typical thinking process when such a situation arises. First my mind went, "oh, somebody just asked what my last name means, I must find them and answer them", then immediately the thought, "ha, I just thought I heard somebody ask what my last name means, of course nobody would ask such a question" proceeds and I continue on my way, having a good chuckle with myself about such a question and my own hearing problems. On this particular day, my thought process was just that, and so I turned back on my heels and continued on my way, turing my attention back to kicking the little pebble I had managed to keep going for three and a half blocks (a record, thank you) with the chuckle about to surface, when I heard the question again, this time clearer and with more aggression, "No. I'm not joking, what IS a Meeker?!" I could not deny it this time, it was a real question. Was it directed at me? I froze. Immediately I forgot the record-setting pebble and whipped my head around to find the face this voice had emerged from. I searched, looking high and low, left and right, and yet, I couldn't find it! "Who said that?!" I desperately wanted to shout. I frantically continued my search of the marching sea of faces heading in a mass toward the el station. Nothing. Was I going mad? "Present yourself you coward!!" I wanted to scream. My heart was racing, I know I wasn't crazy (well...), I know I had heard that question as clear as day. "Come forward!!" And then it appeared... that suspiciously smirking face among the crowd... that oh too familiar face...

to be continued....