On our recent trip to Chicago, I forgot to bring a hat. So, we went to the shopping mall next to our hotel to buy one.  There we found a whole store that sold nothing but hats.

At first, I thought that I would just buy a Cubs.  But then I got to thinking that a Cubs hat might not be appreciated in some areas of Chicago much like wearing a University of Michigan hat in East Lansing.

When the clerk asked me it I needed assistance, I told her that I needed a hat that I could wear anywhere in Chicago without fear of being shot. She gave me a puzzled look.

Next, I eyed a Chicago Bull hat.  It was red with a big bulls head on it.  It was a nice looking hat and should be safe any where in Chicago.  But then I decided that with out the team jersey and a pair of baggy shorts, the hat would look out of place.  After expanding that thought, I decided to avoid ANY hats with team logos.

I spotted a very nice looking hat with the Nike logo on it.  Simple and nondescript, the hat shouldn’t attract any attention.  But, it was $35.  The last time that I paid that much for a hat, it came with a 1/2 gallon of whiskey.

Finally, I found a hat in the LLBean store.  $20.  Sold.