The great thing about spring here is that the Crazy Lady of State Street (who actually lives on Spring street) comes back out.

I swear to God, she really exists, and this is all true. She's about 50 years old, has gray hair down to the middle of her back, and sometimes walks around in her slippers. She stops total strangers and starts conversations with them, but they start somewhere in the middle.

The last time I saw her, we were both walking down Willett, on opposite sides of the street. There is absolutely no way she recognized me, but she looked over and said, "Charter One bank is having a big, free party next weekend. You should come!"

I said OK.

She said, "What should I tell them you want to eat?"

I kept walking.

This morning, I was walking to work down Spring street, and she was letting herself into her building across the street. She yelled, "Good morning!"

I looked around, realized she was talking to me, and said, "Uh, mornin'."

"Here's a piece of trivia for you. Do you know who invented diabetes?"

"No."

She paused for a half-second like she was trying to remember, but it finally came to her. "Mary Tyler Moore, from Hollywood."

I said, "Great, thanks," and, as usual, just kept walking.