Friday, December 1 , 9:05 AM

OFFICER 1143: Yeah, you know I think there’s a manhole cover that’s missing from the park.

Dispatcher: What are you doing in the park?

OFFICER 1143: Checking it out for unsavory people.

Dispatcher: The park or the manhole?

OFFICER 1143(laughing): The manhole. There is a manhole cover missing on . . . about 400 south on Independence.

Dispatcher: But how’m I gonna tell the, um, Streets and San how to get there without ’em falling in?

OFFICER 1143: Tell ’em there’s something yellow–it’s missing.

Dispatcher: There’s somethin’ sticking out of the open manhole?

OFFICER 1143: We’re still keeping track of that.

Dispatcher: I don’t know, uh, 400 S. Independence, we have an open manhole and–do we need a round one or a square one?

OFFICER 1143: It, it was round, it was round–

Dispatcher: OK, we’ll call ’em.

OFFICER 1143: Yellow on top–

Dispatcher: Yellow on the top. OK, we’ll call ’em.

ANOTHER CALLER: 1095 Adam.

Dispatcher: 1095 Adam?

1095 ADAM: Yeah. Now that you’re on the subject of manhole covers, there’s two of them missing on the sidewalk, at a bus stop at about 3001 W. Cermak, right on the corner.

Dispatcher: Three-oh-oh-one W. Cermak and 400 S. Independence. Is anybody else finding an open manhole? While I’m calling ’em?

ANONYMOUS CALLER: Does anybody else care?

Dispatcher: Fall in and they’ll care.