Ultimately, the news came as a shock to everyone.

A Chicago era has drawn to a whimpering end.

It might take a few months, a few years even, for the new reality to sink in. But soon we will look back at this time, grimly shake our heads and ask, “Why did we put up with it for so long?”

But as for right now, today, we know only this: the tyranny of the stationary meatball sandwich shop is over. Long live The Meatyballs Mobile, now rolling through this city’s proud streets.

This golden era of mobile meatballs was ushered in by the iconoclastic former chef at Lockwood, who also has been at the forefront of the movement to get food trucks on the streets. His truck, a squat-and-sturdy, green-and-silver lunch coach, is just a start. He has plans to roll out other kinds of trucks focusing on other cuisines in the future, but right now his obsession is meatballs. You understand.

The first thing you’ll have to do is follow him on Twitter. No, scratch that. First you’ll need to get yourself worked up for some crazy meatballs. Meatballs in bourbon-cola barbecue sauce on crusty French baguettes. Chicken meatballs in curry. Meatballs in... well, tomato sauce with mozzarella. Okay, so they’re not all crazy. Then you’ll log on to Twitter and track his every movement.

It’s not stalking if meatballs are involved.