What I did this summer…Riding down the parkway in a hot red sportscar, wayfarers on, windows rolled down, smiling at the boys, tapes of Bruce & Southside turned up to 9.
Back to the land of Frank’s Amusements, SAUSAGE•STEAKS•PIZZA, Jenkinson’s Beach & Arcade, it starts to call us, the Jersey born & bred, as soon as the temperatures hit the 70s. Today it is 78, according to Sam Champion’s predictions last night. J. Geils sings, “Do I Love You With All My Heart? I do do do do do do do do do” and all is right with the world. Cliché line: The summer stretches out in front of me like a promise of dreams to be fulfilled." If these clouds don’t disappear I will be forced to retreat to the boardwalk. Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah. I think of Huey Lewis singing Do You Believe in Love and look back to the lifeguards I missed when I was with MoneyPenny. No excuses, no time for regrets.
So what if I need a sweatshirt to stay on the beach.
What I did this summer…Buying a roll of parkway tokens as a symbol of my commitment to the Jersey Shore. Looking up at a packed boardwalk. Keep the pen moving. Kites fly overhead and I remember breaking up with MoneyPenny here in Pt. Pleasant, walking with our matching Mickey and Minnie Mouse kites in our hands, trying to explain to him what I though I was missing, kids playing on the beach, still not sure if I’ll ever be a part of that. Almost a lost childhood but I never wanted to be a child. Always striving to get ahead, to be more of an adult, an achiever, and now I want to surf with rich media brokers. I don’t share the values of the tie-dyed teenagers across the sand, Johnny Moneybags still defines my world my dreams my desires.
As they batten down the hatches to keep out the wind at Martell’s, I realize that summer isn’t quite here, but the beach is free until Memorial Day & so is parking if you know where to look.
Linda Ronstadt sings “It’s so easy to fall in love.” Not the second time. Phil Collins brings back memories of Curtis. What was that all about, anyway? Wasn’t bad, that’s for sure. As Johnny Moneybags would put it, “matching up” with a guy with a nice body & a gorgeous tan – the scuba dudes. He was even older than me (32?) and still beautiful. They’re out there, I just need to find them.
Back to the bones of the beach. Only the hardcore today. No suntan oil. But plenty of moms & dads with their kids out for the first taste of hot dogs & amusements. Daddy, win me something.
Waves curl over the water and hit the shoreline.
The beach is clearing out as the wind whips down the shoreline. It may be time to retreat to Martell’s for a beer and some nachos. Wanting so desperately to be able to make people feel this. Tonight may be a major movie night, double or triple feature of the tapes I’ve been making from HBO and Cinemax.
Down at the end of the boardwalk, wishing upon a star for a boy with a boat. Or my own damn boat, how to make it happen. It seems so materialistic, I never used to feel this way until I entered Johnny Moneybags' World.
Seeing families at the beach, I know there is a lot I don’t want right now. An ordinary life, with a nebulous husband and 2.2 kids. The nagging mom instead of the free spirit. I would lose all of my freedom with a family.
“Take all the freedom that a lover will allow
If you feel the feeling that I’m feeling now
Hold me and tell me that the words you say are true
Answer the question I must ask of you
Do you wanna make love
Or do you just wanna fool around?”
-- Peter McCann
Even when I was a kid in the 70s who had never made love I understood the meaning. Johnny, it has to mean everything to me. “Me, too” he said at the time, completely oblivious to the fact that the idea of a soulmate was the antithesis of his
maintenance girlfriends.
A boat called “Dancin’ Barefoot” goes by.
We won, we won! While I do try to teach my girls that "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game," it sure feels good to have that trophy in hand. As a family, we won the "Good Sport" award for grown-ups who dress up in the best costumes and march in the parade with their kids. So here we are in costume, from left to right: Maddie (as Sharpay "Golf" from High School Musical) Rex (as Ken), Bay Head Mayor Bill Curtis, Roxy (as Barbie), and London (as Sharpay "End of Year" from High School Musical).
