KJ goes to the beach

It was Labor day, I believe, the weather was global warmingly pleasant, so someone got the idea to go to the beach. Since it was not really ‘the summer’ anymore because as we all know summer starts on Memorial Day, and ends on Labor Day, Teri says, “Hey, lets all go to Rye beach in Westchester. I looked it up on line, as we were leaving, good preplaning, on my part, and all I got were bad reviews. Parking is expensive, the bathrooms are disgusting, it costs a lot to get onto the beach. There was nothing good about the place, and we all should go to Orchard Beach in the Bronx, a couple of miles south of there.

I mentioned these ‘facts’ as we headed toward what promised to be an expensive day, at an awful beach, in an expensive area code.

As the headline read, it was going to be KJ’s first beach day. He was going to go to Sea Side, but his mom had a reason to cancel, I don’t remember. She came along,as did Nancy, Teri, Elena, and I believe Sean was the only one who had to work. In my past life as a milk man, been there, done that, so I felt for him, until I forgot he was working. Like I said, been there, done that, time to enjoy the advantages of working at a 8-5 Monday through Friday job, with Labor Day off.

We got to the beach, before the parking opened. I thought this was the first of many awful things to happen. Then everything changed, they opened parking, and instead of $25.00, parking was $10.00. We get out of the car, walk past the gorgeous pool, and find the rest rooms. I grit my teeth, and walk in expecting to see wallboard torn off the walls, and gaping holes. It is a cool, late summer morning, I walked into the overly air conditioned, still spotless bathroom. I am even able to adjust the air so it is not so cold. The beach did not open until 10, so we waited around the ticket booths talking, looking out at teh beach watching the life guards do late season and yes I willingly accepted the senior discount on my beach pass even though I didn’t ask for it. And yes, it was $10.

The beach never really filled up even as the weather got warmer. KJ was afraid of the whistles the lifeguards used early in the day to run life saving drills. He went into the water at the beach for the first time with his mother, Nastia, and Elena. I watched from the shore in my comfy chair, sipping my water, yes, I’ve had to get mostly away from Diet Pepsi. I keep telling people I started drinking it when it was the health alternative, so I’m safe. Yeah, I know it doesn’t work like that. Sometime after one in the afternoon I went for a walk to see what was around the area. I walked to the end of the Boardwalk where a restaurant and an open dance club were. Prices in the restaurant were above what I’d want to spend. The food truck was the only other alternative, and the food turned out to be very good. Nastia, and Elena joined Teri, and I to eat hot dogs, and french fries, sitting on a bench overlooking the beach with its little waves, on that bright beautiful sunny day. We didn’t stay late, and made it home early.