Boardwalkin' on the Boardwalk, New Jersey Shore

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I returned safely to my childhood yesterday. Beautiful Bradley Beach. I spent every summer (give or take a couple) since I was probably 3 years old coming out to New Jersey with my mother and brothers. We always crammed into my grandma's house in Bradley Beach and it seemed my entire mother's side of the family would converge on Bradley Beach during our stay there. Go to the beach, grab a slice of pizza (I mean, real pizza), play ball in the streets, ride around on scooters, and, my favorite, wait for the fireflies to come out. We don't have those in Arizona. They were so cool to watch light up, of course as a kid we would watch them glow and then smash them with a Wiffle-Ball bat. But it was a totally different world than I lived in, and I loved it, still do.

The flight yesterday morning was an hour late. Supposed to leave at 8, oh well. I had no connecting flight to catch, so I didn't care. I don't really mind delays, just get me to my destination safe. Thats the only responsibility an airline has with me. And don't lose my luggage. Especially not with this trip. Anyways, I probably looked really pissed off as I slumped in my chair at Phoenix Sky Harbor, but that was because my body was running off 2 hours of sleep. I am an old, 23 year old man, I can't operate on that low of a charge like I could as a teenager. I have to pause and give a shout-out to my buddy Drew for driving me to the airport so early, thanks buddy. Ok back to the point, got on the plane at like 9. Skycap was kind enough to give me an emergency exit seat. He probably didn't know what I am about to tell you, but if he did, I want to name my first born son after him. I actually got to sit next to a cute girl. Never happens to me. She was really nice, from New Jersey, in Phoenix on work, a horse trainer, we talked about Europe, she went to Italy after graduate school. But this was all in a 5 minute period as the plane was about to land at Newark because she slept the whole time. I would have liked to sleep, but never have been able to on a plane. So I just read a little in my book about the battle at Thermopylae (what the movie "300" is about) and read the brochure that came with the Eurail pass and watched the in-flight movie. I didn't have any headphones, which I kind of enjoy, because I try and figure out what is happening and what they are saying to each other by the actors' facial expressions. With how movies are these days, its easy to predict what is going on, especially "Music and Lyrics" which was the movie on the plane.

Landed at Newark at around 5pm, and when I saw the Manhattan skyline thats when it hit me that my trip has begun. I am clear across the country. Fortunately I have been to Newark and New Jersey so many times, its has a "home" feel to it. I was relieved to see my big backpack come down the baggage claim shoot. I snatched it up and walked over to where a pre-arranged shuttle bus would be picking me and others up to take us to Keyport, Lincroft, Wall, and Tom's River. My grandma would be picking me up in Wall. The shuttle arrived and we all waddled onto it and we hit the parkway. By this time, I was so exhausted from lack of sleep and just being in the air that long, that I felt like I was going to throw up. I wanted to sleep on this thing, but being 6'4", there is no mode of transportation I can sleep on comfortably.

Keyport looked like a really cool town. The town you would want to raise your children in. As we got off the Garden State Parkway and drove through Keyport, we passed baseball fields with little league games being played. I love little league. Some of the funnest times as a kid was spent playing little league baseball. It was funny, because in this town, it was all so "pure American". By that, I mean, the fields were well kept, they had American flag banners on the outfield fense, and fathers of the kids were standing behind the bleachers talking to a local police officer who had pulled into the parking lot with his car to watch the game. I thought that was so cool. I love small towns, because I never got to experience one myself really.

Anyways, my cousin Mike and my grandma picked me up in Wall. Drove me to the house where the three of us re-heated some chicken and mashed potatoes and ate dinner. My Aunt Marilyn came over and talked with us for a little bit. She left, then Mike left, and at 9pm, my grandma went to sleep. Even though it was 9 in New Jersey, it was 6 in Arizona, but I was so drained, I too went to bed. Just as I got to the room I would be sleeping in, my dad called. My dog Dottie, 7 year old Australian Shepherd who my parents are watching while I am away, has a swelled up muzzle. They were concerned, I was concerned, so they took her to the vet, but thought it may be a bite from like a bug or spider or maybe an infection of some sort. Dad calls me an hour later, its a rattlesnake bite. Now my parents live way out in the boonies of Tucson, so snakes and all sorts of creatures roam free there, so it wasn't a surprise. My dog loves my parents' backyard, so she was probably sniffing around the bushes and got nabbed. He said the vet gave her some anti-venom and morphine and that she would be ok, but they were going to keep her overnight. I talked to my mom later and she told me that if the anti-venom isn't enough, they might have to give her some more anti-venom or take other measures. I started to get a little choked up. I am not one of those people who treat their dogs like their kids. I don't talk to her in baby voices or anything, she is like my sidekick in life. I love that dog like crazy. My mom was going to call me in the morning when the vet called with an update, or she would call me in the night if the vet had bad news. Fortunately I didn't hear from my mother that night, but it was still hard to sleep. I just thanked God for my parents for reacting so quickly. If they hadn't taken her in as soon as they had, Dottie probably wouldn't have made it. So if you are reading this Mom or Dad, I love you.

Woke up at 9:30am this morning, its a gray, cold day in Bradley Beach and pretty much all of New Jersey and Long Island. My mom called Grandma before I woke up; Dottie is ok, still in the hospital, but she needed a blood transfusion. Had breakfast with Grandma, Aunt Marilyn came over for a little bit (she's my Grandma's neighbor) then left, and me and Grandma talked about life and I listened to stories about my her life. I found out that me and her have the same desire if we won the lottery: a private jet to take us anywhere anytime we wanted. I walked down to the beach and took some photos. No one was out, it was too windy and cold, and I only was there for like 10 minutes before I surrendered and retreated back to the house.

For lunch, Grandma, Aunt Marilyn, and I went to their favorite place in Bradley Beach, The Draughting Table. It looks like an Irish pub, and I guess it is, but its a really cool place inside and has great food. The owner, Kappy, and the bartender, Ray, were such nice people, and was happy to meet them. Had a Yeungling and a Jersey wrap, and told them about my plans for the trip and what else can I say, but we all just talked. I love talking to people out East. Back in Arizona, a lot of people assume New Jersey is full of assholes and its a dump, but the people in New Jersey have such colorful personalities and mannerisms and expressions and are very friendly. They all wished me well and I plan on sending them a post card. Now I am back at Grandma's, Aunt Marilyn went home, Grandma is taking a nap, and I in the room writing this. Don't know what the plans are for tonight, I hope to meet up with my cousin Anne. I am here in New Jersey just relaxing with family, I don't want or care about plans.

Have fun,
Matt

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Photos

Bradley Beach
I was the only nutcase on the boardwalk and beach.

Beach Ave.
My grandma's house.

An Angry Ocean
I used to fish off this jetty. Of course, never during days like this one.

Wow, A Pier
I zoomed in for this one and when I looked at the photo on the computer, there is actually a guy fishing off the pier.