A CONEY ISLAND BIRTHDAY

In my later years of elementary school, I no longer wanted birthday parties with all my classmates. They began to feel like office parties for kids. That’s when my dad came up with a new tradition. I could choose a special outing for the day. It could be the Circus or a Broadway show or the Zoo or we could take a day-trip to someplace within a circle he drew on a map…and, I could bring a friend. So, after days of thinking, I chose; a trip to The Waldo Smith Memorial at the Ashokan Water Reservoir in Upstate New York. I know; it sounds exciting and being able to bring a friend would ensure that there would be someone who would constantly remind me that this was one dumb-ass idea.

The next year I got wise. I chose Coney Island and a new friend. It would have been perfect except for the monsoon-like rain. When we got there, it seemed like the only thing open was some weird mini-aquarium. It was more like an aquatic freak show. I’m sure lobster-boy took our tickets. The place was dark, damp and musty with lots of exhibits in jars. I think I saw a taxidermy mermaid that still occasionally shows up in my nightmares.

After viewing that hall of horrors, it was still raining and none of the amusements were open…none except for a small bumper-car ride down a Woody Allen type side street. Since my friend and I were the only two customers, my dad made a deal with the operator guy to let us ride as long as we wanted. I felt like Richie Rich. My Dad just bought us a Coney Island ride!

What could have been a total wash-out, became one of my most memorable birthdays. And after 60 years, I can still hear the rain pounding on the tin roof and feel the shocking jolt of my friend bumping into my car. Actually, I can still feel it in my neck and back but we won’t get into that.