Growing up, summertime meant hanging at the park with your friends. My parents were never big on travelling, so when in the summer of my fifteenth year, they decided to go to Atlantic City, it was met with some reluctance, not realizing how it would impact me. Or how I would enjoy it. We went with my family, and my grandparents, and stayed at the Hotel Morton, on Virginia Avenue, one of the streets found in Monopoly, rent $12.
In 1969, Atlantic City was more like it was in the 1920's than the 1990's. Hanging on to the memories of what it once was. It was decayed and decaying, and where once it was a mecca for those to get away from the city, today it is a Sin City east. And in the late 60's, was just a few years from total collapse. When the Donald would reinvent it. You stayed on or around the Boardwalk, rent $50, for once off of it, it was dangerous. The highest per capita black population in NJ lived there, and it was abject poverty once you got away from the beach area. As compared to all the money and fun being had on the Boardwalk. It still had enough of its glory days to be memorable. Even if the postcards of its glory days were 40 years old.
The Steel Pier was at the end of Virginia Avenue, perhaps the most famous pier in the US of A at the time. Dick Clark, who was emerging from being a struggling Philadelphia DJ had live shows there, even hosted American Bandstand from there. I remember the marquee names where big time, right off the radio and their albums. And walking through the huge ballroom was impressive. It was near the Convention Center, where Miss America was crowned each year, back when it was ok to be a beautiful woman. But the main draw for me, and many other tourists, was the diving horse. A girl would sit on a horse, then dive 20-30 feet into a pool,while the crowd roared. But more spectacular to me was watching a high diver jump into the same pool from 100 feet. The only thing I could never understand was why jump into a pool when you had all this water in the Atlantic available to you? I guess that's entertainment!
I had more fun dodging waves with my dad, and getting sunburned and exhausted. And then because we were with my grandparents, having to dress for dinner, in the Morton's dining room. Such were the vestiges of a more formal time.
The Boardwalk. What a place. A boulevard all its own, wide and long, and in summer covered with people. On the corner where we stayed was Mr. Peanut. And I remember a man-in a Mr. Peanut outfit, probably a high school student, shaking hands and inviting us into the store. I remember the Salt Water Taffy, and thinking "why would anyone want to eat anything with salt water in it?" This after swallowing gallons of the Atlantic that day. We ate breakfast at Taylor Ham, and were entertained by the way they served the meal-all in one skillet. We tried it at home, but it just wasn't the same. Man-I could go for some right now! Taylor ham, eggs over easy, with potatoes. In a skillet, of course.
I remember my dad telling me how they trained race horses on the beach-running in the sand, and after walking in the deep sand thought it would take me all summer to get used to it-a sacrifice I was willing to make. Walking past the Marlborough-Blenheim, an old hotel, and another old hotel, Chalfonte-Haddon Hall, you were impressed by their majesty, and how majestic they sounded, and were, torn down by Trump, removing the last real touch with a society from a past generation. One that dressed for dinner. A hotel, not a motel, where are the cool names like these from yesteryear today? We probably get the names we deserve, but when was the last time you stayed in a hotel? Front!
And walking the Boardwalk I noted many things. I still have a newspaper-underground, very cool at the time, advertising the Aquarian Arts Festival, tickets available through Ticketron. You now know it as Woodstock. Bought in a head shop, which used to mean cool clothes, like those from Carnaby St. not the drug connection it does now. But somehow the streets weren't laid out like in Monopoly, and this bothered me. Even realizing that the streets preceded the game, it felt weird not following the order of St. Charles Place, rent $10, then States Avenue, rent $10, and then Virginia, rent $12. Something seemed very much out of order, but I never quite got over it. At least North Carolina and Pacific were adjacent. Never did find the railroads, though, and realized the utilities were everywhere-just turn on a faucet or flip a light switch. An early morning walk on the Boardwalk, rent $50, dodging Jitneys, while the sun rose over the Atlantic somehow made it all seem unimportant. But I still hang onto their disorder to this day!
Things are simpler when you are younger, more exciting too, maybe that is why Jesus tells us to come to Him like children. Bring your toys, sit on His lap, and play. Enjoy the time being a kid, because adulthood, and all its responsibilities lie ahead, and will last longer than any childhood, or vacation. Somehow trusting Him, as opposed to wanting to understand everything, keeps us childlike, and dependent on Him. Listening as He tells stories, and explains things, watching as He points things out, and the luxury of just being yourself, without peer pressures, yet. So that is how I try to come to Him, as myself. Warts and all-He loves me. And the time spent with Him is precious.
Spend time with Him today-as a child. Put away the concerns of the day, and rest in Him. Take that spiritual vacation from life, and realize that soon we will be with Him. No deadlines, rules, bosses, or over due notices. It will be the trip, the vacation you always planned, but never knew how great it could be. And it goes on, and on, and on....
Give me pier pressure rather than peer pressure. Interrupt my summer of life with a better vacation. With Jesus.
And as I now live on the west coast, Atlantic City is 3000 miles away, but not far from my memories. For I now have the Pacific (Avenue, rent $26) and beaches. In Jersey we go to the Shore. But Jesus is the same no matter when or where you are. A four star hotel among motels, and a city where all the street names are in order. His get out of sin card more valuable than a get out of jail free card. I think I'll just go riding, and spend the day in Free Parking.
And no, I won't be dressing for dinner.
love with compassion,
Mike
