Hunky Guy At The Jersey Shore 1965

Me, 1965 at "The Jersey Shore" (Ocean City, New Jersey)

This picture posted on my Facebook account. When I first saw it my first reaction was "Who is this hunky guy?" Then I realized "IT'S ME!" And indeed it was.

This picture brings back memories of the first and only time I visited the New Jersey beaches. Growing up my family never took me and my brothers to "the shore." The best they could do was a local murky stream up the road from our house on Boot Road. It wasn't so bad, especially on those hot muggy summer August days. In fact me and my brothers LOVED it as did our dog "Sam."

Me and my brothers Isaac and John and our dog Sam at the local waterhole 1956

When I moved in with Bill in 1965 on of the first things I wanted to do was to go "to the shore." Of course he granted my wish (as he has always done) and we headed to the Ocean City New Jersey shore. 

I was so excited! Finally, I was going to experience the ultimate summer experience, the Jersey Shore!

Well, it didn't turn out as I expected. Every time I ventured out in the water the lifeguard blew his whistle. 

I didn't go out that far, I wanted to go at least to my waist high. The lifeguard wouldn't let me do it. Blowing on that damn whistle of his. I couldn't go out more than knee length. WTF? 

I looked up at him in frustration after the fourth whistle blow and saw him on his high white stand, slouched on his back; red trunks, tan, sunglasses and whistle drooping in his mouth like a cigarette. WTF? 

I asked him "Why"? He dismissively said "DON'T GO OUT PAST THE JETTYS!" I went to the end of the stone jetty and the water was only up to my knees.

I left the beach and walked on the sun backed hot sand to where Bill was reclining on the beach under a beach umbrella. I told him what happened and said "Let's go home." We left and I have never returned to the Jersey shore again.

In the years since I've been on beaches but only where there are no slouchy lazy lifeguards playing the role. Of course these days which my reoccurring regular visits to my dermatologist to burn off the latest pre cancerous skin lesions (actinide keratosis) I only look at the beach from the boardwalk. Ironically I don't even visit in the summertime here in Rehoboth Beach because of the hordes of summertime tourists. Only if Pat comes down to visit, which he may next month, will I go. Otherwise I restrict my beach visits to walks on the boardwalk in the fall and mild days in the winter. 

Seeing this blurry picture of me in my youth brought back both fond memories of when my body was young and healthy and it didn't ache like it does now. Unfortunately it also brings back that bad memory of how New Jersey "the shore" sucked.