Coney Island
Everything near and dear to me was sun stained. Trees, birds, and buildings were all bathed in sun. Wood planks on the boardwalk creaked and clacked under all the sandaled feet……..walking towards sun and fun and whisking all their problems into a cab headed for who knows where. The breeze beneath my nose wreaked of sunscreen and Nathan’s dogs and there were splashes and sounds of sand mashing between children’s hands and drunkards with farmer tans were hollering popular songs….their lobster red skin slunken just under black rimmed sunglasses. Old rollercoasters creaked as they bought thrillseekers around the bend who waved their arms and screamed with delight…..their faces scrunched in a tight ball as they neared the big dip. I had a hot dog in hand and a beer in the other while men without their shirts on kissed and clowns walked by on stilts. The salty air made everyone glisten and light up like how glitter catches itself in the light and I remember thinking to myself as a beer buzz hit me that they were almost like shimmering ocean tides…….laughing at this thought as I crossed Surf Avenue and Stillwell. I had a hand to hold and someone to laugh with as we caught the Mermaid Parade the year of her birthday and also that time we saw the fish swim to school at the Aquarium. In the fall the air was denser and a hoody was just the right amount of comfort and the wind coming off of the ocean waves smelled like a campfire. In the winter it was cold and the rusted garbage cans along the beach were heavy and shivering in the snow. In the spring we all wore t shirts and skully caps and welcomed back outside drinking on the front porch of Ruby’s and Cha Cha’s…..laughing and doing that good old side step you get when it’s that first 75 degrees.
And then….oh this then….it was Summer and we were sun stained. Cars, buildings, birds, and us all drenched in sun. It was Brooklyn and the lemonade, the sunglasses, teeth, sundresses, bicycle spokes and sand crystals were all catching the sunlight.
( 7/10/2011)