Down the Shore

Impulse is a good thing sometimes. Last week the impulse to pick up and drive to surprise family members was wonderful. The Prince of Brooklyn (aka Uncle Joe) and his friend Kathy were heading east from Louisville to see the Atlantic Ocean, some northern states and family. I had not seen Joe in almost 2 years and with time on my hands for the next few weeks I took off because, let's face it, there are no guarantees that any of us will be here next summer. Seize the day I did. When I arrived my aunts, uncles and parents were headed out to see the lighthouse at the end of Long Beach Island so I literally jumped out of one car and into another.

Old Barney is a great old landmark filled with history and stories, just like the Macaluso clan. Joe and Zohrab donned floppy hats; one looked like a fisherman the other like a man from the land down under; and they slowly ambled along the path to the lighthouse. Leave it to them to strike up a conversation with two very cute and much younger women. Friendliness is also a good thing. Flirting is not too far from friendliness, by the way. These guys have it down to an art. Charm oozed!
As we all gazed up at the lighthouse and sucked in some salty air I commented on Joe's hat. "Is it Australian?", I asked. "No, they are from Austria.", he replied. OK, then. I just stared and moved on to another subject.

The laughter and stories went on and on. I had grabbed about 10 pictures from days past and it was great to see what memories they prompted. The first Uncle Pete, a youthful and nattily dressed Angela dangling an infant on the roof (not at the edge, thank God),a very young Joe and Mickey with a real bayonet about to attack a Nazi flag, my parents in an embrace at the beach in Montauk in 1965...nice stuff. I love to listen to them argue about whose facts are the real details. Usually they ended with "well, Dolores would know...and if she didnt she would make it up".

We ate (my mom brought lasagna and braciola--be jealous), we drank, we visited and we spent time on the beach. Everyone was amazed that Joe got up the ramp, down the steps and across the sand. He is one determined guy, and Kathy is a rock!! All of us have the ocean in our blood. I actually cried the first time I walked towards the waves. I do every time. I laughed when my father tried to talk his way out of paying to enter the lighthouse which I think costs a dollar, shared good times with great people, took pictures of it all, including the Austrian girls whose friendliness help make a new and funny memory. I am so very glad I followed my heart and acted on impulse. I am also very grateful for the generosity and hospitality that came my way. I wont forget it.