06/30/2024
This is an email dad received as a comment to his writing about Ocean City call Magic.
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Doctor Joe:
I have felt the magic of Ocean City. Erma and I lived in Calvert County with our three young children. I remember the dreadful drive to Ocean City before the Second Bay Bridge was built and other improvements were made to the roads. For us, it sometimes turned into a nine-hour drive to Ocean City and another nine to return. However, we were willing to make the drive for the benefit of the excitement of the boardwalk, the ocean, and the beach by day and Trimper's rides in the evening. We loved the crowds and the noise in the evening. Our children made friends on the beach in front of our rented condo at 29th St, with whom they are still in contact today (45 years later).
Later, we left the kids with family members, or they matured and moved away from home, and we attended US Jaycee state conventions in Ocean City. That involved lots of adult refreshments and entertainment, listening to great bands, and dancing and laughing until the wee hours of the morning. Through that, we also made lifelong friends. The good memories of those times could fill this page. Finally, our children left home, leaving us as empty nesters. Then, we connected with other adults in Ocean City with adult toys like jet skis, fast boats, second homes, and collectible classic cars. One weekend, 24 years ago, we discovered Ocean Pines and bought a fixer-upper second home on the water near the golf course. Then, 21 years ago, we built a new home at the Point In Ocean Pines.
Recently, a group of older adult friends were playing a game. As part of the game, the question was asked: If you could live anywhere in the world that you wanted to, where would it be? I answered Ocean Pines, Maryland, and my wife Erma agreed. One thing is for sure: whenever I cross over the Rt 90 bridge toward Ocean City, I get a thrill and rush of great memories of wonderful experiences in Ocean City
HI EVERYBODY.......
WOW!! THE SUMMER IS GOING BY SO FAST!!!
IT'S. TIME FOR THE MARLIN TOURNAMENT ALREADY.
IT IS MY 76TH YEAR VISITING OUR "JEWEL BY THE SEA.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES, BUT THE OCEAN AND THE SPIRIT OF OCEAN CITY REMAINS THE SAME,
TIME TO REMEMBER WHAT OCEAN CITY MEANS TO EACH OF US.
HERE IS AN ARTICLE I WROTE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO... IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES
MAGIC
TODAY I RECAPTURED SOME OF THE OLD MAGIC I ALWAYS FELT
IN OCEAN CITY.
WHEN YOU LIVE HERE, IT'S EASY TO FORGET THE MAGIC WHEN YOU'RE CAUGHT UP IN EVERYDAY LIFE. MAKING A LIVING, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, GRASS TO CUT, ETC.
WHEN YOU'RE HERE ON VACATION, MOST OF THE TIME THOSE THINGS,
RARELY HAPPEN.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I FELT THE MAGIC; IT WAS JUNE, AND I
JUST FINISHED MY FIRST YEAR OF PRE-MED AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MARYLAND.
ALMOST EVERYONE ON CAMPUS WAS GOING "DOWNY OSHUN" AS
SOON AS THE SEMESTER WAS OVER.
I DONNED MY KHAKIS, BLACK AND WHITE SADDLES, NAVY-BLUE
POLO SHIRT, AND JOINED THEM.
AS SOON AS WE WENT OVER THE ROUTE 50 BRIDGE AND "BREATHE
THE SALTY AIR" WE WERE ENGULFED IN THE MAGIC.
IT WAS LIKE THE WHOLE CAMPUS OF MARYLAND WAS AT 9TH STREET
AND THE BOARDWALK. THE BEACH CLUB HAD TABLES SET UP RIGHT ON THE BOARDWALK AND SERVED PITCHERS OF BEER , WHICH WAS VERY
CONDUCIVE TO RACOUS, UNENDING CHUG-A-LUG GAMES, AS WE
ATTEMPTED TO PROVE OUR MANHOOD (OR GIRLHOOD.}
THEN WE PLUNGED INTO THE OCEAN AND WERE INSTANTLY REFRESHED.
WE SLEPT ON COTS IN THE ATTIC OF THE PINK HOUSE AND LIVED ON
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES, UNLESS WE COULD AFFORD
A DECENT MEAL AT THE DINNER BELL.
THE MAGIC LASTED UNTIL WE LEFT AND WAS ALWAYS RESTORED WHEN
WE RETURNED, USUALLY THE FOLLOWING SUMMER.
THE LUCKY ONES STAYED IN OC WITH JOBS. ASK ANY OF THEM.
THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT WAS THE BEST TIME OF THEIR LIFE.
WITH TIME AND MAYBE MATURITY, THE MAGIC IS DIFFERENT. YOU COULD AFFORD AN APARTMENT, GO TO THE EMBERS, BUT ESPECIALLY WALK
DOWN THE BOARDS TO THE IRISH HOUSE. A MUST IN THOSE DAYS.
WHEN YOU LIVE HERE, YOU LIKE IT, BUT SOMETIMES YOU LOSE
THE MAGIC. AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T FEEL
IT AT ALL.
SO I RETURNED TO 9TH STREET TODAY, MAYBE TO FIND IT AGAIN.
AND I DID, PARTIALLY, MEMORIES, BUT NO FAMILIAR LANDMARKS.
HESS APPAREL, THE BEACH CLUB, SERGEANT PEPPER'S, THE AUCTION
GALLERY, ALL GONE, MOSTLY REPLACED WITH CONDOS AND
COLORLESS FOOD PLACES.
I SAT ON A BENCH AND STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH A GUY
ALMOST MY AGE. WE REMINISCED, AND I COULD FEEL THE MAGIC
RETURN, BUT DIFFERENT AND TEMPERED BY TIME.
I FINALLY REALIZED THE MAGIC WAS MINE WITH MY OWN MEMORIES.
IT'S UP TO SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS TO FIND THEIR OWN MAGIC.
IT'S THERE, IF YOU LOOK FOR IT.
JFP
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS
DOC JOE PALMISANO
[email protected]
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