We promised her − “You pass your Regents and all your classes and we’ll do something special − your choice.”
Okay, okay rule number one is that you never give them carte blanche when it comes to rewards, but how bad could it be? Other than a car, and she’s too young to drive yet, she has everything else.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I expected it to be a new phone, new iPod, maybe get away cheap and go for a new dress, but what she wanted was a trip to the beach with all her friends.
As readers of this column know, the beach and I do not get along. I like the water, I like the smell of the ocean air, but sitting on a beach, getting sand in places that shouldn’t have sand is not my idea of a good time, My husband, bless his heart, loves the beach, but my daughter really didn’t have us in mind to join her on the sand, we were just the conveyance.
However, a promise is a promise. So we compromised. We would go to the beach, but one with a boardwalk. This way she could sun and bask in the sand and surf and my husband and I could walk along the boardwalk, out of the way but nearby enough to spring for more cash if need be.
Dane met us at the house at around 11:30 or so Sunday morning. We left soon after and headed for Megan’s house in New Jersey to pick her up on the way. We settled on Point Pleasant as the destination du jour and off we putted on the Garden State Parkway. The day was great, beautiful sunshine, not too hot, an ocean breeze along the boardwalk to keep us cool and not realize how burned our skin was actually getting, and lots and lots of people. There was enough for me and Bob to do without getting bored, and when Bri and her friends were tired of the sun and surf, there were rides, arcade games and junk food by the large bucketful.
Finally, at 6:30, after several hours of walking up and down the boardwalk, sunburned and foot tired, we all piled into the car and left for home. In the car, Bri hit us up for one more ‘something special.’ “Can Megan sleep over, just tonight, we can hang out tomorrow at the park, please mom, please?” How could we say no? What’s a day or two more. She did pass everything, right?
