The summer of 1988, I was living with my parents in Basking Ridge and had a good job at AT&T. That year I went in with a couple of guys from work to rent a house in Belmar close to the south end of the beach. I very much looked forward to the weekends down there. I managed to make it my personal get-away from almost everyone - including my roommates there. I spent the days on the north end of the beach, late afternoons in Asbury for the T-dances and beer gardens, usually ending up having an impromptu cookout with new friends, back to the bars in Asbury until closing, then off to a diner that was only open starting at last call for greasy breakfasts to help with the hangovers. In the morning I'd return to the house for a nap and refresh, doing my part to keep the place clean, despite my not being there much. My friends wanted to know where I'd slipped off to some evenings, but I told them if I had wanted to rent a house with my mother I could have. They were terrific friends and gave me my space.

Around that time I realized it was time to leave the nest, but searching for real estate in NJ, I discovered that what I wanted was out of reach for me at 24 or 25 years old. I put in for a transfer to Cincinnati, and managed to make a comfortable life here...

...but boy, do I miss the shore!

Regards,
Rex.