New Jersey and I have made up. I went back, against my better judgment. I did not get lost. I went to the beach. I got the kind of sunburn you get when you're a child, itchy and peeling. But, Jersey came for me. Have you ever swam in cold salt water when it is really, really hot? It is like 10 pitchers of lemonade. Usually, I don't like cold water, but New Jersey water is now high on my list. Also, I went kayaking in the bay. North Carolina beaches don't have carnival-like boardwalks. Their loss. I played skeeball and gave all my tickets to two little girls so they could get a better crap prize. I rode the Himalaya and the Scrambler (in the dark with demonic hard-rock renamed "Poltergeist"- but I recognize the Scrambler when I ride it). I went into a funhouse and a house of mirrors. One evening, I'm sure I watched the sun set, but it seeems kind of far off, like a dream now. Even the tempestuous turnpike more than made up for its previous mistreatment. All in all, the rift has healed. Now, if we could only do something about DC.
