It’s great to wake up on a summer morning, nothing to do today except got to the shore. Well there were other things to do, like get bagels and papers, buy some groceries, and do some laundry but besides that there was really nothing else. It was a productive morning, a bit of a touch of guilt walking past a long queue of people waiting for the bus on Willow Ave while I was headed to the grocery store. Got over it fast.

Haven’t been to the grocery store on gay Thursdays but Friday morning was relatively empty. In and out in about 5 minutes. Got Annemarie’s call asking what time would I be ready to go, and basically I was ready to go right then and there, right in the middle of the laundry. That’s how strong my dedication is for going to the beach. I aspire to total beach bumminess.

We invited to Stine to join us in going to the beach but she was feeling blue, having seen her sister, brother in law and a niece and nephew back to Denmark. She was missing them terribly and didn’t feel like having fun, at least not at that moment. It would’ve been great to have her join us. Julio was surprised she didn’t want to go, but understood how she was feeling.

Anne Rex and Earl arrived and we all piled into the car and headed south. It was a beautiful day, nary a cloud in the sky except for one that looked a little too Los Alamos like. And of course that was in the direction we were heading. We listened to an abridged version of Brian Wilson’s SMiLE cd. Wonderful stuff to ‘head’ down to the beach listening to. A lot more people heading down the shore this morning, but it was relatively smooth sailing.

We stopped off for some lunch to bring to the beach, sandwiches, sushi, beverages, and fruits. A non-alcoholic excursion as opposed to going with Julio, not that it’s an alcoholic bacchanal, it’s just that beer is involved. At the supermarket I got a phone call from Jeannie our waitress friend from last night. She was already at Sandy Hook. We made plans to meet up.

It was at least ten times as crowded today as it was yesterday. We took turns wandering the beach looking for Jeannie after we set up base camp. I found her and dragged her kicking and screaming from where she was. It made for a bit of a scene but after shaking some sense into her she came too. Then a Stockholm syndrome thing happened and she identified with her captors. We enjoyed her company and set her free afterwards so that she could go to work at Park and Orchard again. She like Bill has been trying to get some work in film and TV.

I was able to wander off and enjoy a jazz cigarette once the crowds started leaving soon after Jeannie left. Quite nice, also a good reason to have a cigar since one smell tends to overpower the other. We headed back and before we left I bought Earl a Sandy Hook, NJ baseball cap. I thought it looked cool, cool enough for California. Just like wearing a New York T shirt in New York is not too cool, but a California shirt can pass the litmus test. You can wear a shirt from anywhere just about anywhere, except in the location that is named on the shirt.

And now, some pics.

and some guy pitching a tent.

Central Park. Hanging out on the rock, listening to Seu Jorge. Lot’s of people and lot’s of cuties of both sexes. It’s a beautiful day to just chill out in Central Park. The line to get into Summerstage is way past the rock. I’m just hangin on the rock not trying to get in and it’s a whole lot better than sitting in the apartment. It is very hot so movement is slow, and preferably in the shade.

Went to the Ramble for a fatty and was instantly cruised. That was nice. Handsome dude wearing what I later recognized as a shirt for a Ped-I-Cab company. While smoking the fatty an Asian Indian dude in a Jimi Hendrix shirt kept flitting about in my immediate vicinity. I started walking away when I heard, ‘Psst! Psst!’ I turn around and he asks me in hushed tones where do I think he might be able to smoke his bowl of weed.

I tell him just about anywhere, to be discreet and not to smoke around families or older folks. He lights up and proceeds to tell me about how great weed is, and how it should be decriminalized and he’s a philosophy major at Hunter College. He also rambled in the Rambles about how it makes him paranoid. He certainly was. He was all nervous tics. I lit up a cigar, which put him at relative ease, thinking that the aroma of the cigar would overwhelm the smell of the Chiba.

We walked out the Rambles together, over awed by the various people walking around in different directions. I had to reassure him that it was all good vibes. He asked where he could finish smoking his bowl and I told him to go back from whence he came. Immediately he spun on the heel of his sneaker and headed back into the Rambles.

Seu Jorge was highly entertaining, though I think it could’ve been louder. It was muted somewhat, could be because of all the people. Bill and I had plans to see ‘Cars’. It was his suggestion and seemed perfect for a summer’s night. I couldn’t get much of any signal at the rock though. Turns out we wouldn’t be able to go since Bill will be driving very early tomorrow morning.

That’s ok too. I’m now back in Hoboken, nice breeze coming in through the window, neighbors from a few doors down are having a nice party. Lot’s of people. I don’t know them so I ain’t going. Lot’s of food though and they’re not too loud. Bill’s asleep, I’m awake, watching Deadwood on the telly. I have off tomorrow which is very nice. And of course Tuesday is a holiday, which is great. Four days off is better than two days off.

NJ doesn’t have a state budget though and that means the state beaches will be closed. And state employees out of work. I don’t think that will affect my brother who’s a county employee. Sandy Hook is a national park so that should be open so Annemarie and company, myself included could go to the beach.

Either that or Coney Island.