By Bill Quain with returning guest columnist Herb Sudfeld
A note to all my readers
Each week, I end my column with an invitation to send me your own six-word stories. On July 27, 2023, my good friend Herb Sudfeld wrote an entire column for me titled “Fly a Kite, See the Wind.” Herb is returning as a guest columnist with today’s Six Words on a Boardwalk Bench. It’s written from the perspective of his 5-year-old grandson, Tristan. I know you’ll enjoy this story. Thanks again, Herb!
Meet 5-year-old Tristan, visiting the shore
Hi, my name is Tristan, and I am five years old. I live in Burlington, Vermont with my mom and dad. You can see Lake Champlain from our house. I like to go swimming in the lake. It is not as good as the ocean because there are no waves unless there is a storm.
I am here in Ocean City because my Pop-Pop is taking care of Mr. Bill’s and Miss Jeanne’s house and Mr. Bill’s dog, Trudy, while they are away. They went to Florida to celebrate Miss Jeanne’s father’s 90th birthday. That is really old. I am glad they went to Florida because I got to go to the beach.
Last year, I saw the wind
You might remember that my Pop-Pop wrote Mr. Bill’s column last year when they took a cruise. My picture was in the paper flying a kite with Pop-Pop. He said everyone can feel and smell the wind, but you can even see the wind in the flapping of the kite. I saw it too.
This is my Ocean City story
This year, I told Pop-Pop that I wanted to tell about my stay in Ocean City so he is going to write down what I tell him.
First, it was a long ride from Vermont. Over seven hours, but we made it.
As soon as I woke up the first day, I got my bathing suit on and was ready to go to the ocean. But before we went to the beach, my Pop-Pop went out for donuts all the way to a place called Sea Isle City. He says that the Maryanne Pastry Shoppe has the best donuts at the shore. Something about the yeast rising at sea level. Whatever that means. I had a chocolate-covered donut with cream on the inside. Yum!
The best part of Ocean City is going to the beach and jumping in the ocean. I like to jump over the waves and splash my dad. Once a wave hit me, then I fell and got all wet. When I got back on the sand, I dug holes and filled them with water. I carried so many buckets my arms hurt, and the holes never got filled. I dug one hole, sat in it, and covered myself up to my waist. My mom had to dig me out.
My legs are tired from walking
Up on the Boardwalk, we took long walks and didn’t seem to buy much even though my mom went into a lot of stores. Boring! Then at night, we went to a place called Playland’s Castaway Cove. I rode on a lot of fun rides, but the best was the log flume. My mom and dad and Pop-Pop went with me. My grandmother, Jo-Jo, held our bags and things. We got so wet when we went down the flume that our clothes took a long time to dry. I also went in the haunted house with Jo-Jo, and it was real scary.
Biking is more fun than walking
I just learned how to ride my bike without training wheels in May. My dad said I had to learn so I could ride on the Boardwalk. We rode on the Boardwalk every morning early so my dad could get coffee at a place called Ocean City Coffee Company. I think my dad would live in Ocean City just so he could go there every day. The best thing was that I didn’t run into anybody when I rode my bike. I’m not very good at braking yet.
I made holes-in-one playing mini golf!
I also played miniature golf a lot. I played five times and even got some holes-in-one. The best was Haunted Golf. They have real ghosts in pictures on the wall that change from nice people into ghosts and monsters. There are a lot of skeletons and a pit covered in glass with skeleton bones all down under the glass. Very scary! At the end, I won a free game when I dropped my ball in the slot, and it ended up in the free game hole. I went back with my Pop-Pop and played again the next day. I also played Tee Time Golf and Pirates of the Golden Galleon. I had the most holes-in-one at Tee Time, but I really liked the Pirates too.
More rides and lots more food
We went to Gillian’s Wonderland a couple of times. I rode the log flume there, the giant Ferris wheel, the roller coaster, and the carousel. I played the Wicked Tuna arcade game and caught some pretty big fish. I ate pizza at a place called Manco & Manco; had a great flounder dinner at a restaurant called The Anchorage; a seafood boil from PJ Buckets; ice cream from lots of different places; caramel corn from Johnson’s; macaroons from George’s; donuts and sticky buns from Mallons; fudge from Fudge Kitchen; and saltwater taffy from Shriver’s. I told my Pop-Pop that I was all sugared out. He laughed when I said that.
Come up and visit me sometime
My week at Ocean City was full of fun things to do. But of all the things I did, the best was going to the beach every day and riding my boogie board and playing in the sand. I certainly hope Mr. Bill and Miss Jeanne go on another vacation, so I can visit again. Until then, I have kindergarten coming up, and lots to do in Vermont. Come see me sometime!
Oh, and Mr. Bill wants me to tell you something. He’ll see ya in the papers!
