By Bill Quain
This week’s column features some of the feedback I’ve received from my readers. In regard to the title – I was an executive chef in my early career. While I loved getting feedback, I hated getting food back from guests. Although my wife rolls her eyes at me when I say, “Give me feedback, not food back,” it does make a great six-word title and an excellent introduction to this week’s column.
I Heard it on the Boardwalk
Earlier this summer I heard from Susan Liberto, who responded to my July 18 column “I Heard it on the Boardwalk.” Susan shared three experiences from the Atlantic City/Ventnor Boardwalk. They are just the kinds of snippets we all hear.
Good morning. I read with delight your article published in the Shore Local, and since I’m on the boardwalk most mornings, I am happy to share the conversation snippets I overhear with you.
As a couple were at the side street entrance to the boardwalk on their bikes:
Him: “Watch out for the bikes.”
Her: “I don’t care,” as she proceeded to cross directly in front of me.
Me: (Instead of ramming her with my bike) I slammed on my brakes and said, “She doesn’t care.”
Walking towards Ventnor, a gentleman said, “My heart rate is 50 on the beta blocker.” On the way back from Ventnor to Atlantic City, to the complete disinterest and boredom of his companions, “My heart rate has been 50 for the last 30 years.”
Lastly, “His internet should be perfect, but at his apartment it sucks.”
Have a wonderful day and thanks again for the great article. Happy running!
Kind regards,
Susan
Those were great Susan, and I’m glad that other biker didn’t get you!
Selective Garbage from Families of Distinction
My Aug. 22 column “Selected Garbage from Families of Distinction” brought memories back to Kathy Miller. Kathy wrote:
How could a girl born in the Midwest (Wisconsin to be exact!) surrounded by no ocean (but tons of lakes) end up at the Jersey Shore?
The Jersey Shore was on neither of my parents’ radar. My mother grew up in Wisconsin, and my father was a Philly city boy. My parents met when my mother was at UW Madison and my father was in the Air Force and sent to Eau Claire to train. Discharged from the Air Force, my father needed a job to support his new family, and his uncle had one for him back in Philly.
Settling in on the other side of the river in the Jersey suburbs, the shore seemed far away. Shortly after moving into their new home, my mother passed away. Out of this tragedy, when my father remarried, it was to a woman who had the original family of distinction as they spent a lot of time down the shore. Her mother would rent in OCNJ for the whole summer, forcing the father to commute to work by the shore train. (Families only had one car back then!) This became a shared experience with my grandparents that I benefited from.
Until my parents could afford to be away a whole summer we would take day trips, so I knew firsthand every back road that led to the shore, and what being a shoobie on the beach was! Later my parents repeated the same routine as the grandparents, except my father drove back and forth – and this was before the AC Expressway!
Finally, when my parents retired, they sold their home and moved permanently to OCNJ. This was the ultimate dream – to have a shore home full time where I could visit! Now that they passed, I couldn’t NOT find a way to be at the shore. So I now own a condo. And although I do not live here full time, I have broken free of that landlocked little girl and become the ultimate beach bum whose shore town will always be OCNJ.
Kathy Miller
Kathy, this reminds all of us of just how lucky we are to have shared experiences here at the Jersey Shore. Many of us came here from other places, but all of us have decided to stay – in one fashion or another.
Things I “See” On the Boardwalk
After my Aug. 29 column “Things I ‘See’ on the Boardwalk,” I received an email from a fellow runner – Joe Ryan. Joe filled in the puzzle with information about Ray Mauch, who was the mystery man who stamped people’s hands if they touched the railing when they got to the end of the boardwalk. Here are excerpts from Joe:
Hi Bill,
I have to tell you how much I enjoy your column in the weekly Shore Local. This week’s especially hit home with me. I have been involved with long-distance running, cross-country, road races, etc. for over 60 years. I ran, coached, and organized races. And I am still officiating to this day. I agree with you that running the loops on the OC Boardwalk is always a wonderful experience. It is great that you can still enjoy your runs with Jeanne as your guide.
The man who used to sit on the bench at the North End [and sometimes the South End], and “stamp” people’s hands was named Ray Mauch. He was my next-door neighbor on the 2500 block of Asbury Ave. for many years. Ray passed away about 10 years ago. He was quite a character and beloved in our neighborhood for a long, long, time.
Joe Ryan
Thanks for your correspondence Joe, and keep on running those boards!
Dear readers: Thanks for the memories!
I really appreciate the feedback and emails I get from my readers. I’ll keep writing if you’ll keep following me! Feel free to send suggestions for future columns. And as I always say, I’ll see ya in the papers!
Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.
