Parkway South Shore Points

       This sign on Route 17 South never fails to stir my heart, especially during the summer months. Every time I see it I envision some grand time at the Jersey Shore. Of course, I always conveniently forget the sunburn and the sand that would have to be swept out of the car afterwards. These annoyances don't matter when I start to thinking about the waves, boardwalks, and carefree times a trip to the shore always symbolizes to me. I remember pretty clearly when it was that I started feeling this way. It was exactly 30 years ago, when my friends and I could make the drive down ourselves unsupervised by our parents. At first it was a feeling of daring that I felt. Now it has simply becomes a lovely routine. The times were not always good. There was the time Senior year when we cut classes and our car broke down at the shore. The parents of our driver had to be summoned to bring us home. In any event, the good times far out-weighed the bad. One of the best was the classic ride down to the shore after we graduated from RHS. We had been up all night as is the custom and we spent a glorious day in the sun and sand. I can't remember ever being so tired and happy all at once. I probably never will feel this way again, though I can always hope and dream. This memory in particular always crosses my mind whenever I see that sign: Parkway South Shore Points.