On The Boardwalk

It’s the middle of July. Early afternoon. I’m in Ocean City, New Jersey. The sky is a clear cerulean blue. A perfect day to be on the Boardwalk. Down by the seeee-eea.I spot a van nearby with Action News 6 and the ABC logo painted on its side. A few feet away, a man stands in profile, framed by the silver-blue water behind him, aiming a shoulder rig camera at a reporter speaking into a microphone. I later learn that a 67-year-old woman from London was impaled in nearby Seaside Heights— by an umbrella. The news report said a portion of her aluminum beach umbrella pierced her ankle after being blown by a gust of wind. She was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and was doing fine, as of the last report.To my right, a bright yellow plane seems to hover over the water. Nearby, a boat tows a rainbow-colored parachute with two people attached. People mill about, some with children in strollers. Teens with perfectly coiffed hair roam the Boardwalk in packs, chattering endlessly.I hear the constant cawing of seagulls overhead. Some swoop in and land on benches and tables. The tantalizing aroma of pretzels hangs in the air. A variety of shops line the boardwalk as far as I can see. T- shirts. Arcades. Pizza. Stromboli. Henna tattoos. Behind them a Ferris wheel towers overhead. Beside it is a corkscrew-type rollercoaster and one of those elevator rides that drops you so fast you forget how to breathe.Late afternoon. I’m sitting at an outside table, munching on a cheeseburger and fries. Families with small children sit nearby having dinner. Seagulls are everywhere. It’s like a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds. Things get serious when one of them lands on my table. I like to think of myself as a reasonably generous bloke, but I have a strict policy about sharing cheeseburgers.I don’t.The cheeseburger is gone. I’m ready for more photos. The sun is low, and I feel a cool breeze off the water. I attach the telephoto lens to my Canon and prepare for an award-winning shot. Out on the dunes, young and older couples stand beneath a deep indigo sky, gazing at the ocean, their words drowned out by the crashing breakers. One young man stands on a lifeguard’s chair, holding his phone at arm’s-length. Beach selfie.About 40 yards to my left, a bearded man stands to the side, holding court with a group of smiling young people, frequently waving his arms in a theatrical fashion. His ball cap, T-shirt, shorts, and socks are all bright red. Trying to be inconspicuous, I point my camera lens at him and squeeze off a few shots. As his body turns slightly, I see the large, wooden cross hanging from his neck and a sign in his right hand. Painted on one side in red-and-black letters are the words Ask Me To Rap. The other side reads Jesus Saves.I turn to my right and scan the crowd. An older man with long white hair leans his back against the wooden railing. A younger man with a fresh haircut and sunglasses plays Salt-N-Pepa’s Push Iton a saxophone.It’s getting darker. The Boardwalk is lit up like Christmas Eve. I pack up my gear and head home. No award-winning photos for me this year.Nudged out by Beach Selfie Guy. 78