Ever since my doctor talked me into skipping this year’s Coney Island Mermaid Parade in July … he told me I WOULD end up in the emergency room there if I went … I’ve been wanting to go back there again. Yah, the mermaids weren’t going to be hanging out, but I felt bad about not being there. So for something different I decided to wait until the fall when the amusement rides and other stuff would be shut down and the crowds would be gone. Just the boardwalk, the almost empty beach, the empty rides and Surf Avenue.
You never know how and an outing like this will work out. I was trying to find the right day this past week that would fit into my work schedule, and not be raining, cold or windy. Saturday looked to be right. Sixty five and sunny. The alarm was set for 5:30, but of course it never went off because my mental alarm went off before 5. I’m not sure why I set alarms anymore because I always wake up before they go off, no matter what time it is #@$%^&*(!
No matter, I was out the door by 6 and got to the Hamilton, New Jersey train station in time to park and catch the 7:04 to Penn Station. From there I walked a couple of blocks to 34th Street and hopped on the subway to Coney Island.
The Coney Island stop is the last one the Q train makes, so it takes a while to get there. I had plenty of time to think about what was coming up, or just daydream, but instead a gentleman with an interesting Spanish accident and not the greatest English asked me if I he was on the right train. It took several times, but I finally figured it out he wanted to go to Brighton Beach and thankfully he was heading in the right direction. Funny, because when I’m in New York, I’m the one always asking if I’m on the right train!
I had a wonderful time walking around Coney Island and made a few good pictures. The weather was gorgeous and it was wonderful to sit on one of the many boardwalk benches for a while just to stare at the ocean.
But what I enjoyed just as much Coney Island was the enjoyable conversation I had with the painter and retired professor of art from Bogata, Colombia. He was on his way to visit his son, so we shared some images on our phones, and talked about our children until we reached his stop. The time passed quickly and before I knew it we shook hands and said goodbye. I look forward to hearing from him when he returns home.
Yes, photography is really about the journey … at least it is for me. If I get to make some meaningful pictures along the way, all the better.
Stay well,
Michael