I think my life began at 3rd Beach. I suppose I made my debut at 2 months of age on the 4th of July. I don’t know how early on I got dipped into the Atlantic. 4 older siblings were known to toss twirl spin and occasionally bodily harm me once necessitating multi-digit stitches across my tiny head when gravity overruled the situation. Head to concrete, this happens. But not at the beach. Most harm happens at home.
So let me tell you about 3rd Beach. There are 3 beaches between points of land on Aquidneck Island. 1st beach is in Newport, Rhode Island. 2nd Beach is in Middletown and 3rd Beach is also in Middletown, Rhode Island. When you hear the phrase ‘good for young and old’, that describes 3rd Beach. The in betweens go to 2nd with their radios. The singles scene is at 1st in Newport. The young and old are quietly enjoying the glassiness, the pastoral qualities of 3rd Beach. There comes a point in life when the crest of a wave is no longer the peak of one’s existence. Happy with oneself, you’re at 3rd. It’s a way of life.
We rented a small piece of real estate at 3rd Beach from Mrs. Peabody. Each day, one by one, we changed into our swimsuits and hung up our clothes on pegs in our changing room. Mrs. Peabody also ran a small concession stand. About once a week my mother gave us money to buy ice cream bars. Otherwise, only money found on the beach was spent at Mrs. Peabody’s. Mrs. Peabody wore a housedress and a very large hat. She lived in a house several hundred yards across the road from the beach. I never saw her except for June, July or August. I have no idea what became of her cash flow or if she had a husband. I believe her house was willed to the bird sanctuary up the road. It needed some serious work to be habitable for the young bird sanctuary director and his wife. Anyway, Mrs. Peabody was a fixture. She hired people to collect money for parking cars and to sell ice cream bars at her concession stand. She spent her days walking between her cash flow operations and greeting her customers by name.
Now we’ve gotten past Mrs. Peabody, and that was no mean feat, we’ve found our ‘spot’ at the beach. Just like homeroom, everyone has a designated piece of the beach. You know people by where they sit on the beach. Just a few people walk the beach during the summer sunlight hours. Leatherman is the memorable exception. I hope he to God that Leatherman never required any kind of surgery because scalpels woulda broken on his shoe leather hide. He basted. He sunned. He strutted. 8 hours a day. I don’t know what he did in winter, either.
Summer is a whole way of life on the island. And 3rd beach is a very, very pleasant state of mind, much better, much more intoxicating than any alcoholic buzz.
On Memorial Day weekend I spent $70 on a beach pass to park at 2nd and 3rd beaches for the season. A few weeks ago I received a letter from my church stating my annual donations for tax claiming purposes. So I went to church 4 times this year and gave $60 in total. I agree, it’s a little shameful. But I can’t see rectifying it. I worship water. I worship the beach. 3rd beach is my place of worship.
4 bathing suits are kept busy all summer long. Pink, purple, green, and turquoise, depending on my mood. I usually feel turquoise. Not many bikinis are spotted at 3rd beach. Mostly on toddlers. 3rd beach is for serious swimmers. Long distance swimmers, people swimming religiously, like myself, and people swimming to strengthen their heart muscles. This is the 3rd beach that I love and know.
So let me tell you about 3rd Beach. There are 3 beaches between points of land on Aquidneck Island. 1st beach is in Newport, Rhode Island. 2nd Beach is in Middletown and 3rd Beach is also in Middletown, Rhode Island. When you hear the phrase ‘good for young and old’, that describes 3rd Beach. The in betweens go to 2nd with their radios. The singles scene is at 1st in Newport. The young and old are quietly enjoying the glassiness, the pastoral qualities of 3rd Beach. There comes a point in life when the crest of a wave is no longer the peak of one’s existence. Happy with oneself, you’re at 3rd. It’s a way of life.
We rented a small piece of real estate at 3rd Beach from Mrs. Peabody. Each day, one by one, we changed into our swimsuits and hung up our clothes on pegs in our changing room. Mrs. Peabody also ran a small concession stand. About once a week my mother gave us money to buy ice cream bars. Otherwise, only money found on the beach was spent at Mrs. Peabody’s. Mrs. Peabody wore a housedress and a very large hat. She lived in a house several hundred yards across the road from the beach. I never saw her except for June, July or August. I have no idea what became of her cash flow or if she had a husband. I believe her house was willed to the bird sanctuary up the road. It needed some serious work to be habitable for the young bird sanctuary director and his wife. Anyway, Mrs. Peabody was a fixture. She hired people to collect money for parking cars and to sell ice cream bars at her concession stand. She spent her days walking between her cash flow operations and greeting her customers by name.
Now we’ve gotten past Mrs. Peabody, and that was no mean feat, we’ve found our ‘spot’ at the beach. Just like homeroom, everyone has a designated piece of the beach. You know people by where they sit on the beach. Just a few people walk the beach during the summer sunlight hours. Leatherman is the memorable exception. I hope he to God that Leatherman never required any kind of surgery because scalpels woulda broken on his shoe leather hide. He basted. He sunned. He strutted. 8 hours a day. I don’t know what he did in winter, either.
Summer is a whole way of life on the island. And 3rd beach is a very, very pleasant state of mind, much better, much more intoxicating than any alcoholic buzz.
On Memorial Day weekend I spent $70 on a beach pass to park at 2nd and 3rd beaches for the season. A few weeks ago I received a letter from my church stating my annual donations for tax claiming purposes. So I went to church 4 times this year and gave $60 in total. I agree, it’s a little shameful. But I can’t see rectifying it. I worship water. I worship the beach. 3rd beach is my place of worship.
4 bathing suits are kept busy all summer long. Pink, purple, green, and turquoise, depending on my mood. I usually feel turquoise. Not many bikinis are spotted at 3rd beach. Mostly on toddlers. 3rd beach is for serious swimmers. Long distance swimmers, people swimming religiously, like myself, and people swimming to strengthen their heart muscles. This is the 3rd beach that I love and know.
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