The Way It Was Then - Part #18

 

August 5, 1985

Where are you going? - For Erica, Pam, Jill and Chip

The three of them made quite a picture.

There was only one mirror in the room, a smallish, old and not-so-clear oval mirror ringed by faded wood.

 They stood, in neat vertical tiers, carefully getting ready for an evening out.

 On the boardwalk in Wildwood.

 Amid literally thousands and thousands of people.

 In virtual darkness.

 Where no one, but no one, gives a good hoot how they look.

 That’s called adolescence.From hand to hand went the brushes, the combs, the blush, the eye shadow, the lip gloss (none of them being ready for actual lipstick quite yet).

 Every once in a while, one would ask, “How do I look?” and be greeted with a chorus of approving replies.

 The earrings were carefully checked to be sure they coordinated with tonight’s outfit … there was some swapping on that score to ensure more perfect results.

 There were moans that hairdos were too short, too long or lifeless because of the shore humidity.

 There were complaints now and then that one hogged the mirror too long, leaving the other two unable to get a clear view of the results of the grooming.

 The process took nearly a half hour.

 Just yesterday (or so it seemed, anyway) the three of them were putting puzzles together and playing with Barbies.

 They were gingerly testing waves and building sand castles.

 They were riding in kiddie rides at the amusement piers and darting with fright at the sight of the made-up Dracula’s castle inhabitants.

 They were little people, doing little people things … bound to stay that way forever.

 Somehow, without my knowing it, they became bigger people. Older, prettier, wiser (in the healthy sense of wise) and more sophisticated.

 They ride the waves and sit in loungers at the edge of the surf, sand castles only an occasional pastime.

 They spurn even the more challenging rides on the piers, looking for those with a genuine thrill.

 Dracula’s castle long-since lost its capability to produce dread … it’s boring now, the trappings of horror not convincing these world-wise youngsters.

 Time hasn‘t stood still at all. I don’t feel its passage at all, in fact, until I look at them, listen to them and realize how vastly they’ve changed.We walked behind them on the boardwalk on Saturday night, marveling. The three girls, long-legged and beautiful, the young man with broad shoulders and rippling muscles, and we wondered when they changed.

 When did they start being too big for being carried on the shoulders, or cradled in the arms as the weariness of too much fun brought instant, deep sleep.

 Somewhere along the way, the little ones grew up on u.

 They slipped from babyhood to teenage as we took their childhoods for granted.

 Now they need to walk fast than we, leaving us behind to watch their progress.

 They’re outgrowing their need for us.

 Hopefully, they’re taking the good things we’ve given them along as their helpmeets.

 Heaven knows they’ll need them.