This is one of my favorite pictures of my Mom and me. It was
taken in July of 1957 on the beach at Jacob Riis Park. Riis Park was located
just across the Marine Parkway Bridge at the end of Flatbush Avenue. That was
where my parents used to take us on weekends in the summer. It was, and still
is, a beautiful, wide beach, with a good amount of surf to challenge the
average swimmer. Lying next to us, on the right, are Lee; who is laying down;
and her husband Donnie, two friends of my parents who used to accompany us on
outings. Their daughter,; I think her name is Janet; is the little girl in
between them.
My parents were sticklers about bringing any sand home from
the beach. To that end we were required to remove our bathing suits prior to
heading back to the car. My Mom would hold up a towel as I changed from my
swimsuit to short pants. Apparently my father could not resist taking this
picture, which seems to have annoyed my mother.
The years pass quickly; people come and go in our lives; but
none remain more firmly fixed in our minds than our mothers. They were
alternately loving, annoying, understanding, and intrusive. That was their job.
Along the way they gave us memories which have lasted a lifetime. Although my mother’s
later years were marred by illness, she still managed to leave enough of her tenderness
behind to last me forever. This photo is one of those moments, captured in time. 
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