Fond Memories

Palisades Park Made Me Learn
How To Use Public Transit!

Vin,

Great website which I came across when I watched the documentary on NJN last evening.

As a 10 year old in 1964 living in Bayonne, NJ; I was really excited when I heard friends describe their stories about Palisades Park. My Dad was not one to really venture out much and my sister and I got him to promise to take us to the Park one weekend. My Dad, who had absolutely no sense of direction, set out in our 1962 black Buick Special and we proceeded to go to Palisades Park, NJ instead of Palisades AMUSEMENT Park. Of course, this was OUR fault and my Dad, who had a very short temper, decided to turn around and go home. My sister and I were wailing in the back seat of the car and we were heartbroken. My Mom argued with my Dad, all to no avail.

The following weekend, my friend Raymond (age 12) and I, decided we would sneak up to the Park. I had saved up about $10 for the rides but had no idea how much would be enough. I knew where my Dad had a cookie tin that had the "emergency money"; so, I found the tin and took its contents, which turned out to be $50! Raymond and I took the #14 Public Service bus from Bayonne to Grove Street in Jersey City. At Grove Street, we got on the PATH train (they were still referred to as the Tubes for the Hudson & Manhattan Tubes). We rode the Tubes to the 33rd Street station in Manhattan where we then boarded the A train to Washington Heights. We then took Public Service bus #98 to the Park. It probably took about 2 hours; but, it seemed like an eternity. I'll never forget the sight of the Park as the bus was coming over the GW Bridge and was getting closer and closer. It felt like we were arriving at Oz. What a great time we had. We got on all kinds of rides. I remember being scared to death on the roller coaster and going on a lot of other rides. I remember (and can smell them now) the incredible french fries that were really salty and had a sour-type taste was was out of this world. Ate a lot of popcorn, cotton candy, etc. Won a couple of stuffed animals that were going to be a dead giveaway when I got home. So, I handed the stuffed animals to a couple of smaller kids entering the park as we were leaving.

Amazingly, we really didn't spend that much money but we had a ton of fun. It was a great reward for the thrashing my Dad gave me when I got home after dark and my Mom & Dad had been worried sick when I hadn't come home for lunch or dinner. My Dad had actually gone to each of the 4 parks in Bayonne looking for me and was really angry when I walked in the door. "Where have you been today" he asked. "Out" was my reply. A whack across my head was his reply, followed by several whacks on the backside with his bedroom slippers. To this day, I can't wear bedroom slippers without being traumatized! When I told him I had gone with Raymond to Palisades Park, that's when his belt came off and I got a good lashing. He was absolutely crazed that I would take such a long trip at my very young age with all those "bad" things that can happen to you in New York. Looking back now, I think a lot more can happen to you today--but, those were different times. He asked me where I got the money to go. I told him I had been saving and that Raymond's father had given us money.

Once my Dad fell asleep, my Mom came into my bedroom to make sure I was okay. She was a saint. I told her where I got the money and I told her I still had $30. She said she would sneak it back into the tin can. I learned years later that she had taken money she was saving to buy us school clothes to make up the difference so that my Dad would never know that I took the "emergency money". That money was very aptly named since it was an emergency that I get to the Park! My Dad passed away in 1999 and never found out how I managed to get to Palisades! It's a real shame that today's kids won't get a chance to know about a much more innocent time and one where you could have real fun.

I'm sorry I've gone on so long. Your website has brought back this terrific memory which I will never forget. Despite our being on food stamps at the time, I got a chance to visit the Land of Oz and for that day, I felt like a millionaire.

Thanks for the memory!

Yours truly,

Leonard Resto
Chatham, NJ