Working at the French Fry
and the Waffle Stands

I couldn't help but look at your web site and immediately recall my years at "The Park" as we knew it. I had the enjoyment (looking at it now at least) of having worked at the French-fry stand closest to the Circus Restraint managed by Mr. Freddy Nasif, who also owned all the other french-fry stands inside the park as well as the Waffle Stand where, if you were really good kid back then, you could find yourself where you would check out the girls. In between checking out the girls; we also served waffles with "whipped cream" that always seemed to be a bone of contention to the many that would stop and purchase the most expensive waffle combination of strawberries and whipped cream and upon biting always ask the same question - "Where is the ice-cream" and we would always point to the huge sign on the back wall saying "Waffle and Whipped Cream". Once and a while, it prove really dangerous after an irate customer would get so mad that they took the waffle and threw it at us but of course it was always returned to the customer in the same condition we received it.

Speaking of girls, I fell in love with a young woman by the name of Judy (I wish I could recall her last name) that worked at the game just a short distance from our "stand" at the game where you would roll these small bowling balls and try to place them in certain scoring rings in order to get a large stuffed animal. The problem was that not too many ever scored enough points in order to win one of the stuffed animals. Now, back to the girl; she was about 17 and I was about 16 (I told her I was older) and apparently, I rolled enough to win her heart which I only after some time broke in an idiotic teenage move on one of her girlfriends. I wish I knew her last name if only to tell her what a jerk I was and that I really liked her with all my heart but thought we were too young then to get married. Some where along the line, I joined the Army, then came Nam, my brief return to Jersey and a call to her folks that ended it when they told me that she had married one of the football players from Jersey City Teachers College (I think that is where he played because I know that is where she attended school).

Today, I am now a middle aged adult living in Virginia where I often think of the great nights we had at the park, the sounds of girls screaming with laughter; the smell of the salt water pool; the music (even when Cousin Brucie wasn't producing a show) we would hear all day and night seems to even play in the back of my mind at times as I look for the girl whose heart I broke. I recall a little Jewish guy in a dark suit who would do nothing but walk around the park all day and all evening making certain everything was in order. Mr. Irving was his name and if he were alive today I would have to say - Thank you sir, we didn't make a lot of money back then but all the memories you gave us of your park certainly is a wealth today.

And by the way sir or anyone else that happen to read this, if you just happen to know who Judy was and where she lived and lives today please let me know, there is a beautiful young woman I owe a big apology to and would love to deliver it in person.

Thanks