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Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, South Jersey Commentary, on
September 17, 1999. Calling all crawlers By Sidney B. Kurtz
My family and I spend a week in "dry" Ocean City - a parent's dream and an alcoholic's nightmare. New Jersey's "family resort," with miles of stunning beaches, super-polite lifeguards, and a safe-to-walk-at-night atmosphere, is all that Atlantic City used to be years ago. We attended the world-famous Crawling Baby Races. On the beach alongside the boardwalk, the contestants lined up. One little boy, Michael, was immediately disqualified. He could walk. At the signal, they sprang forward, crawling like little diapered crabs toward their frantic parents - mostly moms - urging them to the finish line. Some stopped to eye each other, probably sizing up the competition. Others plopped down and simply refused to go any farther. Finally, the winner was scooped up, hugged and smothered with congratulatory kisses. It was good, clean fun - except for one or two diapers that crossed the finish line carrying the results of a stressful race. Sidney B. Kurtz is the author of a family memoir, The Jewish Rectangle: An American Adventure. He lives in Pennsauken. |