Island Beach State Sunburn   

June 9, 2002 -- Island Beach State Park, NJ

"So who's up for going to the beach?"

That's how it all started. All this pain and agony, the searing flesh and sleepless nights. Just an innocent question, who's up for going to the beach?

At least this time Ann and I were uncharacteristically prepared. We had a cooler (albeit a tiny one that made me look gay walking with it), we had drinks, books, towels, sandals, a frisbee. What more could we need.

Sunscreen.

So after finally getting picked up at 9:30AM by Ken and Sole (who set their watches to Spanish time and arrived a half hour late), dumping our plastic bags and gay-looking cooler in the back of the truck, we were off.

When we finally arrived (after picking up some subs from Nick's it was around 11:30) it turned out that the beach was quite chilly.The wind was coming in off the considerably cold water and the sun was hiding behind a long layer of cloud. I have to admit, I was worried we were going to spend our time at the beach swaddled in sweatshirts and shivering.

And then, as fate would have it, we got what we wanted. The sun burned away the clouds and started baking the sand. At first it felt great. Time to take off shirts, throw the frisbee (quite difficult in the stiff wind), and sun-worship.

Well, even though we borrowed sunscreen from Ken and Sole, Ann, laying on her stomach, decided she only wanted her back and legs covered. Needless to say, I obliged.

I put sunscreen all over (I thought) and didn't think about the issue again until it was time to leave, and while walking to the car on the way back I realized I was a little uncomfortable.

The backs of my knees were burned.

As well as the tops of my feet.

And one stupid part of my side that I somehow missed.

Oh, and my entire face and the top of my head (which my thinning hair protects less and less each year, which fact year after year I stubbornly refuse to believe).

Well, we are paying for our lack of judgment now. Ann, who never put any sunscreen on her front, took off her bikini and looked like she was still wearing it. I can't put sock or shoes on without wincing, and walking is a combination of pain from feeling my feet inside the shoes and the back of my knees.

I will NEVER, NEVER go to the beach again...

...without Suncscreen.

cast of characters:

Ann


Brian


Sole


Ken


Allie


Pete