A Rather Surreal Night

It was a rather surreal night, with perhaps twenty of we Surf Project "Oldtimers" there, an eclectic mix, with several (including me) unrecognizeable to others.

Personally, I sat there much of the night transfixed, wondering how it was possible that many of us would get together after so many years, now older than our parents were when we lived in the projects, listing to stories about "back then," stories about our kids, our GRANDKIDS (for some of us), our 401K's, our assorted aches and pains, and relishing the stories and the memories of how wonderful we had it; a "resort" where we grew up.

Personally, I sat across from Howie Gresh, my elementary school classmate, a friend that had grown up two doors from me on the 4th floor of building four, and couldn't quite come to grips with looking at the same person, now older, and regaling in stories of back then, and amazed at the stories of what had become of us.

How is it possible to have been reunited with this group now, so many years removed, and somehow still connected, as if time itself had stopped, and as if we were suddenly thrust back in the cheesebox, waiting for the game to end because we had next, or wondering if tomorrow was a "beach day", because, well...just because!?!

Steve Lattman
1-19-2009