What should have taken him just over an hour had taken him two and a half in the late Friday afternoon traffic on the Garden State Parkway. When he finally reached Ocean Grove, Jonathan had to spend another half hour looking for a parking space. By the time he found one, unloaded his gear, and walked the six hot blocks to their tent, he was smoldering, physically and mentally.
When he opened the screen door, there was no one inside the tent. Jonathan wasn’t sure if he was annoyed or relieved. Was it too much to ask that after he’d sat in that miserable traffic for so long his family be there to greet him? With disgust he walked the few feet back into the cabin portion of their tiny summer home and tossed his duffel bag down on the meticulously made-up double bed.
On the other hand, it was nice to have some time to himself, because for the next week, he knew he would have virtually no privacy at all. He and Helen and the kids would be tripping all over one another. And he should probably forget about having any intimate time alone with his wife. Helen would be worried that the children or the neighbors would hear any sound they might make. That was another reason Jonathan hated tent living.
But Helen loved it, and the girls always seemed so happy and healthy down here. What kind of a husband and father would he be if he deprived his family of storybook summers like these?
Another few steps took him into the minuscule kitchen area. He went to the junior-size refrigerator, took out a can of Coke, and guzzled it down. It wasn’t the icy beer he craved, but it would have to do. Alcoholic beverages were not sold in Ocean Grove. Jonathan knew better than to bring a case down with him. Helen wouldn’t hear of having it in the tent. That was just the way it was.
At least he had gotten her to agree to hire a babysitter and get out tonight. Last year they’d found a dance place that served drinks in Bradley Beach. Their tenth anniversary was coming up soon, and it would be great for them to get out alone together for the evening. They needed to reconnect, and he needed to blow off some steam. There were too many pretty girls with lean, young bodies working in his office, and he’d been finding himself admiring them a bit too much this summer.