I got a preview of early retirement after leaving the American Red Cross with a big retention bonus for staying until the September 11 Recovery Program ended in mid-November. Unemployment would have been preferable in the summer but it gave me more time for outer borough excursions. The D train took me to Coney Island one mild, sunny morning after Thanksgiving.
Almost no one was going in my direction but you know you're in what was once one of the world's most popular beaches as soon as you step off the train into the airy, outdoor station.
The bright colors of a movie theater fire escape contrasted with the milky autumn sky.
Many people go to fly their freak flag, particularly during the annual Mermaid Parade.
Tasty food, nearly all of it bad for you, is a big part of the Coney Island experience.
The Parachute Jump, originally constructed for the 1939 World's Fair in Queens, was acquired by Steeplechase Park in the early 1940s. It stopped operating for good 25 years later, although it now functions as an LED light tower, illuminated for special occasions. It's clearly visible from the NY Ferry to Rockaway Beach.
A boardwalk mash-up included an ice cream sundae in painted concrete.
Neptune, King of the Sea, and other kitschy embellishments were badly in need of restoration. Who can resist a smiling dolphin?
Retirees, some of whom brought beach chairs, sunned themselves while gazing at container ships moving to and fro on the horizon. "Is it lunchtime yet?"
Like Vegas, Coney Island usually looks better under artificial light but it offers a feast of color no matter the hour.
If the Cyclone had been open, I probably would have gone for a ride, just as New Yorkers have done for nearly a century: customers first began lining up on June 26, 1927.
More Coney Island
Coney Island Saturday Night (August 2019)
FLASHBACK: Coney Island Mermaid Parade (June 2005)
FLASHBACK: Bestie (1980s)
