Dancing on the Boardwalk of Bradley Beach, NJ (The "special" people)
Marshall Adame
August 17, 2008
"Most simply do not understand the nature and condition of Down Syndrome, or Autistic people"
The Boardwalk of Bradley Beach NJ isn´t just another beach to go enjoy the sun and fun, although there is lots of that.
This boardwalk is a gathering place and social hub where hundreds of people come almost every night to meet, laugh, listen to the music and dance.
Just last night, Wednesday the 13th of August, I was taking my nightly walk from Asbury Park to Bradley Beach along the boardwalk which goes, unbroken, for miles along the Jersey Shore. In Asbury Park the Boardwalk, where I begin my late afternoon walk just about every day, was crowded with the hundreds of fans lined up at the Paramount to see and hear Bob Dylan. The place was packed. I kept walking towards Ocean Grove Beach.
When I entered the boardwalk at Ocean Grove I passed the outside gazebo on the boardwalk where a brass band was playing music from Broadway and TV Musicals. As nice as Asbury Park and Ocean Grove are, I was really looking forward reaching the Boardwalk at Bradley Beach. The gazebo on the boardwalk there has really great music and dancing, …but last night was far more special for me than just the dancing. It was all about who was dancing.
The music was being performed live by two female artist of exceptional talent. Their music was sort of 70´s and 80s. They even took the risk of performing a Barry White Song, "My first , My Last, My everything" (I´m not sure that´s the real title), and they shocked me with how well they complemented his music. People were dancing. Old people and young people, but is was the "special" people who caught my eye; The down Syndrome people. They danced to the music and seemed so filled with the joy of the moment that it was contagious. I found myself dancing with them in my mind. They were laughing and moving, touching each other and their partners right at the moment when a spin or a turn was dictated by the music. As I watched I could not help but think of my own grandson, Anthony Adame, who is Autistic.
Down Syndrome, Autism are not commonly understood by the general public and often times those afflicted with either are mistakenly thought of as mentally disabled far beyond the reality of their condition.
As I watched the crowd I noted many who looked upon these special people with sympathy and sorrow for them and their families. I know the look. I have often seen it while in the company of my own grandson Anthony. Only few ever intentionally mean to offend. Most simply do not understand the nature and condition of Down Syndrome, or Autistic people. They do not know the joy that many of these very special people have in their lives, or the wonder of living with, or being close to one of them. As the crowd looked on, I saw and heard two young people snicker and make a very crude comment about the Down Syndrome folks dancing to the music. They saw people malformed, strange, weak minded, different, and even funny.
What I saw in these young people afflicted with Down syndrome was very different. In these people, different from me, I saw innocence, meekness, joy, a kind of harmlessness and a peace in the lives of people who had every right to feel and experience just the opposite. I cannot remember a time in my life when I was ever as innocent as these.
There is something about life, I thought, we could all learn from these people dancing here before us on the Boardwalk at Bradley Beach New Jersey. As I watched I felt a tear falling down my cheek. I wondered; Was I crying for them, or for the rest of us?
I was going to walk this afternoon, but it started raining. I Didn´t get out of Asbury Park. Tomorrow is Friday. Maybe I´ll see you at the gazebo in Bradley Beach. I don´t know what is happening tomorrow on the boardwalk at Bradley Beach, but I´ll be there hoping for the best. To me, the "best" would be seeing those "special" people out there teaching us all some small lesson about life.
My grandson Logan once asked me why his cousin Anthony was like he is, autistic.
I remember thinking about that for a moment and I answered him; "Anthony was born into the Adame family to bring us some understanding and joy, but more importantly, to make us, you and I, better human beings". Logan was just eight then but, I always kind of hoped he would remember that conversation.
The Boardwalk of Bradley Beach NJ isn´t just another beach to go enjoy the sun and fun, although there is lots of that.
This boardwalk is a gathering place and social hub where hundreds of people come almost every night to meet, laugh, listen to the music and dance.
Just last night, Wednesday the 13th of August, I was taking my nightly walk from Asbury Park to Bradley Beach along the boardwalk which goes, unbroken, for miles along the Jersey Shore. In Asbury Park the Boardwalk, where I begin my late afternoon walk just about every day, was crowded with the hundreds of fans lined up at the Paramount to see and hear Bob Dylan. The place was packed. I kept walking towards Ocean Grove Beach.
When I entered the boardwalk at Ocean Grove I passed the outside gazebo on the boardwalk where a brass band was playing music from Broadway and TV Musicals. As nice as Asbury Park and Ocean Grove are, I was really looking forward reaching the Boardwalk at Bradley Beach. The gazebo on the boardwalk there has really great music and dancing, …but last night was far more special for me than just the dancing. It was all about who was dancing.
The music was being performed live by two female artist of exceptional talent. Their music was sort of 70´s and 80s. They even took the risk of performing a Barry White Song, "My first , My Last, My everything" (I´m not sure that´s the real title), and they shocked me with how well they complemented his music. People were dancing. Old people and young people, but is was the "special" people who caught my eye; The down Syndrome people. They danced to the music and seemed so filled with the joy of the moment that it was contagious. I found myself dancing with them in my mind. They were laughing and moving, touching each other and their partners right at the moment when a spin or a turn was dictated by the music. As I watched I could not help but think of my own grandson, Anthony Adame, who is Autistic.
Down Syndrome, Autism are not commonly understood by the general public and often times those afflicted with either are mistakenly thought of as mentally disabled far beyond the reality of their condition.
As I watched the crowd I noted many who looked upon these special people with sympathy and sorrow for them and their families. I know the look. I have often seen it while in the company of my own grandson Anthony. Only few ever intentionally mean to offend. Most simply do not understand the nature and condition of Down Syndrome, or Autistic people. They do not know the joy that many of these very special people have in their lives, or the wonder of living with, or being close to one of them. As the crowd looked on, I saw and heard two young people snicker and make a very crude comment about the Down Syndrome folks dancing to the music. They saw people malformed, strange, weak minded, different, and even funny.
What I saw in these young people afflicted with Down syndrome was very different. In these people, different from me, I saw innocence, meekness, joy, a kind of harmlessness and a peace in the lives of people who had every right to feel and experience just the opposite. I cannot remember a time in my life when I was ever as innocent as these.
There is something about life, I thought, we could all learn from these people dancing here before us on the Boardwalk at Bradley Beach New Jersey. As I watched I felt a tear falling down my cheek. I wondered; Was I crying for them, or for the rest of us?
I was going to walk this afternoon, but it started raining. I Didn´t get out of Asbury Park. Tomorrow is Friday. Maybe I´ll see you at the gazebo in Bradley Beach. I don´t know what is happening tomorrow on the boardwalk at Bradley Beach, but I´ll be there hoping for the best. To me, the "best" would be seeing those "special" people out there teaching us all some small lesson about life.
My grandson Logan once asked me why his cousin Anthony was like he is, autistic.
I remember thinking about that for a moment and I answered him; "Anthony was born into the Adame family to bring us some understanding and joy, but more importantly, to make us, you and I, better human beings". Logan was just eight then but, I always kind of hoped he would remember that conversation.
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