Observations from a Lewes newcomer

Observations, reservations and wishes by a Lewes newcomer.

I will always be considered a newcomer to some even though my husband and I have been here almost 20 years; my father grew up in Salisbury, Md., and my mom’s people are from Virginia, so my biological roots and memories are not far even though I grew up in the North.

1. I do not know why people slow down for green lights. It is almost as if they do not believe the light is really green, and the front car is very suspicious of change.
2. I do not know why everyone parks by the gas pump at Wawas and then enters the store not knowing how long they will be waiting for orders.
3. Though annoying, I love when the motorcycles take over the town with their insignias. 
4. I like that I can complain about the summer crowds even though I am part of summer crowds. 
5. I like the signs that say to take a second exit in a roundabout to continue straight, but I think there should be a sign that says, “Warning. Roundabout approaching.”
6. I’ve noticed that people are never satisfied with their own beaches, as so many people come from New Jersey, where there are lots of sandy beaches and restaurants in Cape May.
7. I like the ferry ride to Cape May and the ability to sit inside, outside, eat snacks and not get off.
8. I am proud of the chamber of commerce for including the history of the menhaden fish industry and description of Jim Crow in its brochure. 

I miss NYC for its night life, getting coffee after 9 p.m., its different neighborhoods, its smells of garlic cooking, the array of restaurants, the sounds and smell of a great city, and, most of all, its diversity. I miss the etiquette of subway travel, as you are pressed from head to toe against a person of the opposite sex, or a baby staring or screaming in your ear. I miss the festivals at Grand Central, ever thankful to Jackie Kennedy, the tree at Christmas in Rockefeller Center and the fireworks that are unrivaled on the Fourth of July. I miss NYC ballet at Lincoln Center, TKTS at 42nd Street, the opera (whether you go or not, you know it is there), Central Park, Fifth Avenue, the Village, Chinatown, the delis and Fashion Avenue.

What makes this all palpable is that I get a second chance to reinvent myself in Lewes and make new friends.

I always wish to live in a progressive community, and I do see concrete steps in that direction, but I also see an amazing amount of pushback. It is my dream to have an African American museum in Lewes to record our history, rather than a section of the current historical museum.