I had to take the Main Line sometimes. NJ Transit. Lyndhurst stop. You see, I went to St. Peter's Prep, in Jersey City, for high school. And every time, I mean every time, I went to Lyndhurst, I realized how much difference a town makes.
The place is still a lot different from my shady suburb of Rutherford. But back in the late 80s, early 90s, things were a bit more brightly contrasting. First of all, if you've never been to the town of Lyndhurst, it is slightly homogeneous, to say the least. In 1991, that overtly Bensonhurst feel was all-too-obvious. So, when I would get the rare opportunity to head to the Main Line, I got to take in the sights and sounds of my sister city.
For example, Iroc-Zs. These fashion statements on wheels were everywhere. Up and down Park Avenue, on any given day, a passerby could see a young man with a mullet and tail driving one of these muscular testaments to masculinity at high speeds, while yelling at any young lady who happened to be strolling past.
And the clothes, ah the clothes. What I remember most were the Z-Cavericcis (I forget how the brand was spelled). They were the pair of pants. If your address was anywhere in L-town, you had to have one of these testaments to style. They had about ten buttons on the front, were normally black, and went well with Reebok aerobic high-tops. Ah, yes.
Oh, and the open-mindedness. My brother used to get his hair cut in a fine establishment located in the town in question. The barber, who used to love to go hunting, described numerous incidents in places like Garden State Shopping, when he was forced to do his civic duty by assisting young black teens with their fashion statements by "pulling their pants all the way down." The tact and diplomacy displayed by this gentleman exemplify Lyndhurst to me, circa 1991.
1 comment:
You could be describing my hometown of Methuen, Massachusetts. It described it to a (t) back say in the late 80's. Much has changed as I am sure much has changed in Lyndhurst.
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