Eisenhower Park

I just came back from a 40th birthday party at Carltun on the Park in Eisenhower Park. I was sitting next to my friend Kris. I’ve known her for twenty seven years. Yes, twenty seven years. It was her sister’s birthday. I’ve known her family for years. As I was looking around the table, I realized how much history I’ve had in Eisenhower Park.

I had a birthday party in the fourth grade in the park. It didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to, but it was the first birthday party that I was allowed to have separate from my Indian friends. Honestly, I wanted to have a McDonalds birthday party, but at the time beggars couldn’t be choosers. I remember getting a piece of lingerie at that birthday party, which now makes me think that that was a very strange gift to get at that age!

My first memory at the park was actually traumatic. My mom had decided that she was going to put me in the soccer league. Even though the craze of soccer (or “football”) is now catching on in America, soccer was always pretty popular in Long Island. Anyway, she had decided to put me in soccer pretty late in the game, I had missed several practice sessions. Frankly, I knew NOTHING about soccer. I didn’t know the rules, I didn’t know the concept. I didn’t know anything about cleats or the fact that you weren’t allowed to touch the ball. The coach and my mom had this brilliant idea that my first experience with soccer would be an actual match in Eisenhower Park. So my mom put my little cleats on and the coach put me in offense. She told me that my job was to kick the ball into the goal…but she didn’t tell me which goal post. So…as you can probably guess, when I got the ball, I managed to kick the ball into my own goal post…scoring a goal for the other team. The kids on my team cursed at me, words a sheltered Indian kid had never heard. I think someone spit at me.

Twenty eight years later, driving through the park, I went past Safety Town. Ahhhh….Safety Town. I loved that place. I don’t know if it still exists, but in my time it was a mini-town, we would get into these tiny motorized cars and drive. It was the greatest! I remember feeling free and powerful.

My other senses remember the barbeques, grilled chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers. playing volleyball and biking. I remember speeding through the park as a teenager even though you’re only supposed to drive 35 MPH. I would do 80. It was the quickest way to get to Roosevelt Field mall without getting on the highway.

My high school is situated on the back of Eisenhower Park. I distinctly remember watching people playing golf while I was in biology class. I wondered whether they were doctors, and if one day I would play golf when I became a doctor. I don’t play golf…but I’m still making memories in my favorite park.