Oceanside. He has a big house right on the beach and he invited all of us to be his guests.”
Benny dropped his cookie and ran into the house.
“Benny!” Jessie called. “Wait! Where are you going?”
“To pack my suitcase!” Benny called.
Everyone laughed and followed Benny inside. It wasn’t long until their bags were packed and everyone was settled comfortably into
Grandfather’s car for the long ride.
Violet was the first to guess when they got close to Oceanside. She saw seagulls flying above. Some were perched on the top rails of a bridge that the car was approaching. The bridge crossed over a lot of water.
“The bay is beautiful,” Violet said.
“I like it here already,” Benny said. “And it smells good.”
Grandfather lowered all the windows in the car. He took a deep breath. “I also like that smell, Benny. It is the salt air.”
All at once, Benny cried out. He pointed out the car window. “Look! Is that the top of a Ferris wheel?”
Violet looked off into the distance. “I think you are right, Benny. Is there an amusement park in Oceanside, Grandfather?”
Grandfather smiled. “In Oceanside, it is called an amusement pier. And there are several of them.”
Benny bounced in his seat. “There is more than one? Cool!”
“Why is it called an amusement pier?” Jessie asked.
“I will show you.” Grandfather turned the car onto Ocean Avenue. “See the boardwalk over there?”
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny stared. They had never seen anything like the boardwalk. It was made out of wood planks. It was like a street, but it was raised above the ground, and there were no cars. People were strolling along it. It seemed to go on for miles.
“Does it go on forever?” Benny asked.
Grandfather laughed. “The boardwalk is several miles long, but it does not go on forever. You cannot see from here, but on the other side of the boardwalk are the beach and the ocean.”
Just as Grandfather finished speaking, he pulled the car up beside a large, old house on Ocean Avenue. A pretty porch with wooden rails circled the house. Potted flowers hung from the top of the porch and swayed in the cool ocean breeze.
“Hello!” called a friendly voice. “Welcome!” A tall man with short brown hair hurried down the wooden steps. He shook Grandfather’s hand. “It’s so good to see you, James,” he said.
Grandfather introduced his friend to the children. The man’s name was Carl Hanson. “We’re very pleased to meet you, Mr. Hanson,” Jessie said.
Violet was still gazing at the old house. “And your home is very lovely,” she said.
Benny looked past the house. He started to jump up and down. “I see it! I see it!” he cried. “There’s the ocean! It’s right in your front yard, Mr. Hanson! Right over those dunes. This is way cooler than sitting in Grandfather’s tree.”
After everyone had unpacked and was settled into their rooms, Mr. Hanson invited his guests outside onto the porch. The porch sat up high on the second story of the house and looked out over the dunes, the boardwalk, and the beach.
Benny was too excited to sit. He hung over the rail and stared out at the waves crashing onto the beach. People strolled past on the boardwalk. Some pushed babies in coaches or licked dripping ice cream cones. There were lots of shops and arcades. And Benny could now see the big Ferris wheel slowly turning against the sky.
Violet came and stood beside Benny to see all the sights. They noticed one girl walking very slowly across the beach. She was staring at her phone. She was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and there was an odd spray of red dots on her shoes. Violet and Benny watched the girl walk all the way up to the Hanson’s porch.
“Wendy!” Mr. Hanson cried. “What are you doing here?
The girl looked up. She seemed surprised to see the Aldens. She had long blond hair and her green T-shirt said “Hanson’s Amusements” on the front.
“The roller coaster is broken
Benny dropped his cookie and ran into the house.
“Benny!” Jessie called. “Wait! Where are you going?”
“To pack my suitcase!” Benny called.
Everyone laughed and followed Benny inside. It wasn’t long until their bags were packed and everyone was settled comfortably into
Grandfather’s car for the long ride.
Violet was the first to guess when they got close to Oceanside. She saw seagulls flying above. Some were perched on the top rails of a bridge that the car was approaching. The bridge crossed over a lot of water.
“The bay is beautiful,” Violet said.
“I like it here already,” Benny said. “And it smells good.”
Grandfather lowered all the windows in the car. He took a deep breath. “I also like that smell, Benny. It is the salt air.”
All at once, Benny cried out. He pointed out the car window. “Look! Is that the top of a Ferris wheel?”
Violet looked off into the distance. “I think you are right, Benny. Is there an amusement park in Oceanside, Grandfather?”
Grandfather smiled. “In Oceanside, it is called an amusement pier. And there are several of them.”
Benny bounced in his seat. “There is more than one? Cool!”
“Why is it called an amusement pier?” Jessie asked.
“I will show you.” Grandfather turned the car onto Ocean Avenue. “See the boardwalk over there?”
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny stared. They had never seen anything like the boardwalk. It was made out of wood planks. It was like a street, but it was raised above the ground, and there were no cars. People were strolling along it. It seemed to go on for miles.
“Does it go on forever?” Benny asked.
Grandfather laughed. “The boardwalk is several miles long, but it does not go on forever. You cannot see from here, but on the other side of the boardwalk are the beach and the ocean.”
Just as Grandfather finished speaking, he pulled the car up beside a large, old house on Ocean Avenue. A pretty porch with wooden rails circled the house. Potted flowers hung from the top of the porch and swayed in the cool ocean breeze.
“Hello!” called a friendly voice. “Welcome!” A tall man with short brown hair hurried down the wooden steps. He shook Grandfather’s hand. “It’s so good to see you, James,” he said.
Grandfather introduced his friend to the children. The man’s name was Carl Hanson. “We’re very pleased to meet you, Mr. Hanson,” Jessie said.
Violet was still gazing at the old house. “And your home is very lovely,” she said.
Benny looked past the house. He started to jump up and down. “I see it! I see it!” he cried. “There’s the ocean! It’s right in your front yard, Mr. Hanson! Right over those dunes. This is way cooler than sitting in Grandfather’s tree.”
After everyone had unpacked and was settled into their rooms, Mr. Hanson invited his guests outside onto the porch. The porch sat up high on the second story of the house and looked out over the dunes, the boardwalk, and the beach.
Benny was too excited to sit. He hung over the rail and stared out at the waves crashing onto the beach. People strolled past on the boardwalk. Some pushed babies in coaches or licked dripping ice cream cones. There were lots of shops and arcades. And Benny could now see the big Ferris wheel slowly turning against the sky.
Violet came and stood beside Benny to see all the sights. They noticed one girl walking very slowly across the beach. She was staring at her phone. She was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and there was an odd spray of red dots on her shoes. Violet and Benny watched the girl walk all the way up to the Hanson’s porch.
“Wendy!” Mr. Hanson cried. “What are you doing here?
The girl looked up. She seemed surprised to see the Aldens. She had long blond hair and her green T-shirt said “Hanson’s Amusements” on the front.
“The roller coaster is broken
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