I Met My True Love in Wildwood
 On a hot summer day in August of 1984, the paths of Margaret and Tom crossed at Noah’s Barefoot Bar in Diamond Beach.
Margaret was born and raised in Wildwood Crest. Tom was born and raised in Philadelphia. Growing up, Tom’s family (which included 4 brothers and 1 sister), would spend the month of July in Wildwood on Taylor Avenue. Wildwood always had special meaning to the McAteer family, as it does to so many families from Philadelphia.
Margaret’s family owned the Starfire Motel, which was only blocks away from where Tom and his family were spending their vacation. However, their paths never crossed until that hot summer day when Margaret was convinced by her best friend to come with her to the Noah’s Barefoot Bar at Diamond Beach, and Tom, who was on vacation with his brother, decided to once and for all see what that place was all about.
Upon Margaret arriving there, her friend had already met Tom and was talking to him. She introduced them to each other and then conveniently disappeared. Margaret and Tom seemed to hit it off immediately and found out they had so much in common. When it was time to leave, Tom offered to walk Margaret the 15 or so blocks home, which Margaret thought was so nice of him and, of course, it impressed her
They decided to meet up that night at the lounge at the Grand Hotel, which was where she and her friends hung out at that time. When Margaret arrived at the Grand, Tom was already there and Margaret wasn’t sure if she should go over to him or wait for him. Well, Margaret waited and he asked her to dance. He loved to dance as much as Margaret did and was a good dancer, too. However, while Margaret was in the Ladies’ Room, a girl asked Tom to dance. When Margaret returned and saw them dancing together, she got upset and left the lounge. Tom saw her leave and chased her out into the parking lot to find out what was wrong. Margaret thought Tom was not interested in her and wanted to go home. Tom convinced her she was completely wrong and was very much interested in her. They stayed up all night, walking on the beach and talking. The next morning Tom walked over to Margaret’s house and met her mom. From that time on, Margaret and Tom saw each other every weekend throughout the rest of the summer and continuing into the winter for two years.
their friends as Mac and Maggie, as Tom refused to call Margaret by such a formal name and Tom was known by Mac by all his friends. The people who lived on Margaret’s street in the summertime started referring to them as the “lovers” because they were inseparable. They loved the beach, and loved to dance and just enjoyed being with each other. Margaret and Tom’s relationship grew as did their friendships with the people they met that summer, as well as the band Cheers who played at the Grand.
Our favorite place to go out for dinner was Margaret’s relative’s restaurant, Russo’s. Aunt Bea and Aunt Rae were always so happy to see them. The minute they’d walked in they would move their place settings side by side because they knew that’s how they liked to sit. Everyone seemed to know they were meant for each other.
So after a long-distance relationship of two years, Margaret decided to move to Philadelphia to be closer to Tom. Of course, his family was surprised that Margaret would leave the seashore and perhaps Tom would never become a local and live at the shore.
Finally on New Year’s Eve 1987, while getting ready to go out for the night, Tom proposed to Margaret! And so that October with all their friends — old and new — and families, they were married in the Church of the Assumption in Wildwood Crest. Tom’s entire family was so happy to be attending a wedding in Wildwood Crest — their favorite shore town. The reception was held at the well-known restaurant at that time, Zaberer’s, and the band Cheers played for their reception. Even to this day 20 years later, their friends talk about that wedding and what a great time they had.
So Margaret and Tom settled into family life in Philadelphia. First, a son, Ryan, was born in 1991, and then a daughter, Donna in 1996. Margaret, along with the kids, spent every summer at the shore at her parents’ home, with Tom coming down every weekend. Come Labor Day Margaret would wait until the last minute to pack and then cry all the way back to Philly.
Finally, after 20 long years of city life, Margaret convinced Tom it was time to make a change and move to where we were all the happiest in their own little paradise — Wildwood Crest. It’s true that you really don’t appreciate what you have until you’re away from it and now seeing her hometown through the eyes of her husband and children has made Margaret wonder why she ever left — It must have been love.
|
