You know you're from NJ if:
You don't think of citrus when people mention "The Oranges". You know that
it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags. A good, quick breakfast is a
hard roll with butter. You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you
were seven. You've eaten at a Diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3
a.m. You remember that the "Two Guys" were from Harrison. You know
that the state isn't one big oil refinery. You know what a "jug handle"
is. You know that WaWa is a convenience store. You know that the
state isn't all farmland. You know that there are no "beaches" in New
Jersey - there's "The Shore". And you don't go "to the shore" - you go
"down the Shore". And when you are there, you're not "at the shore" -
you are "down the Shore". Even your school cafeteria made good Italian
subs. And it's a Sub, not
submarine sandwich or worse yet, a hoagy, a hero, or a
grinder. You remember the song from the Palisades Park
commercials. You know how to properly negotiate a Circle. You knew
that the last question had to do with driving. You know that this is the
only "New..." state that doesn't require"New" to identify it (like, ...Mexico,
...York, ...Hampshire -doesn't work, does it?) You only go to New York
City for day trips, and you call it "The City". You know that a "White
Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich. You
consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege. You don't
think "What exit" is very funny. You know that people from 609 area code
are "a little different". The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your
school or local bar. You live within 20 minutes of at least three
different malls. You refer to all highways and interstates by their
numbers. Every year, you had a least one kid in your class named
Tony. You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening
credits. You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the
mall. You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and
people from Central Jersey go
to Belmar or LBI and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other
way. You were not raised in New Jersey. You were raised in either North
Jersey, Central Jersey or
South Jersey. You don't consider Newark or Camden to actually be part of
the state. You remember the stores Korvette's, Two Guys, Rickel's,
Channel, Bamberger's and
Orbach's. You've had a Boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar
fries. You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in
February. And finally... You've NEVER, NEVER pumped your own
gas. |