I’m a native
Delawarean. Some are very proud of that fact and even proclaim it with bumper
stickers. I like to say I managed to escape the state twice, but they found me
and brought me back. Delaware is the second smallest state, and there are some
fine things about it—our world-class beaches; climate that is temperate with no
weather extremes; and location, location, location. We’re about a three-hour
drive to New York City; a two-hour drive to Washington, DC; and from northern
Delaware, where I live, only thirty minutes to center city Philadelphia.
I, and others,
have written about Delaware for this blog. I thought I’d do something a little
different.
I found some dumb laws on the books in Delaware that I wanted to
share. Hopefully, you’ll find them amusing or head-scratching.
Dumb Delaware
Laws:
1.
“R” rated
movies shall not be shown in drive-in theaters. (There are no drive-in theaters
left in Delaware)
2.
It is illegal to fly over any body of water,
unless one is carrying sufficient supplies of food and drink. (I guess you need
to carry a backpack under your flying cape)
3.
It is illegal to wear pants that are “firm
fitting” around the waist. (What?)
4.
Getting married on a dare is grounds for an
annulment. (And is a great romance novel trope)
5.
No person shall change clothes in his or her
vehicle. (Happens all the time at the beach)
6.
On Halloween, children may only “trick-or-treat”
from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and if Halloween falls on a Sunday, they must
“trick-or-treat” on October 30 during this same time interval. (Why? Only
applies to Rehoboth Beach)
7.
One may not whisper in church. (Ookay)
8.
No person shall pretend to sleep on a bench on
the boardwalk. (But if you’re really sleeping and not pretending, I guess
that’s okay)
9.
Changing into or out of a bathing suit in a
public restroom is prohibited. (And no one at the beach does that. Yeah, right)
10. Six-year-old girls may not run around without being fully clothed.(This
one is creepy)
11. Alcohol may not be served in nightclubs if dancing is occurring on the
premises at the same time. (This one is broken all the time)
12. All persons must carry a bag with them at all times when they walk their
dog in case said dog “poops”, or risk a $100 fine. (This actually makes sense)
13. It
shall be unlawful for any person to live, dwell, cook, sleep, change clothes or
use toilet facilities inside any vehicle within the corporate limits of the
Town of Fenwick Island, Delaware. (Whatever)
Delaware is only 96
miles from north to south, so you could drive it in two hours, unless it’s a
weekend in the summer. Then plan on doubling your time. Being a beach state,
most of the residents are at the beach every summer weekend, which makes it
more pleasant up north for us non-beach goers. Stores are less crowded and
traffic is lighter, and we can get seats at some restaurants without waiting,
whereas in the winter, we might have to wait an hour or more to be seated at
those same restaurants.
As small as Delaware
is, it’s really two states in one. Although Delaware voted against secession
during the Civil War, it was considered a border state. Many of its men fought
for the Confederacy. Even today, the northernmost part of the state, culturally
and politically, is very much a Northeast state. The farther south you travel,
the state becomes more southern, until the southernmost part where the beaches
are, which is very much like the Deep South. If
you’re looking for great beaches, history (Delaware was one of the thirteen
original colonies, and the first state to ratify the Constitution), come see
us.
An award-winning and
eclectic author, Cara Marsi is published in romantic suspense, paranormal
romance, and contemporary romance. She loves a good love story, and believes
that everyone deserves a second chance at love. Sexy, sweet, thrilling, or
magical, Cara’s stories are first and foremost about the love. Treat
yourself today, with a taste of romance.
When not traveling or
dreaming of traveling, Cara and her husband live on the East Coast of the
United States in a house ruled by two spoiled cats who compete for attention.
Cara Marsi gives, to one commenter, an autographed copy of A Catered Romance, her
first published book (from Avalon Books under the title A Catered Affair). A Catered Romance is set
in Delaware. Be sure to leave a contact link so we can award your winnings!
Learn
more about Cara’s work with these links:
(all info provided by author)
I am a poet, teacher and arts-in-education advocate, and have
taught creative writing classes at the University of Delaware, Delaware Public
Libraries and Delaware Division of the Arts writing retreats. As state
coordinator for Delaware’s Poetry Out Loud program I also teach poetry writing and
recitation in schools and community centers.
I have been fortunate to find
writing community through a writing residency at Hedgebrook, and through VONA/Voices of Our Nations as
a 2017 Resident in Prose. I held three fellowships at Virginia Center for the
Creative Arts as a Mid-Atlantic Arts
Foundation Creative Fellow, and I am grateful for a 2014 Bread Loaf Bakeless
Camargo Foundation Fellowship which allowed me to work on
family stories that are part of my memoir-in-progress. This memoir project was
my focus at Hedgebrook in
April 2019. It’s a story of surviving family violence and coming to terms with
intergenerational trauma, my mixed-race identity and my parents’ secrets.
I
grew up in Lakeland, Florida, where my Filipino father and German American
mother settled our big family after many moves. For the past 25 years I have
lived in the woods of northern Delaware. I like road trips, hiking, gardening
native plants, surfing, drunken noodles, libraries, and hanging out with
family– especially my kids and granddaughter.
