Review Detail

Joey loves spending his summers at his Bubbe and Zeyde's St. Bonaventure hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The hotel has been around for fifty years, since the 1920s, so is a bit worn out, but is a bustling destination for Jewish tourists to the area. Joey and his parents and three brothers, Reuben, Simon, and younger Ben, stay with their grandparents so they can work at the hotel in the summer. They usually live in Philadelphia, and their father goes back home to work during the week. Joey works as a waiter, although he doesn't get paid, and gets a fair amount of freedome to wander the area. During one of these outings, he puts down his tote bag with some winnings in it, and local tough Ralphie takes it. They have a bit of a scuffle over it, and Joey runs into Ralphie again when he goes to play some Skee-Ball on the Boardwalk. He does really well, and soon people are placing bets on his playing. This brings him to the attention of Artie, who offers Joey a job; for thirty dollars a week, which is huge money for the 1970s, Joey will entertain his daughter from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and "keep her out of trouble". Joey has been saving up for a camera, so reluctantly agrees, even though he feels a need to lie to his family about his connection to Artie, who seems shady at best. Artie's daughter, Melanie, turns out to be 15. Joey is apprehensive about spending time with her, but money is money. The two go to some of the attractions on the Boardwalk, spend her father's money on food (some of which Joey can't eat because it isn't kosher), and come to an uneasy agreement that Joey isn't the worst "babysitter" that Melanie could have. Joey is worried about the future of the hotel, since gambling has been legalized and properties are being bought up to build new casinos. He's also worried about Artie's position as the "king of Steel Pier", since he knows his family wouldn't want him associating with people who had possible ties to organized crime. When Artie asks him to keep a package safe in his grandparents' storage room, Joey knows that he is in too deep, but isn't sure what to do. Luckily, older brother Reuben, who has been seeing Melanie in the evenings, is able to help him out. It's an interesting summer of new experiences in an area that is down on its luck and about to change entirely, but Joey is able to make the best of his opportunities.