Staten Island

The forgotten Borough where you've gotten into arguments with people who think Long Island is the fifth borough. You refer to Manhattan as 'the city'. You call the ferry "the boat". You can name all four bridges. Denino's Pizza and Ralph's Ices are the best summertime treats ---and you will wait on line for 45 minutes just for a vanilla chip ice! You've gone sledding at Latourette. There is only one mall... and it's called 'the mall.' It takes you a half hour to get to your friend's house... and they live less than a mile away. You know it's Prince's Bay, not Princess Bay. You would never swim in the water here. At least one of your relatives is fluent in Italian. You or someone you know has more than one matching velour sweat suits in their closet. You can smell the dump from your house but you're so used to the smell that you don't notice it anymore. You've gotten into a screaming match over a parking spot. Someone you know has a lifetime membership to Tanning Loft. Everyone you know claims to be 'connected.' You've hung out in a parking lot. You know the difference between Richmond Rd., Richmond Ave., and Richmond Terrace. You know that 'Mike' owns all the good diners. You refer to every highway on the island as 'The Expressway.' You've been cut off by a souped up Honda Accord with earth shaking bass playing. You have chased someone for cutting you off just to give them the finger. A development of townhouses has recently sprung up in your neighborhood. The shocks in your car are shot because you hit pot holes every 2 feet. You have the need to look at the people in the car next to you when stopped at a red light to see if it someone you know. You know never to walk on South Beaches sand with out Shoes. You've seen Method Man in the Mall at least once. The Monastery and Sea View aren't scary, just another place to drink. Everyone own a North Face jacket and has a Nextel. You wave at the weird leg guy when you pass the North Shore, and sometimes he waves back.