When we visited five years ago, you could almost hear the death rattle outside of the Trump Taj Mahal, where workers had been on strike since July. Atlantic City, at least as a destination, has been dying for decades. Places become abandoned similarly to how most living things die: slowly, and then suddenly all at once. Post-apocalyptic landscapes are often most notable not for what remains, but for what is missing: the people. Pre-pandemic, it felt novel to explore a ghost town or resort in its off-season. Since the early 1800s, the city, located on a barrier island off the coast of New Jersey, has offered ample opportunities to do both. She enjoys feeding her money into slot machines I prefer to exchange mine for dusty souvenirs. In October, 2016, I took my mom to Atlantic City for her birthday.
