IN THE FIELD: Memories
A few months ago we moved into our new home and have been periodically unpacking the few remaining boxes of stuff we have accumulated over the years. I was storing my countless boxes of slides from long ago and came across several that were tagged Maine photos. Well…I just had to take a quick peek. I found shots of boats, gardens, scenics, and probably my all-time favorite photo from that time in my life. It’s not the best photo I have taken, but it sure brings back a flood of wonderful memories.
Here is the story behind the photo in this post. My wife and I were camping for a few weeks on Mount Desert Island in Maine. We spent most of our time exploring the area on foot and by car.
Backtracking a bit…before we left on our trip I asked my Mom where the lobster pound she and my father had taken our family to for dinner one night when we were just little kids. And from what my Mom could remember, it may have been in Bernard Maine, Southwest Harbor, or maybe even Bass Harbor. Or somewhere in that general vicinity. The lobster pound was a place named “Black’s”.
Now, back to the camping trip. One evening we took a break from cooking over a campfire and went on a quest to find the lobster pound named “Black’s”. Rather than looking in a local phone book for the address like most folks would have done…yes back then there where phone books in roadside phone booths… we aimlessly drove around the countryside looking for this dining establishment named Black’s.
As we came around a bend in the road, we saw the gentleman in the photo standing near one of the many docks in the area. I pulled over and we got out of the car to ask him if he knew where Black’s was located. I mentioned I had been there as a young boy and wanted to take my wife there to experience a fresh out of the water lobster meal.
Well, much to our dismay, the man told us Black’s was closed for the season. Slumped shoulders ensued. Then he said, “if you’re looking for lobsters, mine are coming in on that boat right now. You are welcome to come over to my place and my wife and I will fix you dinner.”
That was an offer we just couldn’t refuse. We followed him over to his restaurant/diner/cafe/one room eating establishment. As he turned up the fire on the big steamer that was outside, we headed inside to place our order. We were greeted by the man’s wife and after some chit-chat she made some recommendations for our meal. We decided on the same meal for each of us. One lobster, along with an ear of fresh steamed corn, one dozen mussels and one dozen clams. Plus two cold beers each. After hiking all day we figured all that should fill us up. The lady then suggested to us to have the best seat in the house. The picnic table out on the front porch. So that’s where we headed.
We sat down at the table and our host brought out a cold beer for each of us. Shortly after that she brought out the feast. After a few minutes of splurging on fresh seafood dipped in warm butter, the man and his wife, along with their cat sat down to join us. We shared many stories, laughed a lot…it’s good for the digestion…and just had a grand time together. We may not have found “Blacks” that day, but we sure did find a gem!
Now I’m hungry! What a great story 🙂
I have to say it was the ultimate dining experience! Can’t get much fresher than that!
Wow, what a lovely story, David. Looks to me that you found a friend 🙂
Thanks Gracie, we really had a great time with those folks. Even though we were in a place open to the public, the owners were so gracious and made us feel like family.
This is amazing dear David, WOW!, Thanks and Love, nia
Thank you Nia, it truly was an experience we’ll never forget. The owners didn’t want us to leave.
Wonderful memory in life!
It sure is SB! In my opinion, there is nothing better than good food, good times, and good people to spend time with!
I knew that was Maine the moment I saw that photo. The warmth and generosity of the people are one of the reasons I love it so much here. What a wonderful story…and memory!
I have to say that Maine is my all time favorite place. It truly is a state of mind…not to mention the ultimate in beauty.
Awesome shot and story David !!
Thanks Bernie, we have some wonderful stories of our adventures in Maine. We have some great ones from Montana and Minnesota also.
such a kind man! You were so lucky 🙂 There are so many great people in the world that’s why travelling is such a great thing 🙂 I enjoyed going down your memory lane 🙂
Those folks were so accommodating that evening. They really made our stay all that much better! So true…there are wonderful people in this world.
Mmmmmm….nothing like lobster and blue crabs from water to mouth in a matter of minutes! Thanks for sharing your story, David, what a wonderful memory for you both. 🙂
Boy isn’t that the truth! We have so many great stories from our travels and some are down right wacky. For instance we drove past a farm in New York state where EVERY building was painted Barbie pink. That was a sight! Another goofy thing we saw…we were behind a motor home and the back door flew open. The lady inside was trying to stop a bucket from falling out of the vehicle at 60 miles per hour. Or how about the dining room table that was on all four legs in the middle of the highway. Nothing else was around…just the table. Okay one more…the sign posted on a bridge in Minnesota that read “Trucks must not meet on bridge”. Maybe a book would be in order.
What a wonderful story…I don’t think you could have had a better meal than the one you experienced.
Thanks Karen, it truly was a memorable experience. I’m currently investigating where the lobster pound was located. I’ve contacted the historical society and the local Chamber of Commerce for any tid-bits of info they may have. They are curious also.
Isn’t it true that when we are ready to accept new things, we also prepare ourselves for new amazing unexpected experiences? It has happened to me on several occasions, mostly when I was travelling. I loved your story as well as your writing. and of course, the photo is interesting too.
🙂
Thanks Nandini for the great comment! I love exploring new places to broaden my horizons/knowledge. We can learn so much from getting out of familiar surroundings.