If you have a little spare time, a leisurely stroll around Barrett’s Park might be a nice place to visit. The oaks there are, or were last week, magnificent. I’m hoping the leaves will hang on through the recent rains that we so badly need. The park is an absolute dream. It’s not very common to find a stand of oaks so significant at the water’s edge. I know Oak Point, where the Land Trust office resides, has another good clump of oak trees by the water, also a wonderful place to visit.

But back to Barrett’s Park. I had to use the restroom while out on some errands last week and was not close to a facility. However, I was near enough to Barrett’s to make a pit stop there. Well, lucky me! Not only was the restroom impeccably well cared for, but also located in a perfect section of the park and its trees. I was thinking a nice picture window at the restroom would be ideal, provided one-way glass, of course. Thank you, Boothbay Harbor, for maintaining the facility and the park.

Over the years, Barrett's Park has been a frequent choice for family gatherings, weddings and senior photos, not to mention pre-prom documentations. It’s an ideal location and so convenient.

The photo included with this week’s adventure has a tiny backstory. I believe, and happy for corrections, that the skiff shown is that of Evered Trask, a local lovely troubadour we had all grown to enjoy as he and his trusted companion “Blueberry” strolled around town for many years. Evered was an entertaining individual who spent much of his daylight time collecting bottles and greeting an assortment of new friends and familiar faces. Our daughters loved Evered, who always greeted them with, “Now, which one are you?”

Well, part of what was wonderful about Evered was his sense of humor, which I believe he was unaware of. He had a cadence to his voice which reflected many years of life here on the peninsula. This, by the way, is a voice that I feel is slipping away. If you ever want to get a feel for Evered’s chatter, please ask Mark Stover to share his impression of Evered on the radio when he was still fishing. I’m telling you, it is side-splitting hilarious. 

I knew Evered’s father, “Ding” Trask. You want to get some good news, Ding was surely a tireless opportunity. Back in 1975 when I first landed here from outer space, I was rescued from obscurity by the one and only Winfield “Cooney” Dodge of Little River. We met on the shore of Treasure Island and he invited me to join a group of local folk, on Saturday nights, for Bid Whist at the American Legion hall which was over on the east side of the harbor in the vicinity of what once was the indoor Rocktide pool. What a crew. There was Ding, Cooney, Mrs. Luke, Bessie, Arnie Brewer, Lucille Machon, Uncle Harry Pinkham and now and then others. We had a frigging blast. Everyone brought tasty treats for intermission!

Well, I couldn’t understand a word Ding said. The voice patterns were so unfamiliar to me. Finally one evening Ding said something to me directly across the card table and I needed a translator. Others at the table were cracking up as they watched me struggle. Finally, Cooney spoke up, “Ding, put your teeth in so Bob can understand you. Ding reached into his pants pocket and popped in his dentures. “Welcome to Boothbay Harbor,” he said with a big smile, which I understood perfectly.

This photo always reminds me of the Trask family. The view revealed itself directly across the street on Lobster Cove from the Trask homestead, which was a study of its own. Try to make a visit to the park if you can before all the oak leaves fall. But, to be honest, when all those leaves are on the ground it’s pretty special, too.

Have a good day.