When I retired from the Navy
my military background didn't translate to a civilian job. I had to retrain or begin working manual
labor at age 42. My wife and I decided
that we would both attend college and major in education. As there was no GI Bill available for me at
that time, the only way this was possible was to down-scale our life
style.
We bought a house in the
woods in north-western Maine
for $9,999 (the sellers came down one dollar.)
It was an old, run down – but structurally sound 1832 farmhouse at the
end of a two mile dirt road. The house
had been used off and on as a hunting camp for over forty years and there was
no electricity, running water or sewerage.
We had to let our Chevy van go but kept the motorcycle which was paid
for. We worked on the house over the
summer to make it livable.
When we started school in the spring we were heating with wood, hauling water from the creek behind the house for drinking, cooking and bathing. At night we would come home, gather standing dead wood from the woods in front of the house, start the fire , cook supper and then zip up in sleeping bags to study by lamp light for our classes.
The garden was our second year |
When we started school in the spring we were heating with wood, hauling water from the creek behind the house for drinking, cooking and bathing. At night we would come home, gather standing dead wood from the woods in front of the house, start the fire , cook supper and then zip up in sleeping bags to study by lamp light for our classes.
The old house and our winter transportation |
During that first year Dave
Mallett played at the commons area at the university, and my wife and I
attended. We were immediately
hooked. Dave Mallett is the
quintessential Mainer and his music speaks to life in rural Maine .
Four years later (still
living in the farmhouse - much improved,
but still without lights, water or plumbing) to celebrate our graduation we made reservations for
dinner at a historic, in-home restaurant in a village
25 miles north of the college. We were
surprised when we arrived that Dave Mallet had been booked to play. There were only twelve guest and Dave played
for us in the small living room while we guest sat in the few chairs and on the
floor – a very intimate setting.
The day we pulled out for Alaska in our new Toyota
truck I had a cassette of Dave Mallett cued for his rendition of North to Alaska.
North to Alaska |
Four years later we
vacationed back in Maine , traveling up to Bangor and then to Bar Harbor . Our first night in Bar
Harbor we went to a bar and restaurant and Dave Mallett was
entertaining.
We left Alaska
after teaching for nine years in the Eskimo and Indian villages, and as we
crossed the border into Canada
they were playing Dave Mallett on the PBS radio station.
After living for six years in Kentucky we returned
to Maine . In that first September we attended the
Common Ground Fair, and that night Dave Mallett was playing. We have seen him a half a dozen time since
then at small performances around Maine .
Most of Mallett’s songs are
about Maine ;
however, after Obama was elected President Dave released this song: This is Where the North Meets South.
It is a song of hope and
healing – a new beginning for the country – but unfortunately it didn’t evolve.
the Ol'Buzzard
Love the music and love this story!
ReplyDeleteBTW, you didn't look like a buzzard at all back in the day.
It's so interesting how throughout life we keep crossing paths with certain people as if were some sort of destiny.
ReplyDeleteI love you story here Buzz.
That is a most excellent adventure. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete