June 4, 2015--Midcoast: The Latest

The hot topic of conversation when the seasonal people arrive is what's new on the restaurant front. Of course updates about houses for sale and who died during the winter are also on everyone's mind.

So as to be able to join in the restaurant talk, the first night we arrived we went to a place that is under new ownership and from what we had been hearing was already being touted as a welcome addition to the local culinary scene.

Things are still quiet around here so reservations weren't necessary, in fact there were fewer than ten dining and drinking at the bar when we showed up.

True to what we had been hearing, it is very good, with a beautifully redone bar area that will, I am certain, be lively. Maybe a bit to lively for me but many times a boisterous bar crowd helps assure that the restaurant is making money and everyone from the staff to the customers benefit.

It was so good in fact that we returned for a second visit and were just as happy with what the kitchen turned out the first time. And we picked up from the new owners enough restaurant gossip of the sort that friends are eager to hear about. Among many other things much more profound it is yet another way we feel welcomed--having some harmless gossip to share.

The first night the waitress we had was clearly a rookie. She was lovely and attentive but still needed to learn a few things in order to be able to keep up the pace and service when the crowds begin to arrive in a few weeks.

She told us this was her first waitressing job and wanted to know what we thought of how well she was doing. This seemed genuine enough and so we shared a few suggestions like saving a trip from the kitchen by clearing empty dishes from tables in her station after bringing out other customers' orders and to be sure to check regularly to see if people need more water. With so many these days paying attention to hydration good service suggests checking often is a good idea and will be appreciated.

Since it wasn't crowded and she was eager to get as much feedback as we were willing to offer we began to learn more about her.

"I'm just 17," she told us, "Not in school at the moment though at the end of the summer I plan to go to college in Bangor and study to become a nurse."

"That's great," Rona said, "Nurses are in demand in Maine, what with the population aging, and there should be plenty of jobs available after you graduate."

"I really love taking care of people," she said, her face lighting up, "I've already been doing quite a lot of that at home. Anytime anyone's laid up they turn to me and I always do wherever I can to make things better for them."

"That doesn't surprise me," I said. "I pick up from you that you're a caring person. So," I said, shifting the subject, "You must be about to graduate from high school."

"Not yet," she said, "I need some more courses because I didn't take a full load."

"Because . . .?" Rona asked.

"I was working with my father."

"Oh, doing what if I may ask?"

"Lobstering. Pulling traps."

I looked at her more carefully since pulling traps requires great strength and stamina, not so say considerable skill to avoid getting seriously injured. Though she appeared to be just a bit over 5 feet tall she was sturdy looking and even muscular. Like a well-trained athlete.

"Wow," I said, "How long did you do that?"

"Since I was 14," she said. "Not every day because I had school and all that. But we worked it out with the school. I took some courses by independent study. There are lots of kids here who work boats with their dads. Even a few with their moms. The high school here is used to that and makes provisions for sternmen and women. I guess we're really more boys and girls than sternmen and women." She chuckled. "That's why I'm a little behind."

"That's very impressive," Rona said. "When you work with your father what's your day like? I mean, when do you go out?"

"We lobster out of Friendship and I wake up a three."

"Three!" I said, "And I thought I was an early riser. What time do you go out?"

"By four I'm already pulling traps," she shrugged as if the apologize.

"And you get back to the dock?"

"Depends, but most days by four or five."

"That's a very long day," Rona said.

She shrugged again. "That's what it is. I admit I get tired and it's hard then to do any school work, but I'm doing OK. By the end of the summer I should be able to graduate and be ready for nursing school."

"That'll feel like a vacation," Rona said.

"Can I get you some more water?" she asked, showing off that she had heard our suggestions. "Folks need to hydrate."

She spun on her heel and went off to get the water pitcher.

"I wonder what our friends back in New York would say about her," I mused.

"Especially those who have nothing but complaints about what they claim to be a spoiled younger generation."

"It would be good for them to meet her and hear her story. And all the other ones we learn about when we're here."

"By the example of these kids we don't have anything to worry about," Rona said. "As soon as possible we should turn the world over to them."