If laughter is the best medicine I just got enough to open a pharmacy!

These two fellas tell some of the funniest stories I have ever heard. And to think that the reason for my visit was to chat about their wood business. We hardly even mentioned it.

To be honest, I have been curious about their wood processing operation for a long time. Every time I drove along Lakeside Drive, just across from the Canada geese convention on the water side, I'd take note of the wood pile and any activity in its vicinity. I really wanted to catch up with these guys — hadn't seen much of them since they left the auto parts store across from the Boothbay Harbor Post Office. I never failed to come out of that place shaking my head and hoping that I had the right part, because if I had to go back in, I might never come out alive. This is real life “Bert and I” on steroids. I mean, it was impossible to just drop in and simply buy something. They were an amazing tag team.

And they still are.

We talked about everything but wood. Well, we did discuss what is a good measure and the meaning of “seasoned” wood. But that's another story.

One of my favorite conversations involved an old dear friend of mine, Arthur Barlow (Harbor Motors), and his mechanic friend Dwight Plummer, who Arthur referred to as “Plum.” They helped me countless times with work on my dear old 1960's “Twin I-beam” Ford pickup (Betty Ford) which brought me to Maine. I cannot eat at “Ports of Italy” ever without thinking about Arthur and Dwight — their garage became a restaurant.

Arthur got parts for his shop projects from Dave and Ken at what was then Sewall Auto Parts. Paid cash and couldn't help but give them a hard time. It was sport, and Arthur had their number!

I hope to go back for a visit when the wood pile gets low and the processor is grinding out the next batch of firewood. This time, however, I will have a tape recorder and try to focus on the wood. It won't be easy.