This announcement appears as a matter of record only.
POLAR CO., INC of Lewiston. Maine
HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY Donald L. Day of Cape Elizabeth. Maine
Financing Provided By (qq) Beacon Business Credit Corp. 122/
Established in 1924 and family owned since that time.PolarCo..Inc.distributeshigh-endquality paints, stains, and allied products throughout Maine. New Hampshire, and Vermont. With annual salesexceeding$5.5millionannually,PolarCo.. Incisamajordistributorintheirtri-stateterritory
The undersigned acted as BUSINESS BROKERS for (heSellerinthistransaction.
ANANIA STRAND &Associates One Canal Plaza Portland, Maine FEBRUARY 19*1
This announcement appears as a matter of record only.
THE COATINGS LAB. INC. of Westbrook. Maine
HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY PatinaIndustries,Inc. a Maine Corporation
Financing Provided By Key Bank of Maine.
Since1975.TheCoatingsLab.Inc.hasservedasa leading developmental laboratory which manu¬ facturersindustrialcoatings,productfinishes,and customized paint. Known for its problem-solving abilityandqualityproducts.TheCoatingsLab.Inc Has grown Solidly in its market niche The com¬ panyalsodistributespaintsprayequipment. TheundersignedactedasBusinessBrokenforthe Sellerinthistransaction.
ANANIA STRAND &Associates(207)871-1861July.1991
this announcement appears asamatterofrecordonly.
YOUNGS AUTO RADIATOR of Portland, Maine
HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY Claude & Noreila Carriere ot Cumberland Fureside. Mame FinancingProvided8s C CoastalBank
of Southern Maine HAS 8EEN ACQUIRED BY Norman D. & Joan Smith of Northeast Harbor, Mame
Business Digest has been providing readers with informationaboutlocalbusinessesandthepeoplewho runthem,sinceJuly1978.TheideaofBusinessDigest of Southern Mame has been expanded to iweniy-one franchisesthroughouttheUnitedStates.Business Digestisavaluableandwellrespectedsourcewiihm thebusinesscommunity. The undersigned acted as Bt SlNESS BROKERS for theSellerinthistransaction.
ANANIA STRAND & Associates One Canal Plaza Portland. Mame JANUARY 1991
this announcement appears a\amatterofrecordonly.
MC FARLAND SPRING CORPORATION of Portland. Maine (AsubsidiaryofjobbersWarehouseScrskc.Inc. ofMassachusetts.>
HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY MSC Acquisition Company, Inc. a Mame Corporation FinancingProvidedBy, C Coastal-Bank
McFarland Spring Corp, is a 59 year old company specializingintheinstallation,serviceandsaleol suspensionparts:primarilyleafandcoilsprings. Quality and dependable serske has been me trademarkofthissuccessfulMamecompany.
The undersigned acted as BUSINESS BROKERS for theSellerinthistransaction.
ANANIA STRAND
4 Associates One Canal Plaza Portland, Mame MARCH 1991
Thisannouncementappears asamatterofrecordonly.
FIRST PORTLAND MORTGAGE SERVICES. INC. of Portland. Maine HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY
First Portland Mortgage Corporation
FirstPortlandMortgageCorporationFirstPortland Property Services. Inc. d/b/a Mortgage Services AssociatesandFirstPortlandRealEstatePublishing Corporation d/b/a Homes & Land Magazine are wholly owned subsidiaries nt First Portland Corporation. First Portland Mortgage, the only locallyownedmortgagebankintheGreaterPortland areahasbeenprovidingmortgageservicessince1985. The undersigned acted as Bl SINEss BROKERS for theSellerinihistransaction.
ANANIA STRAND & Associates One Canal Plaza Portland. Mame JANU ARY 1991
This announcement appears asamatterofrecordonly.
LORING BANK STATIONERS of Yarmouth, Maine HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY Bruce A. Hopkins, Inc.
Financing Provided By —— Fleet Bonk
Loring Bank Stationers is a unique company that producesimprintedchecks,savingsanddepositticket orders primarily for banking institutions. The company was established in 1958 and today is recognizedasasignificantproducerofhighquality custom primed bank products in Northern New England.
The undersigned acted as BUSINF.SS BROKERS for theSellerinthistransaction.
ANANIA STRAND & Associates One Canal Plaza Portland. Mame JANUARY 1991
"Thankyouforyouroutstanding contributiontoourmeetings.Your upbeatandenthusiastictalkwasjust what nr needed,andI'vereceiveda greatdealofpositivefeedbackfrom bothemployeesandagents!"
Jerry B. Plumb, Marketing Manager Aetna Life & Casualty Company ■
David Frey, Vice President AB Dick Products Company ■
For the company needing additional SALES, CUSTOMER SERVICE OR MANAGEMENT TRAINING, OR JUST A BOOST IN THE ENTHUSIASM DEPARTMENT, Milt Simon & Associates IS THE ANSWER!
.Simon& Associates SOUNDM01WI0NAIDEAS
(207) 784-5286 P.O. Box 218 Auburn, Maine 04212-0218
TheViewFromCongressStreet
New Life On Free
IADMITI’MSLOW.I’dbeenparking on Free Street for three weeks before I saw the new banners liningthestreetfromthePortland MuseumofArtdowntoRuby’sChoice.
But when I saw them they hit me hard,flutteringbrightlyintheskyand reminiscentoftheElizabethBishop poemaboutagasstationwheresome invisiblehandhaslineduptheEsso, Esso,Essocansinaperfect,hypnotic line,justSSSSO.
Itlookedforalltheworldasif someone was now caring about this little'here,’thisplacewherepeople mostlyshoutandripuppinkparking tickets.
Ifoundoutwho.
“Wehadasketchdoneofwhatour conceptwas.Wetalkedwiththecity manager who gave us to Nadine Dan¬ iels.Theideawas,howcouldwecome
outside of our buildings more?” saysRalphPride,presidentofCross Jewelers, which has an entrance on FreeStreet.The“we”behindthepri¬ vately funded banners and geranium pots was a quiet consortium of the ownersofCrossJewelers,Springer’s Jewelers,andHarmon’s/Barton’sFlow¬ ers,allofwhomhavedoorsonFree.
“Thepricewas$210perpole,to coverbrackets,twosetsofbanners, bracketsforflowerpots,andflowers.It seemstobeworking,"saysPride.“Just the very presence of the pots and bannerssaysthisisanareathat’s caredabout.”
Youseeamoreextremeexampleof thisinNaples,Italy,whereindividual neighborhoods,fedupwiththeslow shoeleatherofmediocrecityservices, band together and form independent hamletswithinthecity,fencedoffwith elaborate wrought iron and vibrant withgardens,exotictrees,cleanside¬ walks.
Oceansofgarbagewashupagainst theselittleEdens.
Prideisexcitedabouttheupcoming arrivaloftheChildren’sMuseumof Maineatitsnew142FreeStreetloca¬ tionbesidetheMuseumofArt.Infact, he’scontributing$6,000totheChil¬ dren’s Museum’s capital campaign thisyear.
Ialmostmissedit,thegoodnews.It happens one street at a time, one geraniumatatime.JustSSSSO.
My husband and I took a one-day visittotheTarry-A-Whileresortthis monthforananniversarytreat.It lookedlikesomethingtotry,after reading your column (July/August, 1991,p.4).Thelakeandseclusionand atmospherewereperfect—andnowhe thinks1amsosmarttohavefoundit!
The innovative Aeromate Mini Walk-In Van combines the featuresofapanelvanandfullsizewalk-invan,withfront wheel drive. This energy efficient, maneuverable, durable vehiclecanhandleapproximatelyonetonofpayload.Theagile Aeromatehasa15footturningradiusandtravels17milesona gallonoffuel.Italsoofferssixfeetofheadroominthecargo bay. Manufactured by the Utilimaster Motor Corporation: 65598StateRoad*19,P.O.Box860,Wakarusa,IN46573.
September 30th and October 1st Marriott,Burlington,Mass.
Classes • Seminars • Hardware/Software Exhibits
Meet experts in PICK/UNIX/DOS mixes
DATA GENERAL; IBM (RS/6000 LINK ADDS; SEQUOIA; ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS; GENERAL AUTOMATION; AND MORE. Findouthowtosolveyourfault-tolerantandparallelprocessingneeds withPICK-basedsystems. Thousands of software packages for hundredsofverticalmarketsforthePICKoperatingenvironment. Demonstrationsofmanyproducts.
If your needs are for 1-10 or thousands of users, PICK-FAIR ’91 has answers. ForInformationCallJimCroninorLisaRunci:207-439-2700
Colin Sargent Editor & Publisher
Nancy D. Sargent Art Director
Kirk Reynolds Managing Editor
Cathy Whore Advertising
Christopher Foster Advertising
Thomas McAvoy Advertising
Johanna Hanaburgh Calendar Editor
Staff Photographer: Francis DiFalco Founders: Colin And Nancy Sargent
This magazine is printed on Maine-made paper pro¬ duced by Champion International, Bucksport, Maine.
Laser Cover Separations and image assembly by Vision Graphics, 1-800-228-6299. Cover printed by Spectrum Printing&Graphics.Inc.,1-800-622-5885.
PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is published by Colin and Nancy Sargent, 578 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04 101. All correspondence should be addressed to 578 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101.
Advertising Office 578 Congress Street. Portland, ME 04101 (207) 775-4339.
Subscriptions: Inside U.S.: $20 for 1 year, $32 for 2 years,$40for3years.OutsideU.S:add$6.
Newsstand cover date: October 1991, pubL September 1991. Vol. 6. No. 7, copyright 1991. PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is mailed at third-class mail rates in Port¬ land, ME 04101. ( ISSN: 0887-5340). Opinions expressed in articles are those of authors and do not represent editorial positions of PORTLAND Monthly Magazine. Responsible only for that portion of any advertisement which is printed incorrectly, and as compensation we willrunacorrectioninthefollowingissue.Nothingin thisissuemaybereprintedinwholeorinpartwithout written permission from the publishers. Submissions welcome, but we lake no responsibility lor unsolicited materials.
PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is published 10 times annually by Colin and Nancy Sargent. 578 Congress Street,Portland,withnewsstandcoverdatesolWinter¬ guide. February'March, Springguide. May. Summer¬ guide, Maine Boating Annual. September, October, Fallguide, and December.
Brunswick. Nova Scotia’s similar Mag¬ netic Mountain is not far from An¬ napolis Royal.— Ed.
AnxietyofInfluence
ToTheEditor:
What’sallthishullabalooaboutin¬ fluence(“StolenSeascape,”bySte¬ phen May, September 1991)? Of courseKent,Bellows,Sloan,Hartley, Marin,et.al.wereinfluencedbyHomer seascapes.Asartists,itwastheirre¬ sponsibilitytobeinfluenced.
Agreatarticle(“PortlandByThe Ton,” by Elizabeth Peavey, Maine BoatingAnnual1991,featuringcon¬ tainer cargo entering the Port of Portland). Entertaining and infor¬ mative.Youhaveagoodtouch.
Tom Valleau CityofPortland
AuctionJackson
ToTheEditor:
Asanavidauction-goer,Idelightin publicityabouttheauctioncommun¬ ity.Still,Iambaffled.Iunderstandthat notall358auctioneerscanbeprofiled. But why omit regulars such as Ron Riendieu,ClaudeVanTassell,Phil McIntyre,andJimCyr,tonamebuta few?
To ensure that the Rolex timepiece youweartodaycontinuestofunction' accurately through many tomorrows, Rolex has created the pressure-proof Oyster case to provide maximum
protectionagainsttheelements.Picturedhere: the Rolex Datejust and Lady Datejust, each pressure¬ proofto330ft.;andtheSubmarinerDate,pressure-proof to1000feet.Availablein18kt.gold,stainlesssteel,ora combination of steel and gold, these elegant Rolex timepiecesareatestimonytotheenduringSwisstradition of fine watchmaking. OnlyatyourOfficialRolexJeweler.
interStreet,Bath.Thehouse islocatedonasidestreet nestled by tall trees. The door bears a sign warning that Mr. Sample neither signs autographs nor receives vis¬ itorswithoutanappointment.Oneis askedtorespecthisprivacy.
The first thing I do, of course, whenhegreetsmeatthedoorisask for an autograph. He laughs (even thoughI’msurehe’sheardthatline countless times) and leads me to thesittingroomofthismeticulously renovated 19th century home. He promises me the “$2 tour,” which wesadlydonothavetimeforafter theinterview.Wearejoinedbyhis wife and business manager, Patty,
and position ourselves around the room.Theirmannerisbreezy.Itis immediately apparent that they are successful and that they are com¬ fortablewiththatsuccess.
TimSampleiswhatyoumightcall aRenaissancefeller.Inadditionto his performances, his credits in¬ cludebooks,recordings,films,TV, and videos. He is a singer/songwriter,artist,andauthor.Fueledby theknowledgeofhisowntalents,he determined at an early age that he wouldlivebyhiscreativeabilities. Heis“irritatedtonoend”bythe people who constantly “whine” to himabouthowluckyheistobeable todowhathelovesforaliving.Heis quicktorespondthathardworkand
determination made his dream cometrue.Hebelievesstronglythat ifonehastalent(hestressesthe “if”)andiswillingtowork,successwill follow.
We chat briefly about a recent achievement: a Penguin/Highbridge book-on-tape recording of Stephen King’s Four Past Midnight/The Sun Dog. “Stevewasreallypitchingfor me.Thisisbigbusiness.Theycan get anyone—Emmy award winners— todotheserecordings.Stevereally wanted me, and I knew that when I walked into the studio 1 would deliver.AndIdid.”
When Sample started out, he struggled.Herecountsananecdote fromhisstarvingartistyearsinthe early seventies in which he was commissionedtodoapaintingfora shopintheOldPort.“Iwhippedoff thispaintingandthenwaitedaday, so as not to seem overly anxious. When I brought it in, the dreaded question came. How much. 1 thought for a minute and asked for $50. Dead silence. The woman lookedhardatmeandsaid,‘Tim,I’m goingtogiveyou$350,andIwant you to do three more.’ That was a fortune to me back then, but what shewastellingmewasmorevaluable— thatis,tonotundersellyourself.I’ve mulled that incident over a thou¬ sandtimes.Itwasprobablythemost
Humorist Tim Sample, Bath, Heir Apparent To Marshall Dodge
Likehispeers,Timspendsagood deal of energy on promotion. Four yearsagoPattyleftherjobastheCEO ofagood-sizedcompanytojoinforces with her husband. He needed some¬ onefull-timetorepresenthisinterests, andtheywerelookingforawaytobe abletospendmoretimetogether.Patty has brought the marketing “up to speed,” allowing Sample to concen¬ tratemorefullyoncreativeendeavors. Herofficeislocatedupstairsintheir home,asistheirbookkeeper’s.His officeisinthebasement.
Pattyestimatestheirworkweekto beupwardsofsixtyhours,whichTim callsaconservativeguess.Inaddition totheofficehours,thereisalsothe timespentontheroad.Samplesays thathetriestotakeonedaytimedayoff aweek,butthatdoesn’talwayswork out.“Wewouldn’ttradeitforanything, butthisisnotalow-energyoccupa¬ tion.”Thecouplegenerallytravels together,andtheyenjoyworkingasa husband and wife team. “You either loveitoryouhateit.Thisisthechoice wehavemade.Thisiswhatwewantto do.”
Pattyfindsherroleinthebusiness creative in its own way. “We haveagoaleverymonththatwe want to achieve income-wise, anditismyjobtoputtogether thepictureofhowwewillachievethat goal.Tim’screativeendeavorsaddto thepicture;wederiveourincomeina numberofways.”
Sample’spresskitatteststothatfact. Included are an audio and a video performancecassette;twophotos;a brochurelistinghisnationalandlocal corporateafter-dinnerappearances, plusblurbsfromthelikesoftheWash¬ ington Post and Sen. William Cohen andabriefexplanationofthe“Time¬ lessHumorofTimSample”;thereis alsoabibliography,abiography,more blurbs,andafull-pageendorsement fromStephenKing.
Oftheestimated125performancesa year,approximately80percentarein NewEngland,withaheavierconcen¬ tration in Maine during the summer months when he makes frequent out¬ doorappearancesforhis“hard-core constituents.”Theystatethattheirfee isfirm,thatPattydoesnotnegotiate. Hefindsthatheisonthehigh-end
scalelocally,butonthemidtolowend nationally. While times may have grownleaner,hesaysheenjoyscom¬ petitionandfeelsthatitspurshimon tohisbestperformance.Herespects professionalisminotherperformers, andthereisanopen,mutualadmir¬ ation between him and Abrams & Anderson. They often recommend eachotherforjobs,whenoneisun¬ available.Thereisstillcompetition, butitiswhatheterms“happycom¬ petition.”Sampleisagreatbelieverin thefree-marketsystem.“1wanttobe heldinhighstandards.Iwanttodoa qualityjob.Competitionimprovesthe breed.”
Themanismotivated.He,infact,
“Thisisbig business.Theycan get anyone— Emmy award winners—to do theserecordings. Stevereally wantedme...’’
“I’vealwayshadideas.1wakeupin themorningandcan’twaittogetto work,tofindawaytoputmyideasinto production.” Does he ever worry aboutburn-out?“Thethingaboutself¬ employment and aboutbeinganenter¬ taineristhatyouhavetobeconstantly present.Theverysameelementwhich istremendouslyexcitingandreward¬ ing,isalsotremendouslywearing. What’sonthelineformeismybrain, mycreativejuices.”
Theirancientdog,whichispart wolf and the size of a small horse, lumbers into the room andcollapsesbehindmychair nearthewindow.Thereisappar¬ ently one member of the Sample householdthatisnotdriven.
WhilePattyhasbroughtthebusi¬ nessuptowhatTimcalls“aprofes¬ sionallevel,”hemaintainsthatheis “ridiculouslyold-fashioned”inthe ways of commerce. “I am successful
JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE.
MAINE MANUFACTURING DIRECTORY - AllMaineManufacturersare listedinthree,easy-to-usesequences:Alphabeti¬ cal,Geographical,SIC.Listsofficers,products, numberofemployees,mailingaddressesandphone numbers.Softcover-$37.50
MAINE REGISTER - Themostcomprehensivesingle-volumereferencesource onMaine.Containsstatewidebusiness,professional,industrial,municipaland legislativelistings.Over1000fact-filledpages.Hardcover-$95.00
MAINE BAR DIRECTORY - AllMainelawyerslistedalphabeticallyand geographically.Listsfirms,mailingaddresses,andphonenumbers,plusinformation oncourtsandmunicipalofficials.Ringbound-$38.00
MAINE BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY - Asingleref¬ erencesourcecontaininglistingsofover50,000commercial,professionalandindus¬ trialfirms,brokendownintotwosections:TheAlphabeticalSectionlistscompany name,completemailingaddress,andtelephonenumber;theClassifiedSectioncon¬ tainsapproximately400categoriesunderwhichlistingsarepresentedalphabetically bymunicipality.Thisisanespeciallyeasyreferencesourcetouse.Softcover-$47.50
COMPACT DISC:$13.95 BERT AND I and MORE BERT AND I (ononecompactdisc)
BERT AND I(Dodge&Bryan) MORE BERT AND I(D&B) THE RETURN OF BERT AND I(D&B) BERT AND I STEM INFLATION(D&B) HOW TO TALK YANKEE(S&B) DOWNEAST STAND-UP(S) BACK IN SPITE OF POPULAR DEMAND(TimSample) SNAPPY ANSWERS!!(TS) T-SHIRT: $9.95 Small(34-36).Medium(38-40) Large(42-44),X-Large(46-48)
because I deliver. 1 have built my reputationoneaudienceatatime,one personatatime,onelaughatatime.”
U « t ow,lookforayellowhouse ""W ontheleft.You’llseeabig Wl obelisk with a monkey ■blowingahornontopofit.
A
1 Ifitain’trainin’I’llhavethe Model T parked out front. And make sureyouplantostayfordinner.”
Thehouse,whichsitsjustoffthe roadinWyeth-land,iseasytospot.The paintispeeling,awhitecastironstove standsonthefrontlawn,thegravel driveway is crowded with vehicles, jRobertSkoglundisseatedinfrontof :hiscomputer,talkingonthephone.He iwavesmein.
Hisofficehasbeenrecentlymoved tothefrontroomofhisfamilyhome¬ stead house. Skoglund immediately pointsouttwoheatingvents.“Hadto cutthosethismorning.Justhadtherug putdown.Gottheheaton.Ain’tyou cold?”Hethengesturestotwophone jacksontheoppositewall.“Installed thoselastnight.Foundoutfroma friendthatIonlyneededoneformy twolines.”Heshrugshisnarrowshoul¬ dersinalive-and-learnway.“Come meet my wife Marsha. She’s in her office.”
We wend our way through a bed¬ roominwhichahugequilt-covered bedoccupiesmostoftheroom’sarea, intoacrampedalcovejustoffthe kitchen.Marshaistappingathercom¬ puter.Skoglundseizesabigwicker chairandjockiesitbacktohisoffice withsomedifficultythroughthedoor¬ way.NotlongafterSkoglundandI begintotalk,Marshaenterswithaslab ofblueberrypieandamugofcoffee servedonaMexicantray.“Wejustlike anexcusetousethetray.Itwasagift fromtheMexicanConsulwhowasat ourpicnic."
The"picnic”isthefamedannual lobsterfestthrownbySkoglundathis homefor600orsointimatefriends. He’s been doing it for ten years, financingtheevententirelyout-ofpockettothetuneofsome$2,000.1am gentlyreprimandedfornotattending. “Oh,youshouldabeenthere.Itwas smooth.”InadditiontotheMexican dignitary,theguestsincludedabus¬ loadofWBZlistenersfromNewYork and Uncle Andy of “Swap and Save” magazinefame.“Youain’theardof
Uncle Andy? He gave away a whole pileofhismagazines.”Skoglund’s head tips back and he erupts with laughter.This,1gather,isabitof inside, Downeast humor not every¬ one’sprivyto.
The lobster picnic is but one of Skoglund’s promotional devices. He reliesmainlyonmass-mailingsand telephone pounding. Business, he concedes,isoffforhimin1991.He beganperformingeightyearsago,and until 1989 business rose steadily, doublingeveryyear.In1990itdropped totwothirdsof1989’sbusiness,and 1991ishalf.September,forexample, which is a characteristically busy month,showed$3,300worthofbusi¬ nessforthefirstweekin1989.This year—Skoglund examines his calen¬ dar—onejob.Hedid30freeshowsthis summerforMaineRotaryclubstoget betterknowninthestate.‘‘Youcan workallyouwantwhenyou’refree.”
Heconfesseshedidn’tknowwhat hewasgettinghimselfintowhenhe started.“Ithinkifyouaskanysuc¬ cessfulbusinesspersoniftheywould start over knowing what they know, theywouldtellyouitwasimpossible. Well,that’sthewayitiswithmeand humor.Ididn’tknowanythingwhen1 started.Ididn’tknowitwasimpos¬ sible.Iguessthat’soneofthekeysto success.”
HerecountswritingtoMaineCham¬ bers of Commerce, offering to do a show for $125—free to the first 10 respondees.“1gotupinfrontofthem with a piece of paper and read my stories.”
Heunabashedlystatesthathebe¬ cameanentertainerforthemoney.He alsoassertsthatifthemoneyeverfalls throughhewilldosomethingelse.He determinedhisfeesbytheamountof business he was doing. Prices quicklyshotupfromtheinitial$125. “Whenyou’regettingthreeconfirma¬ tionsaday,you’renaturallygoingto jack your rate up. Now there’s no moneyoutthere.I’mforcedtonego¬ tiate.”
Skoglund claims that she can make 200callsinaday.Shedoesnottravel withherhusband.Infact,Skoglund went on his honeymoon alone to speakbefore600vocationaleducators inPennsylvania.
Skoglundassertsthatheisstill learning.Heestimatedthatitwould takesixyearstofigureoutthecor¬ poratemarket,andheishalfwaythere. “Imageiseverything.You’renotselling anything but perception. Value is perceived.Thereisnointrinsicvalue inanything."
Skoglund offers lobster and looks disappointed when I decline. “That means1won’tgetone.”Marsha,whois nowicingacake,offersmetherestof thepie;Isettleforaslab.(Itis delicious.)Iamalsogivenoneofthe T-shirtsthatSkoglundwillbegiving
awayonhissyndicatedpublicradio program,“ThehumbleFarmer,”which he broadcasts through MPBN. He shakesmyhandatthedoorandwith sun-driedhumorcautionsmethathe willnotremembermeshouldwemeet again.
Skoglund broadcasts his 12-year-old syndicatedradioshow, "The humble Farmer,"from10-11p.m.on Wednesday Evenings through MP BN. "Itcoversawickedarea,"Skoglund toldaBostonHeraldreporterofthe MPBN signal (spanning Randolph, Vermont to St. John, New Brunswick), "which is occupied mostlybycoyotesandseagulls."
BackBayTower,Portland.Iboard theelevatorwithaneight-ishyear-oldboycladinswimming trunks. He holds the door a moment while he finishes up makingplanswithhisfriends.Itseems he needs to go upstairs for his
appointedwithalltheusualtrappings andmachinesofasmallbusiness.A rubberchicken,however,hangsinthe corner.Theydeterminedyearsagothat an office was necessary, that they wantedtobeabletogo“home"atthe endoftheday.Theyhavecomealong wayfromtheirfirst“closet”inashared space with Studio 3 on Elm Street, wheretheytrudgedbackandforthto thecopyshopandracedoutforfaxes.
What Abrams & Anderson currently specializesinisindividuallystyled shows for corporate clients. They spend hours researching each com¬ pany’sprofile,cullingoutbuzzwords toincorporateintotheirperformances atmeetings,conventions,andtrade shows. “We are unique,” states Abrams. “We offer something no one elsedoes.”Andthereisobviouslya marketforthisuniqueserviceasI glancedowntheimpressiveclientlist which includes such companies as Pepsico, Kodak, Proctor & Gamble, Continued
’Brick Oven Baked Beans
Retire to
Maine FOR AN Active Life
Ocean View
A I FAI M O U I H
OYou love Maine and you want io enjoy a retirement here while you are still active. You areinvitedtojointhe lively,yetsophisticated community of retirees at Maine's premier location.
andIBM.“WedeliverwhatTomprom¬ ises when he is selling us on the phone. We do our homework.”
Audiencesareconstantlyamazedat A&A’sinsideunderstandingoftheir company. They often hear: “How did you know that?” or “How long have youbeenwiththebank?”Abramsfeels asthoughshehasreceivedacrash¬ courseMBAinthelastthreeyears.She hasevenbeenofferedpositionswith companies who were impressed with thethoroughnessoftheresearch. Itdoesnotlook,however,likeanyof themwillbepullinguptheircomedic rootstojointheranksofcorporate America. The business of A & A is keeping the three busy, happy, and solventquitenicely—thankyouvery much.
How did a couple of comedians evolvetheircraftintoathrivingbusi¬ ness?Aswiththeothers,itseems,they studiedatthe“IgnoranceisBliss” schoolofbusiness.
They claim that they had no idea whattheyweredoing,thattheynever thoughttheycouldmakealivingdoing comedy.Performing,inthebeginning, wasjustonepartoftheir“freelance platter.”Themoneywasneverafactor, butitcameas“acomplete,delicious surprise.”Andersonrecallsthatan important factor was autonomy. “We wereacoupleofex-hippieswhodidn’t wanttobetoldwhattodo.”
They,too,hadtheirleanyears.They startedinMaineattheHollowReed,a vegetarian restaurant/comedy club. To supplement, Abrams did voice workandAndersondidoddjobs,inieludingastintasamall-Santa.When theHollowReedclosed,itwassinkor swim. Anderson recalls phoning SMVTI and asking, “Do you have students?Doyouuseentertainment?” Fromthathumblefirstcall,Anderson has evolved into a smooth, cool salesman. He loves getting on the phonenow,ashesaysitgiveshiman opportunitytotalkabouthisfavorite topic.
requiredperformerstoestablishtheir credentials,tohaveapresentation folder,tolisttheirperformancesforthe lasttwoyears,andtoprovideaposter. Suddenlyamarketingprogramhad tobeestablished;Abrams&Anderson were entering the business world.
Abrams had been a freelancer in Chicago,sosheknewenoughtogeta tax number and set up a checking account; she knew about head shots andactors’resumes.Thefinesseofthe businesswouldprovetobethechal¬ lenge.Sherecallshackingoutcon¬ tractsindividuallyon“somekindof horriblecarbonpaper”byhand.Now theysimplyaccessaready-madeform fromthecomputer.
Butthentherewastheposter. Theycontactedtheirfriendand not-yet-associateDeanSteeves, who was working at an ad agency,forhelp.Thiswasthe pointwhenSteeves,41,beganwhathe terms“wheedling”hiswayintoA&A.
Eventuallyhebeganperformingwith themaswellasassistingonthepro¬ ductionendofthings.Inthebeginning, Abrams,36,andAnderson,37,could liveofftheirworkbutcouldnotafford topaySteevesenoughtoliveon.He thusformedAADSAdvertisinginorder toworkconcurrentlywiththecomedy team.Astwofledglingbusinessesthey were able to share office expen¬ ses.Theadagencyalsoservedasthe production/promotionalarmofA&A. Then an unexpected snag occurred. Bothbusinessesstartedtotakeoff. Abrams recounts that Steeves was working“ahundredgazillion”hours perweek.Theywerebeginningtobe
Yourfriendswillbedelightedandyou'llearn some compliments when you ask the Humble Farmer to bring his brand of old-fashioned, dry, Down East Maine humor to your organization's next convention or banquet. Well received all over the U.S., Canada and Ireland. Keynote speaker at the National Humor Convention, columnist, Maine Public Radiopersonality.WriteorcallforfreeMainehumor brochures. Tel. 207-372-8052.
In The4<umbleFarmer, St.George,Me.04857
National Association of^Women In Construction
FFERING Opportunities' andBenefitsto Women Employed inMaine’sConstructionIndustry.
♦educationalopportunities.
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OIN theMaineChapter#276ofN.A.W.I.C., sponsorsofthestate’slargestconstructionshow, Construction Expo of Maine.
For More Information Contact Marion Thomas, President, Maine Chapter, N.A.W.I.C. c/o William S. Williams Construction Co., RFD 1, Box 100, Gardiner, ME 04345 (207) 582-6162
outontheroadforlongerstretch¬ es.Steevescouldnolongerdoboth; graduallytheybeganphasingoutthe adagency.Halfwaythroughhertenure, theirsecretarywastoldthatshewasno longerworkingforanadagency,she was working for a bunch of comedi¬ ans. Her response? “I always knew that.”
CorporatecomicsAbrams&Anderson.
Thecollegeworkeventuallysegued into the corporate work. They con¬ tinuedtofinessetheirimage.Their presentpresskitisslickinappearance andpresentation,fatwithpraiseand endorsements. Their brochure, they recall,wasoneofthemostsignificant milestonesintheirmarketing.“People wouldalwaysaskusforourcardatthe endofourshows.Werealizedthatthe cardswerenotalwaysforthepeople who asked for them. We wanted to createsomethingthatwouldrepresent what we did. We labored for weeks overthatbrochure.”Theworkpaidoff. They frequently receive calls from people who don’t know how they got thebrochure,butwholikeit.Image workworks.
Whenandhowdothesethreemark success? When did they say, “We’ve madeit”?Theymeasuretheirsuccess onthreelevels.Onapersonallevel,it was buying a house. Abrams and Steeves(whoaremarried)purchased a home in 1988, as did Anderson in 1989.Creatively,theyknewtheyhad madeitwhentheystoodoutfromtheir peersatthe1984ImprovConventionat SecondCityinChicago.ButSteeves seemstothinkthattheirrealmarkof success occurred in 1986 when they walkedontoacarlotandsaidthatthey were a group of comedians who
Thebusinessisjustasmuchapart of Abrams & Anderson as the per¬ forming.Allthreereadilyassertthat theylovethehands-onrunningofthe business, even though Abrams con¬ fessesattimesthatshefeelslikeshe’s “playingoffice.”Theyareloatheto evenhazardaguessatthenumberof
“Istartedoutasa Shakespearean actor and Tom was ajock;nowweare entrepreneurs,” explainsAbrams, whoconfessesat timesthatshefeels likeshe’s“playing office.’’
hourstheyputinaweek.“Itbecomes immaterial when you’re working for yourself.” With around 120 shows a year,theysimplyknowthattheyworka lot.Andwithnocomplaints.
Allthreearethrilledthattheyare fortunateenoughtobeableto dowhattheyloveandgetpaid forit.“IstartedoutasaShake¬ spearean actor and Tom was a jock; now we are entrepreneurs,” explainsAbrams.“Butwedon’tfeelit’s importantforouraudiencestoknow howhardwework.Andthat’sthewayit should be; they should simply be entertained.Theydon’tneedtoknow howtiringtheroadcanbe,orthatajob fellthrough,orthephonebill’stoo high,orthatwe’refightingwiththe copy-repairpeople.Alltheyneedto see is that we know everything we couldaboutthemfor40minutesand letthemlookattheirworldinalittlebit of a different way. And that they laughed and enjoyed themselves. That's allthey should see.”
Our 1,200 employees and four paper machines produce almost 450,000 tonsofpaperayear,continuingtheinnovationsthathavemadeusleaders inlightweight,coatedpaperproduction.
henacompanygoes,say,15 years or so without using Mainebeans,insteadpaying railandtruckingsurcharges bythepoundtostateslike Michigan,Idaho,andWashingtonfor theirpea(orNavy)beans,andifMaine wereanidealstateforgrowingthese beans,accordingtoagriculturalex¬ perts,you’dthinksomeonewoulddo somethingaboutit,wouldn’tyou?
Thisistheratherprovocativesitua¬ tionthatexistsattheB&MBrickOven BakedBeanplantinPortland.Andthe worstpartofitisthatpeopleatthe Burnham and Morrill company pas¬ sionatelywishtheycouldsavemoney inarougheconomicperiodbybuying Maine-grownbeans.
Yes,“webuyroughly95percentof ourpeabeansfromMichigan,Idaho, andWashingtonstate,”lamentsJohn Manoush,qualitycontrolmanagerat theB&MPortlandplant.“It’saques¬ tionofunderdevelopmentofthein¬ dustryhere.”Manoush,aSebagoLake resident,addsthat“It’sbeensomany years since we’ve grown beans in Maine...Alotmoreofthatwentonin the1950s.”
ininhispickuptruckwith25one hundred pound bags of (Maine) beans,” says Manoush. “We’d lose moneyworkingwithlotsthatsmall. Wekeeplotidentityseparately,for cleaning and quality purposes. Lot numbersareassignedtoeachgroupof beansdelivered.Wewouldn’twantto bechasing25bagsofbeansthrough oursystem.”
venesandtheyhaveabadharvest,our contractstipulatesthatifourquality standardsarenotmet,wedon’thaveto accepttheirbeans.”ForasmallMaine farmerthatwouldbedevastating.“But these big producers have multiple contracts”thatbuoythemupinad¬ versity.“Ifourqualitystandardsarenot met,usuallytheycanexporttheiroffquality (or quality, too) beans to Mexico,orCambell’s,orVanCamp’s.’ Hepauses.“Theymaytakealoss,but becausetheyhavetheabilitytoshipto manyalternatives,it’salosstheycan survive.”
Sowhatarewetryingtodo,startthe MilagroBeanfieldWar?Hardly.It’sjust necessarytorealizethatproviding beanstoB&Mislikeatelecommun¬ ications problem. If you have a banged-up1945Royal(orworse,no unitatall)andyoucan’ttelecommun¬ icatetoanIBM-PC,don’tgetangryat theIBM.(OrIB&M?)Anddon’tim¬ aginetheIBMisangryatyou.TheIBM mightactuallyberootingforyou.The frequencyissueismoreanissueof 'handshaking.’
Inthisway,quantitydovetailswith quality.Ahandfulofbeautifulbeansis abigqualityproblemiftheycan’t marchtothecadenceofthenecessary, FederallymandatedB&Msystem.The second quality consideration has nothingtodowithB&M,butratherwith reality.“I’mnotsayingit’simpossible inMaine.Wewishitwouldhappenin Maine.It’sjustthatwheretheindustry isnotdeveloped,tothatextent,well, theoptionsarelimited,”saysMan¬ oush.“Forexample,theout-of-state growerswebuyfromarehugefirms— none of them depending on B&M for theirlivelihood.Ifbadweatherinter¬
taxesin1991.Countingtotalwages andpaymentstolocalvendors,the plantinjects$6.5millionperannum into our immediate local economy. Thepeak1991workforce,according topersonnelmanagerRonMattia,is currentlyat283employeeswhode¬ pend on the plant at One Beanpot Circletokeepthemworkingduringthe followingshifts:FirstShift(157local workers,whoaretherefrom7a.m.to 3:30p.m.);SecondShift(76local workers,whoaretherefrom3:30p.m. untilmidnight);andThirdShift,the marmosetswhoworktherefrom10:30 atnightuntil7a.m.thefollowingday.
(207)774-2200
Itwouldbealottolose,agreat company thriving here since 1913, maintainingagreattraditionoftop notchproducts(theirlow-fatVege¬ tarian B&M Brick Oven Baked Beans
extra to have their raw materials broughtherebytruckorbytraincaron theirprivaterailspur,insteadofgrown here.
LeeFrankenfieldistheownerofthe
Kennebec Bean Co. in Vassalboro. “B&Musedtobuyalotofyelloweyes from Maine many years ago, but now they’regettingthemfromMichigan.”
HesaysthereasonMainecan’tmeet theirstandardsisbecauseof“small farms,foronething.InMichigan,1 think,they’regrowing600,000acresof Navybeansrightnow.SoMainefarm¬ ers have no comparable economic scaletobeginwith.”
Ofthegiantwesternfarms,Frankenfieldsays,“They’resufferingfrom somethingofadepressionoutthere, too, and 1 don’t know how much they’relosingbypricingbeanssolow.”
Becauseofthemidwest’svastbean farmsandtheirabilitytospreadthe cost of machinery over a greater working area, “They’ve worked the pricedowntothirteencentsapound forNavybeans.That’ssolow—there’s no way a Maine farmer would even prepare his ground for a yield of thirteencentsapound.Itwouldn’t evengethismachinerygreasedup.”D
hen Joe Angelone opened a pizza shop in 1960 on Monument Square (where OneCityCenterisnow),he stayedopenuntilmidnightto handlethecrowds.
"There were so many people downtown that it resembled Old Orchard Beach on a summer day," Angelonerecalls."Wewouldopenfor lunch and they would keep comingrightthroughtheafternoon, theevening,andintothenight.”
A year or so later, a new Ange¬ lone’sPizzaopenedattheMaineMall.
"Thebusinessisphenomenalhere,” says Angelone. “People told me my eyeswouldpopoutatthenumbers, andit’strue.”
A steady stream of shoppers and mallworkerskeepsthepizzaovens baking from lunch through early evening. Does Angelone regret the move from downtown? No. But that movetotheMallmaynotbetheticket foreverybusiness.
Averitableparadeofbusinesseshas leftdowntownPortlandfortheSouth PortlandMallareaoverthelast10 years.Andmostoftheestablishments havesucceededdeservedlyintheir new location not simply because they’vemovedthere,butbecausetheir movehasbeenaccompaniedbyheavy capitalinvestment,anaccelerationof personal energy and management skills,energeticmarketing,andhigh visibility.Ifthoseelementsaren’tthere, eventhehighfoottrafficoftheMall can’t help you—witness the rapid demise of Bailey’s Sporting Goods afterleavingthePortlandpeninsula afterdecadesofprofitability.
Iftheyarethere,they’llhelpyou anywhere, even in the downtown area,where,forinstance,Harmon’sBarton’sflowersisprofittingbyvir¬ tuallypretendingthey’vejustmoved tothelocationthey’veactuallybeen
CUSTOM DESIGNED HOMES
occupyingforthelast35years! Walk by and you can feel the difference.
Forthosemakingthejumptothe Mall, heavy-duty retailing is re¬ quiredtobeattheheftyoverhead,and the players here are pros both in substanceandstyle.
Portland businesses that have moved to the Mall developed their business downtown but needed to move to the Mall area to continue growth.Oftenthereisachoicetobe madethatrisksbusinessinhandfor thepromisedgreenerpastures.
The Curtainshop was one business thathadtomakethatchoice.Fiveyears ago,DaveDawes,presidentandman¬ agerofthePortlandstore,weighedthe goodandthebadofsuchamove.“The Portlandstorewasquitesuccessful before we moved,” he recalled. “We hadagoodbusinessgoingandmoving wasarisk,butonewehadtotakein ordertogrow.Ouroldbuildingwason twofloors,andthatmeantlugging inventoryupanddown.Eventhough we had our own parking lot, people hadahardtimefindingitordidn’t know about it. We were feeling pinchedinthedowntownstore.”
Dawes, whose corporation oper¬ atesfourretailstoresinMaine, thoughtaboutopeningasecond storeinadditiontodowntown, but marketing studies showed that operating two stores so close wouldnotbewise.Thedecisionwas madetomovetoasinglelargerstore bytheMall.Hefiguredsaleswould imakeupforhighercosts.Nowhehasa jthirdmoreroom,asinglelevelfloor plan, and parking is a non-issue. ;Althoughthepaceisfasteratthenew jsite,especiallyintheeveningsandon Saturdays,andtherearemorehoursto cover, Dawes thinks the move was a goodone.
Dawes notes that he and his em¬ ployees miss the amenities of the downtown area, such as the restau¬ rants,andfeelsthereisapsycho¬ logicaldifferencetoworkingbythe Mallinsteadofdowntown,butfeelsfor his business the move was a timely one.“Idon’tthinkwecouldreturnto
Congress Street and succeed now, especiallyinthiseconomy.”
Othersalsomissthatatmosphereof workingdowntown.DaveSturgis,the assistant manager at the Lamey- , WellehanShoeMallstore,remembers; when the downtown and Mall stores wereconsolidatedtwoandahalfyears ago. “There was no comparison,” he said.“TheMallstorealwaysoutsold thedowntownstore.”PaulAdams,a salesman at Lamey-Wellehan Shoe, workedatboththeMallstoreandthe downtownshopbeforerenovationsto theirbuildingforcedtheCongress
Asubstantial numberofsales aremadeinthe I evenings. Adams recallsthatthe Portlandstorewas openonlyon Thursdayevenings. “Downtown we were open 52 hoursaweek,but hereweneedto cover77hoursa week.’’
Streetstoretoclose.“Wehadregulars downtown, people who would come byandsayhelloeveniftheyweren’t buyinganythingthatday.Alotofour customers were older people and professionalwomenwhoworkednear thestore—itwasconvenientforthem todropin.”
Adams liked working downtown. He enjoyed the company of customers and other business men and women who made up thefabricoftheday.Henotes thatthingsmovefasterattheMall store,withawiderbaseofcustomers. Shoppingisalittlemoreintense,anda substantialnumberofsalesaremade intheevenings.Adamsrecallsthatthe Portland store was open only on Thursday evenings. “Downtown we wereopen52hoursaweek,buthere weneedtocover77hoursaweek.” Anna Romano also notices a
First National Bank of Damariscotta Oakhurst Dairy
ERA Flaherty Realty
Georgia
Olin Corporation
H.M. Payson
Penobscot Shoe Company
Penmor Lithographers
Peoples Heritage Bank
Perkins, Thompson, Hinckley & Keddy
Proprietors of Union Wharf
Prudential Mutual Fund Management
Redlon & Johnson Supply
Reed & Reed
C.W. Rogers, Inc.
RVI
Sabre Yachts
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sebasco Lodge and Cottages
James W. Sewall Co.
Shaw's Supermarkets
Skillin's Greenhouses
Stinson, Lupton and Weiss
Thomson, Desmond and Payne
Times Record
United Technologies Corp.
WCLZ The Breeze
Webber Oil Company
Winton Scott Architects
ference in the pace of buying and sellingafterswitchingtotheMall.A saleswomanatLadyGracesince1975, she started at the downtown store alongwithhersister,ViolaRomano, and Alice Merrill. When Lady Grace closedthedowntownstorefiveyears ago,thethreestartedworkingatthe Mallstore.
“Downtown Portland always had a hometown atmosphere,” Romano re¬ calls."Peopleoftencameinandwe wouldspendquiteabitoftimewith them,givingthatextrapersonaltouch ofservice.”Sheisquicktopointout thatthestaffatLadyGracestillstrives toofferthatpersonalservicetoevery customer,althoughoftenthestoreis busy. “We have more customers to takecareofhere,andamoreextensive line(ofitems),thingsfortheyounger crowdthatshopsherenow.”
KarenEstes,whomanagestheLady Grace store, notes customers still connect with downtown. “There are stillolderladieswhocomeinandask why we’re not still downtown.” She shrugshershoulders.“Maybeifthey had bought more when we were open there...”
Both Adams and Romano have adaptedtotheircommutetotheMall. Adams,wholivesnearWestgate,often usedtowalktoworkdowntown.“Now Idrivein,”hesays.“Parkingisno problem,aslongasIstaybehindthe greenline,”referringtoaboundary around the Mall that employees are requiredtoparkbehind.Romano,who haslivedonMunjoyHillforyears,used totakethebusfromMorningStreet downtown. “My husband drives me in towork,andthenpicksmeupatthe endoftheday.Icouldtakethebus,but withthetransferandall,ittakesan houreachway.”Althoughit’snotas convenient, Romano notes that she onlyworkslateonThursdays,soshe doesn’thavetoworryabouttoomany latenightcommutes.
DinoInternationalFursinitiallyset upshopattheGatewayGarageatthe corner of High and Cumberland Avenue. “That Gateway concept just nevermaterializedlikeitwassup¬ posed to,” laments Jane Sperlazzi, directorofstores.Facedwithdeterior¬ atingsalesdowntown,DinoInterna¬ tional Furs joined up with Ward Brothers and became a leased fur salonattheMall.WardBrothersdidn’t
&
makeitattheMall(joiningBailey’sas another unsuccessful jumper from downtown)andayearandahalflater, Dino'ssetupitsownposhstorefrontin theMall.
EventhoughDinoInternationalFurs is considered a destination store, locatingplayedakeyroleinsales. “SuretheMallismoreexpensive,and it'saburdencoveringtheincreased hours,butwehadtomakeourselves accessibletothecustomer.Weareinit for the long term, and we want the customertoknowthat.”
overshadowthestore’sneedtosell andbeseen.Sperlazzipointsoutthat even though the company is still paying monthly for their condo at GatewayinadditiontotheirMal!rent, theyarebetteroffthantheywere.
Angelonehadhiseyeonstart-up costs, too. “When we set up down¬ town,thelandlordfixeduptheplace forus,andweputinabout$40,000for equipment, fixtures, and so forth. Whenwesignedupforaspaceatthe Mall, there was nothing here—dirt floor,andnowallsatall.Wehadto supplyeverything.”Angelonefigures thatheandhissonMichaelAngelone investedcloseto$250,000togetup andrunningattheMall.
Young’sFurnitureCompanyleftFree
StreetinJanuaryof1988.Theupscale retailer,atthesamelocationforover fiftyyears,hadcoveredfivefloorsofan old building, complete with creaky stairsandabalkyelevator.Relocated to a custom showroom on Western Avenueonceontheoutskirtsofthe Mallshoppingdistrict,theynowfind themselvesinthemiddleofaretail boom, with HQ and Marshalls just openednearby,andrestaurantsbeing builtbehindthem.
“Many people, including myself, likedthecharmoftheolderbuilding,” saysStephenYoung,oneoftheowners ofYoung’s.“Ourreasontomovewas weknewtheretailsectorwasnotgoing toremaininPortland.”
Youngsoughtalocationconvenientto theretailcenteroftheMall,butfar enough removed so that his store couldmaintainitsownidentity.“We didn’twanttobenexttoaBurgerKing or a shoe store. By buying our own property, and the land around our store,wewereabletocontrolthat.”
The new store, which the South Portland Assessor conservatively Ivaluesat$911,700fortaxpurposes, I immediately showed an increase in itrafic.“Alotofourcustomerscamein toseewhatwasthere,andwedidalot ofadvertisingfortheopening,”says Young. “You have to remember, too, thatthelate1980swereadifferenttime thanthepresent.”
Youngnotesthathalfhiscustomers comefromoutsidePortlandandappre¬ ciatetheconvenienceofbeingableto shop near the Mall. Is his shop a destinationstore?
Thenewfacilityalsomakesdisplay¬ ingeasier,benefittingsales.“Theold buildingwasfarlessworkable,”re¬ calls Young. Cheryl Steindl, who workedatbothstores,agrees.“Here we have natural light to examine differentfabricsunder,”shesays.“And
S“Personally,Imiss theenvironmentof downtown.I’m it’seasiertosetupandgetaroundwith twofloorsinsteadoffive,eventhough wehaveaboutthesamespace.” Young estimates that the Western Avenuelocationsees50percentmore trafficthantheFreeStreetstoreever did.“Personally,Imisstheenviron¬ mentofdowntown.I’mthereoftenfor therestaurantsandsoforth,butwhenI am,Ihatetothinkwhatourbusiness wouldbeifwewerestill...”
known address convenient to many. Businessthatprovidespersonalshop¬ ping that one can accomplish on a lunchhourwithoutthewholefamily.
Andfinally,businessesthatthriveon thepersonal,shopkeeper-to-customer threadthatregularweekly,monthly,or annual visits may provide. □
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MaineLite
Wouldyoubitethispotatochipinadarkalley?
byElizabethPeavey
It’sthesearchforafat-freeMaine. Yes,traditionalMaine—lovedthe worldoverforitsdripping,hotbutteredlobster;maplesyrup;rich whole cream; potatoes; fried clams; blueberry pies; and baked beans—is emerging as a new Lite Maine.That’showthefasttalkgoes. Withstateentrepreneursscrambling tocatchupwithincreasinglyimpatient demands from discerning Maine con¬ sumers,itmeansweekbyweekthisfall we’re going to be presented with delicious,low-fatalternatives,orat leastascoreofnewMaineproducts swervinginthegeneraldirectionofthe hyperbole.
achipwillalwaysbeachip.Hedoes not see snack foods dramatically affectedbyhealthtrends.Ishisre¬ search and development division workingonthemysticalno-fatpotato chip?Hedodgesthequestion:“People whoenjoyourpotatochipsarenotso muchconcernedwiththeirnutritional contentastheyarewiththeflavor.”He citestwoexamplestosupportthis claim.First,thereisarelativelynew “kettlechip”line,whichisahandcookedproductthathasahigheroil contentthananordinarychip.Growth withthatproducthasbeen“tremen¬ dous.” Second, and perhaps more telling,aretheunsuccessfullowsodiumproducts,whichare“losers” forHumptyDumpty.“Thoseitemsfell flatontheirface.Wekeepthemonthe shelvesnowmoreasapublicconcern
Nonetheless, Mr. Cole considers himself“keenlyawareofhealth.”His daughterisanutritionistandishis sourceformuchofhisinformationin mattersofhealthtrends.
Oneofthemostobviousproducts affectedbythelow-fatboomismilk. Thedairysectionofanygrocerystore isgluttedwithlow-fatandfat-free products. Many of these products, however,havebeenaroundforyears;
low-fattrendsinmilkarenothingnew. Their popularity has steadily in¬ creased.
“Thereisagreatconsumerdemand for low-fat milk products,” claims Stanley Bennett of Oakhurst Dairy. “Theone-percentmilkisoneofthe fastest growing products in the country.”Oakhursthasbeenoffering itscustomerslow-fatalternativesfor10 to15years,andsaleshaveriseneach
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yearwiththeseproducts.Currently,60 percentofOakhurst’ssalesarewith theskimandlow-fatproducts,while wholemilkisat40percent.“Wewere initiallyreticentaboutthemove,” recountsBennett.“Wedidnotseeitto beinthebesteconomicinterestforthe company; we didn’t think we could makeasmuchofaprofit.Wequickly sawwewerewrong.”
Intheearlyandmid-1960s,infact,
skim milk was considered a waste product.NowOakhurstfindsthatthey haveasurplusofcream,butwiththe increasedsalesofpremiumicecream, theyhaveasolidmarketfortheexcess. Thereisanapparentprideintheir low-fatproducts.“Thelowerthefat, theharderitistomaskoff-flavors.We, unlikeothercompanies,donotadd milkpowdertoourproductstogive themawholemilktasteandtexture.
Wefeelthatwereallyshine." Prideseemstobeaprominentin¬ gredientinmilkproduction.“Wein¬ ventedlow-fatmilkintheearly1960s," statesEvanColemanofH.P.Hood.A greatdealoftheirtrendcanbeat¬ tributedtotheirvigorousattentionto consumerinterests.Theyarecurrently inthefinalphasesofapackagere¬ designthatwillhittheshelvesthisfall. Theyhopethenewdesignwillserveas atoolforconsumerstodeterminehow tofittheirproductsintocertaindietary requirements.“Packagingguidelines arecurrentlyunderclosescrutiny,and wewanttotakealeadershipposition inmakingourlabelsclearbeforeit becomes law." The Hood company hasbeenaroundfor147years,and theyfeelagreatdealofpressureto respondtoageneralsenseofpublic “trust."Therehasbeenavigorous interestinthelast10yearsbecon¬ sumerstoknowexactlywhatisinthe productstheyarebuying,andthey want it to be explained in plain language.Hoodfeelsthenewpack¬ agingwilldirectlyrespondtothat demand.
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Forover60yearswe’vebeen making Hood milk in Maine. And now,peoplethroughoutMainecan alsoenjoythetasteofHoodFat FreeproductsinCottageCheese. Yogurt,andSourCream. They’redeliveredtolocalstores everydaytogivethemafresh, naturaltastealltheirown. Soifyou'rehungryfor somethingtrulyfatfree,tryus.
They,too,haveenjoyedagreatdeal ofsuccesswiththelow-fat,light,and fat-freelines.AccordingtoColeman, whole milk consumption is down 6 percent, while skim milk is up 20 percentandlow-fatisup5percent. These products are not fads. That consumerswantmorehealthfulalter¬ nativesisobvious.Thetrendishereto stay.
Evenproducersofahigh-fatfood suchasicecreamarerespond¬ ing.DeeringIceCreamoffersa fat-free,sugar-freeicecream, alongwithfrozenyogurt.Both itemshavebeeneminentlysuccessful. Rather than taking away from ice creamsales,however,theseproducts have opened up a new marketing nicheforconsumerswhomightordin¬ arilynotbeabletoeaticecream,such asdiabetics.Likemanyoftheother producers,Deeringismostinterested inofferinganalternativeratherthan seekingamiraclereplacementforice cream.MightMainerssoonseeasea vegetableicecreamonthemarket?
AlocalpioneerinofferingMainersa low-fatalternativetofastfoodisJim Raffle,ownerofRaff’s,EmilyK’s,and Arby’s.Hesawthebeginningofamore health-conscious consumer in the early1980s.Herespondedtothattrend in1981withthefirstfast-foodsalad bar.Fouryearslatersawtheintroduc¬ tionof100-percentwholewheatbuns and baked or grilled—as opposed to fried—chicken.Eventoday,thetrend continues.AthisSouthPortlandArby’s restaurantheoffersa94-percentfatfreemeal,whichhenoteshasbeen enormously popular with everyone— “even construction workers.” Com¬ mentingonthelow-fattrendheoffers thisobservation:“Whenwestarted out, we were considered weird and different.Nowwe’rejustpartofthe mainstream.”
Notalllocalproducers,however,are hottofollowthistrend.NissenBakery inPortlandseemstoespousethe“youcan’t-get-something-for-nothing”phil¬ osophy.Asopposedtomilkproducers whoderivehealthfulnessbysimplytakingsomething(fat)away,bakeries must replace fats with something— namelymono-anddiglycerides.
“We made a very conscious deci¬ sion not to jump on the fat-free bandwagon,”saysJayNissen.Thefirst andforemostreasonhecitesforthis
decisionisthatwhiletheyhaveexper¬ imented with the fat-free notion, Nissendoesnotfeeltheproductscan standuptotheirstandardsofquality.
“Have you tasted fat-free cakes? They’reterrible.Theytastelikebubble gum.”
Another important factor is the currentregulatoryclimateconcerning healthclaimsonproducts.Dr.David
‘Wemade a very consciousdecision nottojumponthe fat-freeband¬ wagon,”says JayNissen.
The Danforth Street Gallery, 34 Danforth Street; Portland, will be showing "Green Dream Vessel” by Cynthia Thompson fromOctober 24 to December 1. 775-6245.
LirosGallery,MainStreet,BlueHill,will feature 19th Century American land and seascapes by Wesley Webber, Carl P. Weber, and C.J. Miles through October. 374-5370.
TheO'FarrellGallery,46MainStreet,Bruns¬ wick.Through October, Cratts and Archi¬ tects, large environmental works of art. 729-8228.
TheGalleryat6Deering,6DeeringStreet, Portland.Thewatercolors ofCarlSchmalz willbeshownfromOctober4to26,andthe oilandwatercolorsof David TutwiIyer will be displayed beginningNovember 1.
PortlandMuseumofArt,7CongressSquare, Portland,presents ‘‘Impressionism and Post Impressionism: The Collector’s Passion,” featuringtheworksof Monet, Renoir, and Degas as well as 28 other masters through October 13. Toursofthe exhibitionwillbegivenfreewithmuseum admission Thursdays at 5:15 p.m. and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. And the Critics Said..., adramaticdialoguebythePortland StageCompanyaboutthestingingcriticism thatmetthefirstImpressionismexhibits, will be performed on October9at3p.m. 775-6148. For information on the exhibit call874-0213inPortland,1-800-834-0156in Maine,and1-800-639-4067inNewEngland.
SteinGlassGallery,20MilkStreet,Portland. The "Three Star Group” of Drobnis, Wil¬ lson, and Wolfe willbedisplayingtheir contemporary glass sculpture through October 15. Then, Peter Andres, "sensual sculpture in bright primary colors and blown,boldshapes.”Forinformation,call772-9072.
theater
Portland Stage, Portland Performing Arts Center, 27A Forest Avenue. October 29November 27 Goblin Market, the en¬ trancingchambermusicalbyPollyPenand Peggy Harmon. 774-04665.
Mad Horse Theatre, 955 Forest Avenue, Portland. Countess Dracula, Through Oc¬ tober20. Then, A Life In the Theater by David Mamet, a delightful spoof which follows two actors through the ups and downs of their careers in the theater, November 21 -December 15. Thursday throughSunday.797-3338.
PortlandLyricTheater,176SawyerStreet, SouthPortland.Thistheater’s39thseason startswith George Ml It’samontageofhits
PortlandPlayers,420CottageRoad,SouthPort¬ land.Their61stseasonbeginswith Pump Boys & Dinettes, directedbyEdRomanoff.This rollickingmusicalwentfromOff-Broadwayto Broadwaywhereithadalongrun.Itembodies thevalueoffriendshipandlife’ssimple pleasures.TheshowappearsfromOctober426.Next,it'sNeilSimon's The Sunshine Boys, fromNovember 29-December 14.
ActorsTheaterofMaine,RR1Box900,Leeds, 04263,presents Greater Tuna, attheOgunquit SquareTheater,through October 19 $10. 646-5151.
music
CityHallAuditorium. October 3,7:30,the African Ballet of the Republic of Guin-ea. Thisensembleof35presentsauniqueblendof traditionaldance,music,andstorytelling.On October27,at3p.m.,the Guildhall String Ensemble NorthAmericantourdebut,featuring recordervirtuoso MichalaPetri assoloist.7728630or800-639-2707.
PortlandSymphonyOrchestra,PortlandCityHall Auditorium,presentsthePopsSeriesSaturday eveningsat8p.m.andSundayafternoonsat3 p.m.beginningwitha Salute to Leonard Bernstein on October 19 and 20. The PSO ClassicalSeriesbegins October1withcellist Janos Starker. ThePSOCandlelightSeries beginsitsMozartFestivalwith Mozart’s Swan Songs featuringhighlyregardedsoloistand chambermusicperformerPSOclarinetist Pa¬ tricia Shands on November 3.Sundaysat2 p.m.and6p.m.intheSonestaHotel'sEastland Ballroom.773-8191.
TheChoralArtSociety,P.O.Box8815,Portland, 04104presentsRobertShaw,conductoremer¬ itusoftheAtlantaSymphony,inaperformance ofJohannesBrahms' German Requiem. The 150-memberchoruswillbeaccompaniedbythe PSO onOctober13,3p.m.atPortlandCityHall Auditorium.773-8191.
The Portland Folk Club presents Priscilla Herdman October26,at8attheLutherBonney AuditoriumatUSM.773-9549.
BowdoinCollegeConcertSeries,Brunswick, 04011presents New England Piano Quartette November5,7:30.$8/$10.725-3201.
miscellaneous
JonesMuseumofGlassandCeramics,Douglas Hill,Sebago. October 12, from11a.m.to5p.m., the Fall Fashion Show & Luncheon will featureDoncasterCo.’sfallline.$24.50forthe day.October26, Gay LeClaire Taylor on New Jersey: Glassmaker to the Union. 787-3370.
Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport, October12&13from10am.to4:30p.m.,see andridelotsofthelesscommonlyusedtrolleys beforetheyretireforthewinter. The Ghost Trolley Rides into the Unknown onFriday andSaturday,October18&19and25&26, withthebiggestandcraziestHalloweencelebra¬ tionpossible.DoyoudaretoridetheGhost Trolley?967-2000.
Southworth Planetarium, Universityof SouthernMaine,96FalmouthStreet,Portland. CallourSkyWatchHotLine,at780-4719,fora weeklyupdateofskyevents—moonandplanet positions,eclipses,andotherevents.Public EveningShowseveryFridayandSaturday.Doors openat6:30p.m.Astronomyshowsat7p.m. Laser-Lightshowsat8:30p.m.Pleasearriveat least15minutesbeforeshowtime.Oncebegun, showswillnotbeinterruptedforlatearrivals. Admissiononafirst-come,fiist-servebasis. Childrenunderage5notadmittedtopublic evening shows. Once a month there is a Telescope Night. Comeseetherealstars.Tour theSolarSystembyvisitingtheExhibitArea,a splendidseriesofspaceartpreparedexclusively fortheSouthworthPlanetariumbytheNational GeographicSociety.Theexhibitareaisopento all,freeofcharge,from9a.m.through5p.m. mostdays,asofficestaffmembersareavailable. PlanetariumDirector:RoyGallant.
WalkerArtBuilding,BowdoinCollege,Bruns¬ wick.OnNovember3at4p.m.,attendthegallery talk “Tales of Arabia,” storiesforyoung audiencesreadbyBowdoinCollegestudents andfollowedbyatouroftheexhibition The Here and the Hereafter: Images of Paradise inIslamicArt, byAshleyG.Wernher'93,art historymajorandMuseumofArtstudentatten¬ dant.OnNovember13,thegallerytalkis Rembrandt and His Contemporaries," by SusanE.Wegner,associateprofessorofart.
Maine Maritime Museum. 243 Washington Street,Bath.OnOctober19there'sanAp¬ prenticeshop Workshop, "Canoe Rebuilding andRecanvassing,"withRollinThurlow,9a.m. to4p.m.atMaineMaritimeMuseum.Costis$50 formembers.$60fornon-members.OnOctober 22it’s"TransportationbyWaterinMaine—A Tradition,"byBenFuller.Lecturebeginsat5:45 p.m.Costis$3members,$5non-members.On November 17, the Apprenticeshop Workshop "MarineSurveying,"withSamSlaymaker,willbe heldfrom9a.m.to4p.m.attheMaritime Museum.Costis$50formuseummembers,$60 fornon-members.ThePortlandBrassQuintet concert,“OldBrassmeetsNewBrass,"artifacts andinstrumentsinSewallHall.443-1316.
PortlandPublicLibrary,5MonumentSquare, Portland. Photographs of Northern Russia by Dennis Marrotte of Westbrook, from October2-30.TakenbyMarrotteonthreerecent tripstoArchangel,Portland'sSovietsistercity, and the nearby town of Kargopol, these photographs—Cibachrome prints—reveal the beautyofthisremotearea.871-1700.
DARK HARBOR CAPE on over three and a half acres with westerly waler views. Year-round home with 3 bedrooms, living room with fireplace, kitchen, and dining room with wood stove, study, and 2 full baths. Prime location within steps of Yacht Club. $245,000.
VACATION HOME FOR $69,000. A-framc with 3-story lower addition. Attached greenhouse, large deck. Secluded in the woods, but near the ferry.
WATERFRONT HOME with 185' of frontage on tidal cove and spectacular views toward East Penobscot Bay. $185,000.
ANTIQUE CAPE in need of restoration. Situated among fruit trees and acreage available for expansion. Detached barn. $70,000.
MODULAR HOME with water views. 3 bedrooms, one and one-half baths. Detached 1-car garage. $70,000.
OCEANFRONT YEAR-ROUND 3-BEDROOM HOME on 2 1/2 acres with 250' of frontage. Fully furnished, attached 1-car garage. $298,000.
DARK HARBOR VICTORIAN with 4 plus bedrooms. Insulated, 3rd floor deck with waler views. Working fireplaces in living-room, dining room, and bedroom. Large, double lot with lilacs and trees. Within walking distance of Dark Harbor Village and school. $209,500.
FORMER BED & BREAKFAST on one acre of land being offered fully furnished. Up to 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, music room, living room, and more. $235,000.
This year experience someofthebestsail¬ ing and scenery in Penobscot Bay. This charming Victorian featuresalivingroom fireplacepluslovely oak woodwork and floors,3-4bedrooms, full bath and ample atticstoragewitheasy access. Just outside North Haven Village, easy walk to public dock or yacht club.
This 1860's farmhouse sitsamidfruittrees, pastures,andperenni¬ al gardens. This fur¬ nished family resi¬ dence or seasonal home,tastefullyupdat¬ ed throughout, is in move-in condition and features6bedrooms,5 1/2 baths, greenhouse dining,attachedgarage and separate barn. Come enjoy quality island community liv-
Comfortablehousefor summer or weekend get-aways or rental income.$100,000.
Change Your Lifestyle!
100 Year Old Country Store- with 3-bedroom apartment upstairs. Three milestothebay inaquaint village just off U.S. #1. $125,000.,plus$15,000.for inventory.Turnkey.»»
Tidewater Farm-42acres, 3500sq.ft.AntiqueCenter Chimney Cape with 4 fire¬ places, sunroom, billiard room,indoorheat¬ ed pool, barn, 4car garage. Pri¬ vateandsecluded, excellent condi¬ tion. iM-mile to oceanbayviasalt¬ water estuary. A realshowplace. Broker owned. $275,000.
PLEASE SEND FOR OUR
Bartlett’sHarbor,NorthHaven,ME(207)867-4726
HISTORIC BATH MANSION
BAR MILLS BEAUTY
NOW on the National Register of Historic _Places, this handsome Greek Revival (Circa.184-1)homefeaturesmarblefireplaces, antique chandeliers, gleaming hardwood floors and ornate original woodwork. Meti¬ culouslycaredfor,theapprox.4800sq.ft.of restored living space could be expanded for residentialorprofessionaluses. Pricedat$399,900. (Owner financing considered).
CarolS.McMullan ERA Tom Tinsman Associates 349 Ocean House Rd. Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 (207)799-2244
Classifieds > ERA Jordan Realty
RobertW.Williams Real Estate Brokers
SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE COASTAL HARPSWELL PROPERTIES
BAILEY ISLAND-Mackerel Cove Marina, restaurant, and 3-bedroom antique cape onprotecteddeepwater. Only dockage and fuel businessinactiveyearround anchorage. Enjoy arelaxedcoastalwater¬ frontlifestyle.Callfor details and a showing. $545,000.
BAILEY ISLAND-'Truly
Unique” describes this waterfront property adjacent to the Orr’s/ BaileyIslandCribstone Bridge.Currentlyarest¬ aurant, 2300 SF struc¬ turelendsitselftocon¬ version to a private residence. A 100' dock with ramp and floating decksystemisprotectedfromroughwaters, butisconvenienttoopenocean.$275,000.
Bailey Island, Maine 04003 (207) 833-5078 • (207) 833-7795 FAX (207) 833-5915
RECENTLY REFURBISHED.
3-unit, Two 3-bedroom apartments;one2-bedroom. Oilheat.Separatemeters. Off-streetparking.$139,000.
ing. Downtown Portland location.Twoandthreebed¬ room apartments. Separate meters. $149,000.
SEBAGO LAKE: Stepintothepastinthislovely 1900’s shingle-style home maintainedinoriginalcon¬ ditionbysameownerfor45 years.7bedrooms,4baths,2 sleepingporches,wrap-around screen porch. Two dramatic stonefireplacesindiningroom &livingroom,brickfireplace inmasterbedroomsuite.205' ofprivateshorefront,dockand 3out-buildings.Furnishings included add to charm and atmosphere.Z$660,000.
SEBAGO LAKE: Lakesidelivingcanbeyours inthisverynice4-bedroom, 1.5-bath home. Well taken careof,withliving/diningroomcombinationwithcathe¬ dralceilingandwonderful stonefireplace.Lotsofglass onlakesidetotakeinthe view.105'+/-ontheshore. Includes deck & dock. New septicsystem.Z$199,000.
ON THE WATER. Fantastic contemporary-style home on a deep water acre lot, this home offers all the amenities: plenty of living space, sunny westerly decks, long vistas over Harpswell Sound. Proud¬ ly offered at$475,000.
center chimney _ - Cape set along the Pemaquid River. Main
house has many original features including wainscoting,widepinefloors,fireplaces
and 9 over 6 windows. Ell features 4-unit Bed and Breakfast and 1 bedroom apart- I mentwithfireplacedlivingroom.
This classic Newcastle village home on RiverRoadiscurrentlyaverysuccessfulB&B.Features include high ceilings, floor-length windows, marble fireplaces,andwonderfulriverviews.Anattachedbamand separateowner’squarterscompletethisfineproperty.There
ROM ITS PARK-LIKE GROUNDS toitselegantfront hallwithcircularstaircaseandchandelier,thisstately brickhomeexudeseleganceandcharm.Situatedon2acres oflovelylawnsandshadetrees,itoffersthepossibilityof6 or7bedrooms,3bathswithspaceformore,andanattached arc 4 bedrooms and room over the barn for severalmore.Thebusinesshasbeengrowing steadilyoverthepasttwoyears,and Hthcy arc now listed in most of the importanttradepublications. wahoo- Price: $270,000.
2 storey brick-walled barn for more bedroomsordiningareas.Walkingdistance tothevillage.RoadfrontageonU.S. RouteOne.Greatinnpotentialina lovelycoastalvillage. Price: $465,000.
Last Impressions
NewfictionbyKeithHartman
L k 1 F aY I have some more " " Kfl tea?"Iaskthewaitressin B/l Cantonese. She screams ■I andrunsoutoftheres«»»JLtaurant.Thisstrikesme as odd because the service is usuallysogoodhere.
A few seconds later the other waitress and the cook come out and stareattheTVsetonthewallbehind me. They look concerned. Finally, thewaitressgoestothecashregis¬ ter,takesoutahandfulofbills,and headsforthedoor.
The cook ponders this for a mo¬ ment,thengoesandgetstherestof the money from the register. “No pointinsavingforarainydaynow,” hesays,andthenhegoestoo.It’s beginningtolookasifI’mnotgoing togetmytea.
So I turn around and tell the TV about the absurdity of human exis¬ tence. It ignores me. I laugh, be¬ cause it reminds me of my son-inlawK’ung,theuniversityprofessor towhomIcanneverteachanything. He often speaks to me as if I were oneofhisstudents,tellingmeabout the consistent and rational forces which shape history, and it always bothers him when I say that human history is like human life, a long series of mistakes, coincidences, and confusion. He tells me that I lack proper perspective. 1 wonder what perspective I should have on what’s happening today.
There is a loud shattering noise fromthestreet.Igooutsidetodis¬ cover its source and see a second word processor plunging towards thesidewalk.FurtherupIcanseea Xerox machine being pushed out an upper story window. I watch the followingstreamoffilingcabinets, rolodexes, and coffee makers rain
538 Congress Street
10amto5:30pm•Mon-Sat
Rare and Used Books
Maps and Prints
Bought&Sold
Tax&InsuranceAppraisals
Singleitemsorlargecollectionswanted
I down to the pavement, and I notice hownicetheskylookstoday.It’sthe firstwarmdaywe’vehadinOctober, andTommy’sParkisalittlelessthana blockaway.Iturnandwalksouth, hopingtomakeitbeforethebombhits.
My arguments with K’ung always boildowntoasinglemisunderstand¬ ing:HethinksthatIviewhistoryasa series of random, unrelated occur¬ rences. He’s wrong. I do appre¬ ciate the pattern that connects events.ButasIlistentothemaninthe newsstandyellingthathe’swonthe lottery,asIwatchthecouplecopul¬ atingontopofapolicecarandthe mobofincrediblythinwomenwhoare lootingSteve’sIceCream,Ifindit impossibletobelievethatthepattern isanyofthesimple,rationalthingsof K’ung’stheories.Whateveritismustbe strange,andperhapsnotaltogether sane.
Iamnearlyknockedoverbyaman who sprints past me wearing a sandwich board. “REPENT! THE END IS NEARER THAN YOU THINK!” I recover my balance in time to be shovedasidebyhispursuer,ayoung man in a business suit wielding a handfulofguacamole.
Itisallstrangelyappropriate, thoughIdonotunderstandwhy.The planetsspin,theseasonschange,the migrations come and go, and I get pushed over by a yuppie who can’t standtohear“Itoldyouso”from someonewithoutanM.B.A.I’msureit all fits together in some bizarre manner.
Ireachthecornerattheedgeofthe parkandstartdownthepath.Ipassa youngladywithahastilywrittensign taped to her shirt. “GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE.” I decide not to inquire.
Ifindmyfavoritetree,avetyoldoak. Someone has stapled a flyer to it informing me that I can get full¬ coveragelifeinsurancefor$3.25a monthifIactrightnow.1sitdown.It’s beenmanyyearssinceIcouldmanage alotusposition,butIcrossmylegsin imitation.AndthenIdowhatIhave spentmywholelifelearningtodo.I reachoutwithmysensesandtakethe entire moment: the lingering mem¬ oriesoflunch,thethingsI’dseen on my way here, the warm smell of the grass beneath me, the buzz of theyellowjacketsaroundthetrash
can,theheatofthesunonmyface,the singlebeadofsweatrunningdownmy lefttemple.Itakeallthisandwrapitup intoasingleshiningpointinmymind, asingleexpression.Istandhereinthe darkness inside my head and admire thesymmetry,thewayinwhichevery aspectcontributestothewhole.My granddaughter always laughs at me whenItrytoexplainwhatthisislike. She asks how anyone can devote his lifetomasteringanartthatproduces novisibleproduct.AndsinceIcannot explain in English what she cannot understand in Cantonese, I never answer.
Itakethemomenttotheshelfwhere Ikeepalltheothershiningpointsand placeitatoneend.Here,staringat theselittlepiecesofmylife,Ifeel certainthatthey’renotjustunrelated bitsofreality.1gobacktothefarendof theshelfandfindthefirstmomentI ever stored there, when I was just learningtheartofmeditation.Itakeit down and contemplate it, the scene from my family’s garden, with the mountainsandmyolderbrotherhold¬ ingmyyoungersisterupside-downso thatshecanseewhattheothersideof theworldislike.WhenIhaveitfirmly inmymentalgrip,Itakethesecond pointandfusethetwo.ThenItakethe third,andthefourth,workingmyway along.IfindtheaweIfeltwhenIfirst sawtheocean,laughingwithmywife onourweddingnight,awalkbyalake inthewinterof1959,thesunriseonthe morningofmyfather’sfuneral,andmy ratherembarrassingintroductionto Americanfastfoodatthehandsofmy granddaughter. I fuse all the many brightpointsthatI’vestoredthrough¬ outmylife,andwatchtheimagegrow clearerwitheachaddition.AtlastI reachacertainwarmFridayinOcto¬ ber,theshelfisempty,and1sitherein the darkness looking at the spark whichisthesumofallI’veknownand feltoftheworld.Itisperfect,and completeasnothingeveris.Itisa man’slife,andithaspurpose.
Aflashproducesarippleonthe bubble of my consciousness. It is followedbywindandheat,butthey come too late to stop me. I have understood.
Evenauniverseneedstolaughonce inawhile.Andtheonlyfulfillmentwe caneverknowistolaughrightbackat it.
V incorporateTrauel ManB^ Don’t Know About OurUMqueCombinationOfPrice, SelectionAndLocations.
