Tidewater Times April 2023

About the Cover Photographer Hugh Bailey

As of this writing, our beloved Pop, Hugh Bailey, is entering the end-stage of his life. Many of you will remember him walking up and down the streets, gathering Tidewater Times ads, and always smiling. Even in his fi nal days, he was always a happy guy.

Hugh and his wife, Evelyn, led a pretty idyllic life together. They were able to retire early and enjoy traveling across the country in or on one of their many vehicles. They especially loved to get out on the open highway on their motorcycle, tent camping. In later years, they spent much of their time exploring the United States and Canada in their motorhome and Jeep. Being out in nature was their thing.

To say they enjoyed life would be an understatement. Mom and Pop would come home from one of their many trips and regale us with stories about sing-a-longs around campfi res and helping other Jeepers make it through rocky passages. They made great friends wherever they went. And the pictures ~ Pop carried a camera with him wherever he went. If they weren’t traveling, he was making photo albums of their trips.

One of their favorite places to go was Hilton Head Island, SC. They would spend their winters exploring the deep South.

By the time you read this, Pop will once again be with the love of his life, Evelyn, off on another grand adventure.

Please send any memorial donations to Talbot Hospice, 586 Cynwood Dr., Easton, MD 21601.

Fried Oyster’s at Cindy’s

by Helen Chappell

It was a brave man who ate the first oyster.

~ Dr. Samuel Johnson

At lunchtime on a weekday, Cindy’s Kitchen Restaurant is standing room only as hungry patrons jam the former corner store on Aireys Road east of Cambridge.

Hungry watermen, farmers, hunters and guides fill the busy place, and the biggest sound you’ll hear is that of men eating and talking man talk. Carhartt, denim and boots fill the place, whether

at the counter or the dozen or so tables. Cindy Slacum Bayless, her daughters, Hanna, Danielle and Kayla, and the kitchen staff are hopping, trying to keep everyone fed. These are men and some women with appetites, and this is where they come.

People who look down on anything less than the four-star eateries of Easton wouldn’t be com -

Cindy's

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fortable here, but for someone who likes good fried oysters and men who work with their hands, this is home.

For an old hand at covering the waterfront, which is what I am, this is like home. I cut my journalist’s teeth living among and writing about people like this. Watching Cindy, serious and competent, move like a queen among her customers is great, and she's been at it for 22 years.

One of my lunch companions

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Cindy's

tells me Cindy used to own a place downtown near Maryland Avenue before she moved out here east of town. She’s got her regulars and her followers, and I can see why. She and her daughters have built a place where knowledgeable locals can grab a good meal at a reasonable price.

The fried oysters have just a bit of heat in the batter, an unexpected surprise that really pops. Likewise the kale, with just a bit of butter. This is good stuff. This is the stuff I have missed for years.

My experience with oysters goes back to my childhood, when my fa -

The wall of children and grandchildren at Cindy’s.

Cindy's

ther’s patients used to bring him cans of them, already shucked and ready to go.

Then we’d have oyster stew. It was traditional and very simple. Heat a cast iron skillet, add the oysters, wait until they curled at the edges, then add milk and butter and just a little salt and pepper. Just before it went on the boil, my mother would take it off the stove and dole it out into steaming bowls. At first, I just spooned in that broth, but later I started to really enjoy the texture of those oysters, soft and kind of chewy with a burst of fish and salt. Oyster stew is still on my menu on a couple of cold winter nights every year, but I’ve started to experiment with herbs and spices. I refuse to spoil my oysters by adding

chopped onions and potatoes and making a chowder, but if that suits you, be my guest.

My mother would serve it with Old Trenton Oyster Crackers, a kind of commercially produced beaten biscuit that we cracked up by hand and scattered into the broth. If you look at the fish stores, you might still find Old Trentons.

Or, better yet, you can go down to Corner Market in Cambridge and buy yourself some real homemade beaten biscuits, which are the subject of another story for another time, an authentic Eastern Shore delicacy not to be missed. I was raised on Old Trentons, and I will clutch them as the hill I want to die on. Everyone needs something to bring back their childhood happy memories once in a while.

Back in the day, I had a friend who was a waterman on Tilghman.

Cindy's

ries. And I was a good listener. I could almost make myself invisible when leaning into the flatbed of a truck down at the cove with the guys while they talked guy talk and waterman talk.

The walls at Cindy’s are covered with signs like “There will be a $5 charge for Whining,” and “No Sniveling,” and “My kid beat up your Honor Student.”

And through him, I met other watermen who sort of treated me as a cross between their secretary and a mascot: a little more intelligent than a Lab, but able to take notes about their stories and write up their complaints to the fish cops or Annapolis or their lawyer or whatever. A journalist—I wasn’t quite a girl to them, which suited me just fine. In the hyper-macho world of Dogwood Cove, women stay home and take care of the kids.

“This is ma friend H’en,” the boys would say at Dodge City, a former bar now a trendy restaurant, when we’d had a couple. “She speaks French. Say sumpin in French, H’ln.”

It was as if they’d been waiting for someone to tell their sto -

In return, I got to have adventures not just on land, but out on the water. Crabbing in the summer, patent tonging in the winter. There’s just something about getting up at three a.m., getting to blast the horn so the bridge tender can open the jaws of the old counterweight at Knapp’s Narrows and dawn just cracking on the horizon as you head out into the Bay to do a day’s work.

The swells were about nine feet this one day we went patent tonging. It was the captain, the culler and me, and it was so bloody cold out there my eyelashes were frozen, but hey. You hang out with the boys, and you get oysters to take home.

The smell of the fuel and the sway of the patent dredge made it interesting, as I mostly had to avoid getting seasick or getting smashed in the head by the swinging rig, but when those first oysters spilled out on the culling

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board and I learned how to shuck and eat an oyster right then and there, it was magic. That oyster was probably a standard, but it tasted so good and so salty I was thrilled.

I’m still not much of a shucker. I have the scars on my hand to prove my incompetence. But oh, I do love oysters.

The late Edwina Murphy, my adopted second mother, taught me how to cook them. My oyster fritters will never equal hers. She always said I had a heavy, heavy hand with pastry, but I will still order them at every fire hall and lodge supper that serves them. Some people make them with pancake batter. Some people make them with cornmeal mix. Doesn’t matter to me, I’ll eat them.

My aunt taught me how to make an oyster pie, which you don’t see much around these parts, but it’s

popular around Philadelphia and New York. It’s saltine crackers, butter, a dash of red pepper and cream in a casserole dish. You can jazz it up, as my aunt did, with crabmeat and cheese and use it as a covered dish offering at a potluck. She never took home anything but an empty dish.

I’ll happily eat Oysters Rockefeller. Why not? As long as someone else makes them.

A friend was recently horrified to watch me and another friend shuck and eat raw oysters right over the sink. He was dead certain we were going to die that very night from some pollution disease, I forget which one. I figured we’d drunk enough vodka to kill any lingering bacteria, and I was lucky enough to be right. But the hangover from the Stoli made me wish I was dead the next day. I’d be a terrible alcoholic.

Now that the oyster season is closing, with the last of the R months, I’m going to get down to Cindy’s for my last half-dozen fried oysters before crabcake season starts.

Helen Chappell is the creator of the Sam and Hollis mystery series and the Oysterback stories, as well as The Chesapeake Book of the Dead . Under her pen names, Rebecca Baldwin and Caroline Brooks, she has published a number of historical novels.

A Journey in Pink Part VI: 2-Year Survivor, Embracing Life by

Bonna L. Nelson

There are nearly 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, and each will contend with the effects of their diagnosis and treatment in different ways…research is also being devoted to finding ways to improve overall care and well-being so that survivors can go on to live longer, healthier lives.

~ Chuck Rose, Cancer Survivor and Creative Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI)

There are nearly 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, and each will contend with the effects of their diagnosis and treatment in different ways…research is also being devoted to finding ways to improve overall care and wellbeing so that survivors can go on to live longer, healthier lives.

~ Chuck Rose, Cancer Survivor and Creative Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI) I thought I might be finished

with writing about my breast cancer journey. But over the past six months, I have learned about nine friends with newly diagnosed cancers. I was stunned by the number of men and women in our circle struck down by “the emperor of all maladies.” I found it impossible to wrap my head around the fact that nine friends had to do battle with the disease, and all at the same time.

I wrote about my breast cancer journey in Tidewater Times , be -

Embracing Life

ginning with the January 2021 issue, which described my diagnosis and surgery. I continued to document the experience sequentially: February, chemotherapy; March, radiation; and April, surviving and paying it forward.

Using my journals written during the experience and email updates sent to family and friends by my husband, John, helped in putting the stories together to share, inform and maybe alleviate some of the fear and mystery. After all, we all know someone who has experienced cancer, or have had it ourselves. Writing and sharing was a therapeutic exercise for me and kept me moving

forward. Those 2021 stories are available at tidewatertimes.com .

I received heartwarming feedback from my cancer chronicles. Readers contacted the magazine for more copies to share. Strangers approached me in public with appreciation for opening the door on the cancer trek. Women told me they had made appointments for the mammograms they had put off during the pandemic or because they were just too crazy-busy.

During the next year, my doctors suggested that I write a first-year survivor story, which I did in the April 2022 issue. It documents a year of recovery, regaining strength and stamina, continuing required follow-up exams and testing and

Embracing Life

motherapy, radiation, clinical trials, medication and novel treatments. A variety of cancers presented: breast, colon, lung, lymphoma, nonHodgkin’s (follicular) lymphoma and prostate. I constantly think about how I can help them, comfort them and share what I know from my breast cancer experience. Some are coming to the end of their cancer treatment journey, but some have a long way to go.

supporting others in treatment.

This year, my medical team again suggested that I share my posttreatment experiences as a service to readers after two years as a survivor. As I said, I didn’t think I had much to share until…

My friends, four men and five women in the throes of cancer diagnoses, are now in various treatment programs that include surgery, che-

On the bright side, I also know more than nine friends who are fellow cancer survivors. We earn that title at various points along the journey and as defined by medical specialists in the cancer world. The defi nition of a cancer survivor is quite fuzzy and loose. Some say a person is considered a survivor from the moment of diagnoses. For me, that would be since June 2020, when I was diagnosed with an invasive ductal, triple negative (aggressive), HER 2, stage I carcinoma of the right breast.

My oncology surgeon, Dr. Roberta Lilly, considers me a survivor from the date of the lumpectomy that she successfully performed in July

Dr. Roberta Lilly

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Embracing Life

2020. The American Cancer Society uses the term cancer survivor to refer to “anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer no matter where they are in the course of their disease.” This would mean that my newly diagnosed friends are survivors, too.

I considered myself a survivor after my last treatment, radiation, in January 2021. Therefore, I am calling this story my two-year survivor story. Having survived surgery, chemo and radiation makes me feel like a SURVIVOR, a WARRIOR. My post-treatment exams and testing have shown me to be cancer free for now. Call me BLESSED, too!

I have been advised that I have a 95% chance of survival for five years if there is no recurrence or new cancer. At five years out, I can be called not just in remission, not just a survivor, but CURED!

Someone once said that a survivor is a person who perseveres despite hardship or danger. I was lucky to have an excellent medical team and many other cancer survivors to coach me throughout my treatment journey. My friends, whether newly diagnosed, newly in treatment, new survivors, will have me and their team of supporters to carry them forward, too.

So, what happened in this second year of survival? There is more to share. First, the good news. I con-

tinue to get stronger, my blood test results are finally normal and my hair has grown back to its former length. Hooray!

In other heartening news, the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UMSRH) asked me to share my breast cancer journey via a video interview last summer. A team from UM Medical System (MS), Baltimore, set up their equipment at our home. I was a bit nervous. It was my first such experience. But John reminded me that the purpose of the interview was to share my pink journey in order to inform and educate. So, I wrapped my head around that and relaxed a bit for the interview.

The resulting video was posted on the UMSRH and UMMS Facebook pages and on YouTube. The interview detailed my treatment experiences, the terrific UM medical teams and staying positive while moving forward.

A few lingering bumps in the road persist. I have found specialists to help with some post-treatment

physical anomalies. Both chemo and radiation caused weakness and fatigue, which has led to less muscle strength, stamina and endurance. After all, the chemo killed not only cancer cells but healthy cells in all major systems, which caused brain fog, awful GI issues, mouth sores, hair loss, etc. The radiation may have exacerbated changes in bone density.

Embracing Life cal team ordered a screening for osteoporosis. The common test is a type of low-level x-ray called a bone density test or DEXA scan. I had been screened, as recommended, every three years after age 50, and those scans were available for comparison. Osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis, was identified in my previous scans and in my postchemo, pre-radiation screen. This is when the bones are determined to be weaker than normal but are not yet prone to breakage.

Let’s begin with bone loss. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are bone conditions that affect almost 20% of women over 50. According to the Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control, osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become weak and brittle and are more likely to break.

The body constantly absorbs and replaces bone tissue. With osteoporosis, new bone creation doesn’t keep up with old bone removal. More than 3 million cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Treatment can help, but it can’t be cured.

Between my chemotherapy and radiation treatments, my medi -

Post-radiation, another scan revealed that the osteopenia had worsened in just two months to osteoporosis, possibly caused by radiation. All testing was done at the UMSRH Diagnostic Center in Easton, MD.

After my astute family practitioner, Shirley Seward, CRNP, saw the test results, she sent me to a local

Shirley Seward, CRNP

Embracing Life

knows everything about bones. She will order a new bone density test for me in a few months to determine if and how the Evenity has worked and the next step on this bone health journey.

osteoporosis specialist, Glenda T. McCarter, CRNP at the Orthopedic Center Osteoporosis Clinic, Easton, a UMSRH partner. I have been in her care for a year now, receiving monthly evaluations, encouragement, recommendations and injections of Evenity. The medication is recommended because it is the first and only osteoporosis treatment that builds new bone while also slowing bone loss.

I have always tried to follow the usual recommendations for good health: frequent exercise, wellbalanced diet, required tests and vitamin and mineral intake (calcium and D for bone health). But for many women of a certain age, the body stops absorbing the minerals it needs for healthy bones.

Glenda is professional, knowledgeable, kind and patient. She

RECOMMENDATION: Ask your doctor about your bone health and undergoing a bone density test after age 50. Follow general good health recommendations regarding exercise, diet, tests and vitamin/mineral intake.

Also this year, I found that my gait was rocky and my balance off. I took a few non-injurious tumbles at home and had back pain. I decided to visit my physical therapist, Brian Mielke at Tidewater Physical Therapy, Easton, for a tune up. Brian is a genius. I was thinking the worst, as we all do sometimes. Did I need back surgery? Was one leg shorter than the other after two knee replacements? What had I or cancer treatments done to cause this situation? Were my shoes a problem?

After a careful evaluation and interview, Brian determined that my problem was core muscle weakness. He prescribed strengthening hip, pelvis, back and glute exercises to get

Glenda T. McCarter, CRNP

Embracing Life

had to sit down between small exercise efforts. I am still working on strengthening and endurance, but I now know that I can only get better.

Brian and his team at Tidewater Physical Therapy have helped many cancer patients regain strength, endurance and mobility after cancer treatments.

RECOMMENDATION: Ask your doctor about a referral for physical therapy should you experience falls, feel wobbly or have muscle or bone aches, pain or weakness. Diagnosis and improvement may be very possible with evaluation and exercise.

Brian Mielke

me back on track. So, I added Brian’s regimen to my current schedule of walking, home gym workouts and a thrice-weekly exercise class with the YMCA’s wonderful Wendy Palmer. Astonishingly, I had improvement in my gait and balance within two weeks after starting the new targeted muscle strengthening exercise program both in office with Brian and at home. My back pain subsided. I did not need to see other specialists or have surgery or other treatment. What a relief!

I believe that my core muscles were weakened by my many down days during the big C treatments, which included frequent and muchneeded three-hour naps. Though I exercised, it was not at the same level as before treatment, and I frequently

Additionally, during this second year of survival, a scary nodule was found in my left breast during the physical evaluation after a six-month mammogram of my right breast, post-lumpectomy. Note that after breast cancer treatment, six-month mammograms and checkups with the surgical oncologists are the norm. Of course, I always worry about the test outcome. Could it come back?

My radiation oncologist released me at a year after my completion of radiation treatment and two “clean” mammograms. My medical or chemo oncologist required two six-month and now yearly exams.

My right breast (the cancerous breast) mammogram showed no malignancy. Yippee! But…when Jo-Ayne Kerry-Tuner, MSN, FNP, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center conducted the physical, she found a

Embracing Life

suspicious lump on my left breast. The left breast did not require a mammogram during that visit, only at 12-month intervals. I thought, “Oh boy, here we go again!” Back down the hall I went to have the left breast mammogrammed and ultrasounded.

Dr. Lilly, my surgical oncologist and hero, accompanied me and calmed me, knowing the fear and alarm bells were ringing at top volume. She explained that it is normal procedure to test when a nodule is found during palpation.

The alarm bells quieted when the radiologist reported that no malignancy was found in the left breast. Hallelujah! The nodule was called a

benign fibro glandular tissue nodule. After hugs from Dr. Lilly, Jo-Ayne and Robin Ford, my nurse navigator, I breathed a sigh of relief and made my next six-month appointment.

RECOMMENDATION: Get your yearly mammogram!

Finally, I still and will always contend with tinnitus, ear noises brought on by chemotherapy. I am lucky that mine sounds like the forest and crickets, not metallic or annoying sounds. Some people pay for white noise forest sounds! It does affect my hearing. I also contend with my temperature regulators being a bit off. I easily get hot flashes but have learned to cope.

As my list of friends diagnosed with cancer grew this year, so did my efforts to reach out to them. They had supported me during my journey. Emails, texts and cards flew out to them and to my Cancer Support Services group of cancer patient ladies (for whom I volunteer). Meals, treats and visits, when possible, lift spirits.

For my own spirit, we returned to being physically present at Christ Church, Easton. I find the church soothing, healing and inspiring, as

Embracing Life

is the comfort I fi nd in prayer and meditation. I also reached out to volunteer at the Talbot Interfaith Shelter in Easton, where the need is great for more volunteers. I have been attending local lectures, and we have resumed traveling again.

RECOMMENDATION: Reach out to comfort those in need. Find a faith or spiritual practice for selfcomfort. Volunteer. Keep learning. Give back. Be a warrior for yourself and others. Keep moving forward.

I highly recommend two magazines about cancer that have provided me with information, research updates and self-care hacks as well as inspiration to move forward.

Cure: Cancer Updates, Research & Education provides useful information for patients, survivors and caregivers about all types of cancer. Conquer: The Patient Voice provides an open forum for patients with cancer and cancer survivors to address issues facing them on their journey.

Chuck Rose, the creative director of NCI, suggests that survivors keep their sense of humor and be kind. Good advice for all of us, sometimes hard to follow, but good to try!

The world needs more humor and kindness.

Bonna L. Nelson is a Bay-area writer, columnist, photographer and world traveler. She resides in Easton with her husband, John.

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Joy. Every day. Pass it on.

by Michael Valliant

“This morning, with her, having coffee.”

That was Johnny Cash’s answer when asked for his definition of paradise. The “her” was June Carter Cash, the love of his life. The thing I love most about the quote is that paradise isn’t something far away or in the distant future. For Cash, he already had it.

For too many of us, happiness is

something we project into the future, once we’ve accomplished our list of hopes and dreams, or retirement. But if we don’t have it now, there are no guarantees in the future.

How do we get a sense of our happiness, of our joy, in everyday life? That’s a skill or an attitude we can work on.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is said to have had a sign on his desk that said, “Let unconquerable glad-

Johnny and June Carter Cash

ness dwell.” That speaks to a mindset and an aspiration.

Joy connected to God. Boyle encounters heartbreak and death almost daily but still looks to delight, to find joy, every day.

Fr. Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit Priest who has been working for more than 35 years with Los Angeles gang members to help them get off the street and lead lives they feel good about, in community,

In his book Tattoos on the Heart, Boyle writes:

“Dorothy Day loved to quote Ruskin, who urged us all to the ‘Duty of Delight.’ It was an admonition, really, to be watchful for the hilarious and the heartwarming, the silly and sublime. This way will not pass again, and so there is a duty to be mindful of that which delights and keeps joy at the center, distilled from all that happens to us in a day.”

This is no Pollyanna, rose-colored, don’t-worry-be-happy joy. We’re looking for a joy that can

surface in the middle of the tough times. Boyle goes on to talk about a former gang member he calls Spider, who at 18 years old worked as an orderly at a hospital. He and his sister raised themselves after being abandoned by their parents. Spider tells Boyle about the joy he gets from eating with his lady and their two kids.

“I just watch ’em eat. They eat and eat. And I just look at ’em and thank God they’re in my life. When they’re done eating and I know they’re full, THEN I eat. And the truth…sometimes there is food left, and sometimes there isn’t.”

An 18-year-old with two kids who works a tough job can find incredible joy just watching his family eat, even when there is not enough food for him. He knows something about joy and gratitude that many of us who have been around much longer forget too easily. That is the kind of joy we can find anywhere if we are willing to look. Boyle makes sure we don’t miss the point:

“The duty to delight is to stare at your family as they eat, anchored in the surest kind of gratitude ~ the sort that erases sacrifice and hardship and absorbs everything else.”

It was a Friday, early afternoon, in the fall. It was a warm, sunny day after a long week. Holly and I jumped in the car, drove to Assateague and spread a blanket on the beach. Sanderling shorebirds ran along the edge of the waves in fast-forward like cartoon characters whose legs should have made highpitched piano tinkling noises. Dol-

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phins were close to shore. Ponies came by, hoping we had food they could steal. It was an absolutely unremarkable afternoon by action movie standards. But I can still feel the warm sun, hear Holly’s laugh and see the birds.

Assateague. Sanderlings. Her laugh.

Johnny Cash was on to something when he left out any words he didn’t need in describing paradise. Maybe simplifying things would help us let go of some of the things that get in the way of finding more joy in each day.

Last spring, a group of us were on a retreat at Camp Pecometh outside of Centreville. It had just gotten dark, and we were gathered around a fire pit. A guitar played, and voices sang familiar songs. People were roasting hot dogs and s’mores. Our friend Dave dropped his hot dog in the fire and just as quicky reached in and plucked it out, unscathed. Dropped-jaw laughter erupted.

Joy

Campfire. Night sky. Music. Saved hot dog.

The conditions for our happiness are built into the ordinary backdrops and events of our lives.

When we are around people we love, our family and friends, it should be particularly easy to find flashes of joy ~ they have our joy in them already. But if we work at it, we can carry that joy with us and share it with others, even those we don’t know.

Boyle writes:

“In the utter simplicity of breathing, we find how naturally inclined we are to delight and to stay dedi-

cated to gladness. We bask in God’s unalloyed joy, and we let loose with that same joy in whoever is in front of us. We forget what a vital part of our nature that is.”

We let loose with that same joy in whoever is in front of us.

It’s summer. I am in Ocean City, and I am out for a run along Coastal Highway. I have headphones on and am listening to music. Walk-

ing toward me is an older man who looks like he’s had a rough night. The daylight seems to be actively attacking him. He has a heaviness to him. As I start to pass by him, I say, “Good morning!” a bit out of breath. He looks up and his entire being is transfigured—the biggest smile forms on his face, his eyes widen, his face lights up and he beams, “Good morning! How you doing? God bless you!” We both stop for a bit and meet each other, just in and for a moment. And then we go our separate ways.

Coastal Highway. Transfigured. Good morning!

Joy isn’t something we find. It’s not something that lands on us from an external source. It’s something that is in us already. We just have to discover it. And once we find it and we know where to look, we can bring it with us wherever we go. And share it with others.

Joy. Every day. Pass it on.

Michael Valliant is the Assistant for Adult Education and Newcomers Ministry at Christ Church Easton. He has worked for non-profit organizations throughout Talbot County, including the Oxford Community Center, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and Academy Art Museum.

Easton Map and History

The County Seat of Talbot County. Established around early religious settlements and a court of law, Historic Downtown Easton is today a centerpiece of fine specialty shops, business and cultural activities, unique restaurants, and architectural fascination. Treelined streets are graced with various period structures and remarkable homes, carefully preserved or restored. Because of its historical significance, historic Easton has earned distinction as the “Colonial Capitol of the Eastern Shore” and was honored as number eight in the book

“The 100 Best Small Towns in America.” With a population of over 16,500, Easton offers the best of many worlds including access to large metropolitan areas like Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, and Wilmington. For a walking tour and more history visit https:// tidewatertimes.com/travel-tourism/easton-maryland/.

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Oyster Wars circa 1880

by Louis C. Wainwright

Transcribed, edited and with notes by James Dawson from an old manuscript he found

There are many places where oysters may be taken. I have seen them in southern waters and even attached to the branches of a tree, but so far as I know the great oyster industry centers in Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries.

Now oysters are planted in the wide bay at the mouths of the tidewater streams, and it is there that the tonging industry flourishes.

Chesapeake oysters are also superior and have few if any real rivals.

The great rivers of Maryland and Virginia have such an extensive range of oyster grounds that many people follow tonging throughout the winter. So great is the draught upon the oyster grounds in both bay and rivers that more and more the state needs to enact legislative protection.

To what degree Maryland derives income from licensing oyster boats at the present time [1941] I cannot say, but fifty years ago a very large part of the public school funds depended upon the revenue derived from the oyster industry.

Perhaps, also, there was less widely spread information concerning oysters, which was sometimes manifested to a surprising degree.

Having gone to the 1892–3 World’s Fair in Chicago, I thought I would visit the Maryland exhibit, wondering what particular features would mark the produce of such a diversified state whose lands range from sea level to mountain tops, whose shoreline offers an embroidery pattern, whose peaches, berries, and melons, not to mention corn and hay, have scarcely superiors, and whose bay is unsurpassed, whether for pleasure or produce. The building was not pretentious, and its major exhibit was large and humble, with nothing scenic about it; but there was nothing insignificant. Coal, asbestos, fruits, cereals, melons, all showed to advantage.

A golden Knabe piano manufactured in Baltimore was conspicuous. On a visit to the White House, I saw a golden Knabe (as I remember) and wondered if it was the one I saw at the World’s Fair. But not to digress, I may say the prominent feature of Maryland’s exhibit was an oyster

Oyster Wars

packing house reaching out over an extended waterway and having a pile of oyster shells beneath the shuckers’ bench, and crawling and swimming about were diamondback terrapins, which were not then almost extinct.

Two well-groomed ladies were watching the terrapin as they swam among or about the shells. Said one: “What are they, those things? Replied the other: “They must be oysters.” Said the former: “Which?” Replied her companion: “I am not sure.” So much for inland America! But Maryland was reaching out

with her advertisement. Booth and others were sending oysters far and near, and a few years later I could purchase raw oysters in the newly settled parts of Wyoming, hermetically sealed and packed on ice. The fame and consumption of oysters has greatly increased. It has been necessary for fifty years or more, to police the oyster grounds. Even at the early date I mentioned, when the police fleet consisted of sloops or schooners, there were many depredations of the tonging grounds and many other violations of the oyster laws.

Despite the best vigilance of the oyster police, unlawful dredging

Oyster Wars

was constantly carried on in one region or another, and sometimes a collision between the officers of the law and some daring crew engendering retaliation enlisted a number of dredgers to combat execution of the law. On several occasions, the dredgers banded in considerable numbers and an oyster war was on, and that in no paltry proportions. It was not always easy for the authorities, for first there was the need for a number of boats and sailors sufficient to guard a very long Bay and which to guard properly would require a much larger navy than the state could easily afford; a second

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Oyster Wars

difficulty was that the dredgers offending were much more daring than the officers, and more numerous. They lacked authority, which was a great handicap. They acted illegally.

The officers were, likely, by political appointment and were not necessarily brave or able seamen. Perhaps there were nine or ten police boats and crews, perhaps there were a hundred or more fine captains with good crews and fine boats.

To this add that the young bay captains were good marksmen. Captain Jimmy of the oyster po -

lice knew these things, and that explains his sudden leap down the companionway where he ran across a recalcitrant dredger with his rifle in hand.

In the 1880s, the oyster wars in essence did not differ from individual clashes with the oyster police, except in numbers and possible prolongations of the effort to dredge unlawfully or the pursuit of the law breakers, therefore I shall illustrate what occasioned hostility between the dredgers and the officers of the law. To do this we will look down Tangier way until you come to Cale Preston (Caleb Preston) and his wife Sarah.

Cale was a lithe, likely young

Oyster Wars

fellow about five feet eleven inches tall, generally genial and very determined. Sarah was a kindly, placid young woman conforming by nature and rearing to the traditions down Tangier way.

She was neither nervous, hysterical, nor excitable, but homespun and loyal, and for this reason easily responsive to Cale’s ideas and with him looked admiringly upon his trim schooner and longingly on the river oyster beds.

In spring Cale had the garden plowed and harrowed and put in the potatoes and cleared out the strawberry patch. It was his year’s contribution to the house work.

After that he left matters in the hands of Sarah, who without complaint conformed to wifehood down Tangier way.

Cale painted his schooner, repaired all the blocks and tackle and whitened his sails.

If he felt “spry” and vigorous, he might take Sarah for a run to Baltimore, keeping an open eye to the condition of the oysters in the broad-mouthed rivers and mentally locating the beds which he might at times visit in the fall, one moon-lit night.

As for Sarah, whatever Cale did was right, and it was a dirty trick for the police sloop captains to pursue him “for a few old oysters.”

The several police vessels from Baltimore to Little River knew Cale’s prowess. He was a likable young fellow and as handsome in his movements as a movie star., and they liked him. He was prone to dredge the tonging grounds, as they watched him; he was an unnerving rifle shot, wherefore they treated him with due regard on the old Bay; and he was daringly alert and ready. He had the nerve and in a war of nerves the police captains often had the jitters.

Moreover, Cale’s schooner was obedient to the helm and he knew the channels and never risked any depredation until he had learned the river’s channels. And he was alert.

If several captains thought to block his way or hem him in, Cale

merely dredged the bay, and as he passed and repassed he located the police sloops gathered about him. If one was tracking him he lured them out of the channel and with a rush swept by them. If they blocked him, they learned that Cale knew powerful and alarming tricks. They just could not catch him in unlawful dredging, though they knew he was a leading man of the (oyster) wars.

Power vessels for police patrol had not been introduced, and not a sloop or schooner of the oyster navy (if so the police squadron may be called) had Cale’s equal at the helm.

One night he said to Sarah: “Honey, I’ve been looking ’round. The Bay oysters are not very fat but up toward Potomac or Big Wicomico I think I could load up without much cost, so do not be surprised if I do not return for a week.”

Sarah was not surprised, but reaching over she offered him the sausage and said, “Cale, honey, yo’ll be keerful won’t cher?” It was on this trip that Cale accidentally fell into an engagement with the oyster navy. Others had conceived a similar plan, so that into whatever water Cale turned he found others were there.

Now, Cale’s strategy was not to be hampered by other boats and their maneuvers. He sensed signs of the police patrol and consequently swung out to the bay, pondering

the while whether he should try the Nanticoke or slip up the Potomac, where he knew the battle was on and would be over before he could reach the tonging grounds. The moon was at half good light, but not too much. He determined on Potomac and found, as he expected, that the battle was over and the boats dispersed. One police boat seemed to be left to guard against any later encroachments. Cale determined on a strategic move that was precarious, but that seemed necessary, unless he would abandon his night’s poaching. He thought to entice the patrol into other waters, and to do this he sought to awaken suspicion by hovering near the river’s mouth and tacking near the police boat. His scheme proved fruitful. The patrol followed him as he led them to other tonging grounds, whose channel and beds he knew better that the police captains did.

He entered on the grounds and simulated dredging, always keeping the channel easily accessible. Cale recognized the police boat and knew the vulnerable quality of its captain,

Oyster Wars

but he purposely kept his boat in dim light so that he himself should not be recognized.

Now Cale, as said, was an accurate marksman. Perhaps he was no competitor with “Natty Bumpo,” “Billy the Kid” or of “Buffalo Bill,” but it is problematical whether a mere nearly accurate marksman plied the Chesapeake; and had the patrol on watch known he was stalking Cale’s schooner, I doubt that he would have continued on guard in those waters.

As it was, he followed Cale and

was tempted in his efforts to overhaul him and force him inward and at some distance from the channel.

This was Cale’s grand opportunity. Skillfully running in easy range of the state’s patrol and giving the helm into the mate’s hand, Cale, with rifle in hand, and giving directions now and again about the maneuvers, watched until he could locate (or nearly so) the ropes and pulleys. Unsuspectingly, the police boat turned to intercept Cale’s schooner, when his rifle rang out, cutting through the sail and weakening a rope. It was Captain Jimmy’s police boat, and just as

Cale anticipated, Captain Jimmy hurried “below.”

Captain Jimmy’s crew did not feel more ambitious to be penetrated with bullets than did their redoubtable captain, so that the pursuit weakened.

It required some little time for Cale again to maneuver into favorable position, which emboldened Captain Jimmy to ascend the companion way and to shout orders like a brave man.

He stood at the door of the companion way much as a prairie dog stands at the mouth of his hole and barks or cheeps, but ready to drop at the slightest occasion, back into his burrow.

Captain Jimmy’s crew were

armed, but it did not occur to them to use arms, rather to use their legs.

Cale, meanwhile, had his rifle poised, and whether by accident in the dim light or by skill, he achieved the remarkable, his bullet severing the main sheet and dropping the huge sail as a sudden blanket of snow over the men and deck.

It was enough. The enemy had been successfully engaged and were helplessly adrift on the tide, and that for a long time.

Regimentals and a salary by political appointment are fine, but can in no way compensate for a clever mind and nautical skill.

There was a great sputter and splutter in officialdom, and none were certain whether another rifle

Oyster Wars

ball might not again tear through the rigging.

Captain Jimmy, bold warrior, was afraid to come up the companionway; the men were in vocal doubt concerning the sharpshooter’s next move. During their confusion, Cale, almost running before the wind swept down the channel into the bay, and his men shouted as they passed, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, Captain Jimmy!” Thus was ended the last skirmish of that day’s battle in the oyster war.

Leaving the police boat, Cale dredged another river and filled his boat.

Afterword by J.D.: This is a chapter from an old

manuscript I found titled “Down Tangier Way,” in which Louis Wainwright wrote about his life on Deal Island in Somerset County, Maryland, in the early 1880s.

Although the incidents in this story seem real enough, I have not been able to verify the name Caleb Preston, so I suspect that the name was fictionalized. Whoever he was, he had been involved in various illegal oystering activities, so Wainwright had good reason to protect his identity—even writing about him 50 years later, as he may have been alive and still poaching. Locals certainly would have known who “Caleb Preston” really was.

Likewise, Capt. Jimmy. Notice that Wainwright did not give Capt. Jimmy a last name, so there may well have really been a Capt. Jimmy.

In fact, in the 1890s, Capt. James A. Turner of Wicomico County was commander of the police steamer Governor R.M. McLane, but that could have just been a confusion of Capt. Jimmys.

The Governor R.M. McLane was real enough and the flagship of the Maryland State Oyster Police Force, a.k.a the “oyster navy,” which had been established in 1868. Armed with a 12-pound howitzer on deck plus plenty of rifles for her crew, she and her companion steamer Governor Thomas went into service in the fall of 1884. But, as Wainwright noted, the oyster navy was not yet using powered vessels against “Cale” then, so Capt. Jimmy, whoever he was, was on an

earlier, sail-powered oyster police boat.

When “Cale” whitened his sails, that meant he laid them out on shore and bleached them to make them snowy white. The canvas sails used then would easily stain and become dirty. Beaching the sails would not have made a boat sail any faster, but it sure would look sharp sailing in its Sunday best.

For more on the oyster wars, see John Wennersten’s The Oyster Wars of Chesapeake Bay, Tidewater Publishers, 1981.

James Dawson is the owner of Unicorn Bookshop in Trappe.

LOCAL FLAVOR

Discover your new favorite spot to dine in Caroline County, MD! From Earth Tones Cafe and Caroline’s in Denton to Tenchi Spanish American Kitchen in Greensboro and the Ridgely Ice Cream Parlor, be open for local flavor! Go to VisitCaroline.org.

Photo: Earth Tones Cafe

Caroline County – A Perspective

Caroline County is the very definition of a rural community. For more than 300 years, the county’s economy has been based on “market” agriculture.

Caroline County was created in 1773 from Dorchester and Queen Anne’s counties. The county was named for Lady Caroline Eden, the wife of Maryland’s last colonial governor, Robert Eden (1741-1784).

Denton, the county seat, was situated on a point between two ferry boat landings. Much of the business district in Denton was wiped out by the fire of 1863.

Following the Civil War, Denton’s location about fifty miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay enabled it to become an important shipping point for agricultural products. Denton became a regular port-ofcall for Baltimore-based steamer lines in the latter half of the 19th century.

Preston was the site of three Underground Railroad stations during the 1840s and 1850s. One of those stations was operated by Harriet Tubman’s parents, Benjamin and Harriet Ross. When Tubman’s parents were exposed by a traitor, she smuggled them to safety in Wilmington, Delaware.

Linchester Mill, just east of Preston, can be traced back to 1681, and possibly as early as 1670. The mill is the last of 26 water-powered mills to operate in Caroline County and is currently being restored. The long-term goals include rebuilding the millpond, rehabilitating the mill equipment, restoring the miller’s dwelling, and opening the historic mill on a scheduled basis.

Federalsburg is located on Marshyhope Creek in the southern-most part of Caroline County. Agriculture is still a major portion of the industry in the area; however, Federalsburg is rapidly being discovered and there is a noticeable influx of people, expansion and development. Ridgely has found a niche as the “Strawberry Capital of the World.” The present streetscape, lined with stately Victorian homes, reflects the transient prosperity during the countywide canning boom (1895-1919). Hanover Foods, formerly an enterprise of Saulsbury Bros. Inc., for more than 100 years, is the last of more than 250 food processors that once operated in the Caroline County region.

Points of interest in Caroline County include the Museum of Rural Life in Denton, Adkins Arboretum near Ridgely, and the Mason-Dixon Crown Stone in Marydel. To contact the Caroline County Office of Tourism, call 410-479-0655 or visit their website at www.tourcaroline.com .

Dorchester Map and History

Dorchester County is known as the Heart of the Chesapeake. It is rich in Chesapeake Bay history, folklore and tradition. With 1,700 miles of shoreline (more than any other Maryland county), marshlands, working boats, quaint waterfront towns and villages among fertile farm fields – much still exists of what is the authentic Eastern Shore landscape and traditional way of life along the Chesapeake.

For more information about Dorchester County visit https://tidewatertimes.com/travel-tourism/dorchester/.

TIDEWATER GARDENING

by K. Marc Teffeau, Ph.D.

April Projects

Spring seems to have arrived a little early this year. Not that the winter was so bad, but it’s nice to enjoy warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours. The daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs flowered out early. Now, they need some attention. Cut the spent flower stalks back to the ground on daffodils, hyacinths and other spring bulbs as the flowers fade.

Don’t cut the foliage until it dies down naturally, however. I know this frustrates some gardeners because the foliage can look messy. You may see some bulb foliage tied in a bunch to neaten the appearance, but this practice defeats the purpose of leaving the foliage in the first place.

As I have mentioned in past columns, the leaves are necessary to

produce the nutrients needed for strong bulbs capable of reflowering. I have had more than one gardener tell me this is why they don’t plant bulbs. Planting annuals in the same flower bed as the bulbs is a good way to cover the bulb foliage while allowing the leaves to do the work of nutrient replenishment. To keep the planting going, you can fertilize bulbs upon the emergence of foliage with a 10-10-10 fertilizer, using a rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet. Repeat the application after the bulbs have bloomed.

Observe your daffodil and other spring bulbs while in bloom to be sure they have not been shaded

by the new growth of other tree or shrub plantings. If they have, you may need to move your bulbs to a new, sunny location or prune back the plantings. Label the clumps of daffodils that are too crowded, as overcrowding inhibits blooming, then dig up and separate them in July. Store in a cool, dry location and replant in fall. I find the mesh

Tidewater Gardening bags that oranges are sold in at the grocery store to be good storage bags. They allow air to circulate around the bulbs, which reduces rotting.

April’s warmer weather may tempt us to rush the planting season, but remember that we can still get a frost into May that can damage newly planted transplants. It’s not wise to plant tomato plants when the first 60-degree day arrives. If you try to get too much of a jump on the weather by setting out tender plants and seeds now, you are in for disappointment.

insect problems. If you plant the seed too early, it may just rot in the soil due to cold soil conditions. Plants started later from the same seed packets will soon catch up and will often surpass those that had to struggle through the cold ground.

Even when frost isn’t a factor, warm soil is necessary for the good growth of many plants. For most conventional row gardeners, little is gained by seeding snap beans, corn, squash and cucumbers before May 1, or lima beans, cantaloupes and watermelons before May 15. Even if they do sprout, growth will be slow, seedling vigor will be reduced and the plants will be more susceptible to disease and

The same applies to transplants of warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Don’t rush the season by putting them in too early. Their roots will languish in cold soil, and the air temperature has to get above 65 degrees for them to set fruit. If you are a raised bed gardener, you have a little advantage in getting certain crops in earlier. Soil tends to warm up more quickly in raised beds.

The use of a floating fabric like Re-May will help with heat retention in soil. In normal years, it can provide a 10- to 14-day start on the production of broccoli, cabbage and summer squash. In addition, the fabric will give you some earlyseason insect control if you handle it carefully and keep the crops covered until it gets too warm during the day to do so.

If you are looking to grow some

different vegetable cultivars this year, there are two All-American Selections (AAS) (all-americaselections.org) that you might want to try. An AAS 2023 winner in the winter squash cultivars is Squash kabocha Sweet Jade F1. According to AAS, this “cute, single-servingsized squash is the perfect addition to your garden for a fall harvest. Sweet Jade proved itself in the AAS Trials with its high yields and good holding capability which is great news for both home gardeners and growers."

Each fruit is between 1–2 pounds and can be used for single servings of squash, as an edible soup bowl, or in any number of Asian-style dishes where a sweet, earthy nutritious squash is typically used. Sweet Jade’s deep orange flesh is dry yet sweet and very flavorful whether roasted, baked, or pureed.” I do not grow winter squash in my small garden, but I might try this squash on a trellis, as the fruits are small. Although there are thousands of

tomato cultivars, if you like pink tomatoes, you might try an AAS 2022 winner, Tomato Pink Delicious. AAS marketing comments state, “With ‘Delicious’ in its name, it has to be good! This early maturing tomato supports the trend of having an heirloom look, flavor,

and texture with hybrid disease resistance and improved germination meaning it is much easier for home gardeners to grow.

"When grown next to the comparisons, this variety is definitely earlier with a higher yield and a very uniform fruit size. The beautiful big fruits do not crack as much. What really sets this variety apart is the excellent flavor and a high Brix for a sweeter than normal pink tomato.” This tomato is an upright vine, climbing to 6 feet, and has a beefsteak fruit shape. The AAS website lists where you can purchase seeds for Squash kabocha Sweet Jade F1 and Tomato Pink Delicious.

The perennials will be poking their heads out of their beds in April as the soil warms up. Chrysanthemums are now popping up in the flowerbed. Lift, divide and replant chrysanthemums as soon as new shoots appear. Each rooted shoot or clump will develop into a fine plant for late-summer bloom.

Thicken the plant by pinching out the top when it is about 4 inches high. You can also take chrysanthemum cuttings now through mid-June for flowers in fall and winter in the greenhouse.

Now is a good time to dig and divide fall-flowering perennials that have multiplied and overfilled the flowerbed. That’s one of the nice things about perennials: after they become established, all you have to do is divide them instead of buying additional plants. Check with your gardening friends. They may have dug extra fall-flowering perennials, and you can do a plant swap.

Flats of annual flower transplants are now at local garden centers. When purchasing bedding annuals this spring, choose properly grown plants with good color. Buy plants with well-developed root systems that are vigorous but not too large for their pots. Check

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Tidewater Gardening

and can be set back for several weeks after being transplanted. Plants not yet in bloom will actually bloom sooner, be better established and grow faster than flowering transplants. As with warm-season vegetables, you might want to wait before planting tender annual flowers in the landscape.

the roots to see if they have a nice white healthy appearance.

Also look for plants with lots of unopened buds. Plants that bloom in the pack are often root bound

April is the perfect month to plant cool-season pansies. A number of newer varieties have heat tolerance bred into them and can last through June. You can brighten up your front door with pots of transplanted pansies or place them in outdoor beds as soon as the soil can be worked. Purchase large plants that will give a good show before hot weather arrives.

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Tidewater Gardening

back. This includes cutting back the “rat tails” on yews. If you want to keep needled pines and other whorl-branched conifers bushy instead of tall, pinch the candles at the end of the branches in half. This will cause the plants to branch out instead. Pinching by hand is recommended, as the use of pruning shears will leave the needles with brown tips.

Happy Gardening!!

In the pruning department, you can prune out the water sprouts and sucker growths in crabapples and other spring-flowering trees. You can also prune needled evergreens now if they need to be cut

Marc Teffeau retired as Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs at the American Nursery and Landscape Association in Washington, D.C. He now lives in Georgia with his wife, Linda.

Join us at our special event during the Taste Of St. Michaels 2023 from Noon to 5 PM on April 15th featuring 16 Italian wines and antipasti and more, PLUS Talbot Watermen Association will be shucking Oysters! For a ticket price of $18 for our Wine & Antipasti venue, you will receive a tasting glass, up to 16 wine tastings paired with a variety of our favorite Antipasti, Salad & Bread with our EVOO. For a “Real Italy” experience, purchase your ticket in a time slot you prefer here www.simpaticostmichaels.com/

Other Upcoming Events:

April 1st Zoom Wine Dinner with Davide Megna

Daily Wine Tastings - Always Italian Memorial Day Weekend: 19th Birthday Celebration!

Slot Docks Ready for Spring!

• Kayak Docks

• Re-Decking

• Pressure Wash & Seal

• Boat Lifts, PWC Lifts

• Gangways

• Solar Dock Lighting

• Floating Piers

• Rowing Docks

• Kayak Racks

• Ladders

• Dock Boxes

• Piling Caps

Queen Anne’s County

The history of Queen Anne’s County dates back to the earliest Colonial settlements in Maryland. Small hamlets began appearing in the northern portion of the county in the 1600s. Early communities grew up around transportation routes, the rivers and streams, and then roads and eventually railroads. Small towns were centers of economic and social activity and evolved over the years from thriving centers of tobacco trade to communities boosted by the railroad boom.

Queenstown was the original county seat when Queen Anne’s County was created in 1706, but that designation was passed on to Centreville in 1782. It’s location was important during the 18th century, because it is near a creek that, during that time, could be navigated by tradesmen. A hub for shipping and receiving, Queenstown was attacked by English troops during the War of 1812.

Construction of the Federal-style courthouse in Centreville began in 1791 and is the oldest courthouse in continuous use in the state of Maryland. Today, Centreville is the largest town in Queen Anne’s County. With its relaxed lifestyle and tree-lined streets, it is a classic example of small town America.

The Stevensville Historic District, also known as Historic Stevensville, is a national historic district in downtown Stevensville, Queen Anne’s County. It contains roughly 100 historic structures, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located primarily along East Main Street, a portion of Love Point Road, and a former section of Cockey Lane.

The Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center in Chester at Kent Narrows provides and overview of the Chesapeake region’s heritage, resources and culture. The Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center serves as Queen Anne’s County’s official welcome center.

Queen Anne’s County is also home to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (formerly Horsehead Wetland Center), located in Grasonville. The CBEC is a 500-acre preserve just 15 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded in the area.

Embraced by miles of scenic Chesapeake Bay waterways and graced with acres of pastoral rural landscape, Queen Anne’s County offers a relaxing environment for visitors and locals alike. For more information about Queen Anne’s County, visit www.qac.org .

St. Michaels Map and History

On the broad Miles River, with its picturesque tree-lined streets and beautiful harbor, St. Michaels has been a haven for boats plying the Chesapeake and its inlets since the earliest days. Here, some of the handsomest models of the Bay craft, such as canoes, bugeyes, pungys and some famous Baltimore Clippers, were designed and built. The Church, named “St. Michael’s,” was the first building erected (about 1677) and around it clustered the town that took its name.

For a walking tour and more history of the St. Michaels area visit https://tidewatertimes.com/travel-tourism/st-michaels-maryland/.

The Spice of Life

by A.M. Foley

In the wider world, the first of April may be April Fools’ Day, but around the Chesapeake Bay, it means the opening of crab season. Alas, crabs are usually slow to get the word, remaining scarce until reliably warmer weather. It’s not too early, though, to ponder the question: J. O. or Old Bay seasoning?

Tangier Island, probably Virginia’s most isolated community, seems an unlikely birthplace for a multi-faceted spice company, but island waterman James Ozzle Strigle founded J.O. Spice Company in 1945. Mr. Strigle had migrated from Tangier to Baltimore and begun marketing a seafood seasoning derived from traditional

island mixtures. He and his wife, Dot, first blended spices commercially from Pratt Street in a porcelain basin, selling to a nearby seafood market. The Strigle venture thrived, despite Old Bay’s six-year head start.

Old Bay’s creator, Gustav Brunn, reached Baltimore in 1938 by a more circuitous route: from Nazi Germany via Buchenwald concentration camp. Legend says he bribed his way to freedom with 10,000 Deutsche Marks. When he fled to America, he brought along his spice grinder. In Baltimore, a one-week stint with McCormick & Company ended when he was fired, reputedly for lack

Spice of Life

Hand-cranking spices to flavor wursts, Brunn could look down on a busy fish market across the street. At the time, home cooks generally seasoned shellfish with their own, old family recipes. The spice meister saw the need for a handy, ready-made blend, which led to a specific product he dubbed Old Bay, an homage to the beloved Chesapeake steamboat line that ran from Baltimore to Norfolk.

of language skills. Out of a job, Brunn set up his own Baltimore Spice Company in a second-floor space. His fluency in Yiddish and German proved a marketing asset among Baltimore’s butchers.

With minimal promotion, annual Old Bay sales soared to millions of pounds as word spread around Baltimore and beyond. For instance, a somewhat-typical letter arrived from North Carolina asking that Old Bay be made available in Carolina groceries. “We

use it for soaking deer,” wrote a man from Brevard, “and coon and sometimes for bear, when we can get some bear meat. It takes out the bad smell when a deer or bear is killed on the run. My brother says it makes French River hog suckers taste like sea fish. I don’t eat them but his family does.”

When J.O. and Dot Strigle arrived in Baltimore six years after Brunn, they, too, identified a niche in the spice market. They created two versions of a distinctively flavored blend, J.O. #1 and J.O. #2, which include salt in a form that adheres to crab shells throughout the steaming process. This stickto-itiveness made J.O. #2 the preferred spice where crabs or shrimp

Oxford Map and History

Oxford is one of the oldest towns in Maryland. Although already settled for perhaps 20 years, Oxford marks the year 1683 as its official founding, for in that year Oxford was first named by the Maryland General Assembly as a seaport and was laid out as a town. In 1694, Oxford and a new town called Anne Arundel (now Annapolis) were selected the only ports of entry for the entire Maryland province. Until the American Revolution, Oxford enjoyed prominence as an international shipping center surrounded by wealthy tobacco plantations.

Today, Oxford is a charming tree-lined and waterbound village with a population of just over 700 and is still important in boat building and yachting. It has a protected harbor for watermen who harvest oysters, crabs, clams and fish, and for sailors from all over the Bay. For a walking tour and more history visit https://tidewatertimes. com/travel-tourism/oxford-maryland/.

Spice of Life

are cooked in bulk for retail sale. (Number One is lower in sodium.)

Carryout customers and crab house diners buying crabs presteamed assume the tasty, anonymous spice coating their favorite crustacean is the same Old Bay sold on supermarket shelves. Truth be told, the markets with Old Bay on their shelves frequently use J. O. #2 behind the counter when steaming seafood.

Mike Rowe, a native Marylander who hosts the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs,” attempted to clarify any confusion about crab seasoning. In his ninth season, Rowe strayed from the show’s

usually squalid locales to do a segment with Strigle descendants in J.O.’s pristine Halethorpe, Md., facility. To explain his presence in a sanitary scene, Rowe said, “Ninety-nine percent of the country—including most everyone in Baltimore—confuses J.O. #2 with Old Bay Seasoning. It’s a mistake I’ve made myself, more than once,

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and I wanted to use ‘Dirty Jobs’ to atone for my past mistakes.”

Rowe’s good intention went astray after Rachael Ray invited him to promote his upcoming episode on her ABC show. As Rowe explained, “Unfortunately, as well as ironically, Rachael Ray was under the impression that J.O. Spice Company made Old Bay Season -

ing, and proceeded to promote Old Bay.” At the finish of their conversation, Rach laughingly lifted an iconic tin of Old Bay, tilted her head back, and took a straight shot, saying, “Doing a hit!” In the process, she missed Rowe’s attempt to correct her.

The fourth generation of Strigle’s family operates J.O.’s company. They generally aspire to peaceful co-existence but balked at appearing in Rach’s nationwide promotion urging, “Meet the family that makes Old Bay.” Ginger Ports, family member and vice president of marketing and sales, was compelled to speak up. Made aware of her error, Rach created Chicken and Shrimp Penne Chesa -

Spice of Life

peake Bay Style, recommending and lavishing praises on J.O. spices. (Recipe: rachaelrayshow.com)

The J.O. company prides itself on personalized service. They will even custom-blend a bulk order for any purveyor who still treasures his own recipe—perhaps one of those old family secrets that once ruled crab culture around Baltimore. J.O. pledges to guard a secret blend: no one employee receives the full list of herbs and spices for a custom order.

Similarly, Old Bay lists contents vaguely as eighteen herbs and spices: “celery salt (salt and celery seed), spices (including red

pepper, black pepper), and paprika.” Stringent regulations once required Brunn to reveal ingredients, if not precise amounts. In addition to those the label currently reveals, Brunn listed mustard seed, bay leaves, cloves, pimento, ginger, mace, cardamom and cinnamon. In 1940s Baltimore, such then-exotic ingredients surely discouraged do-it-yourselfers.

Ironically, McCormick & Co. purchased former employee Gustav Brunn’s company in 1990 for something north of $10 million. Today they guard Old Bay’s recipe, as befits such a valuable asset. Brunn’s spice grinder is now on permanent exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Both

Tidewater Residential Designs since 1989

J.O. and McCormick have websites that include retail shops offering seasoning blends and other convenient edibles. One also finds crab-inspired apparel, from beanie caps down to socks, dog collars and leashes, personalized mallets….

Crab spice of one brand or an other often appears beside the salt and pepper on Maryland tables. One correspondent wrote that she uncaps her tin of Old Bay when she feels the winter blahs. One whiff restores hope that summer will come. Meanwhile, Old Bay Vodka recently launched. Other aficionados add J. O. or Old Bay to everything from Bloody Marys to ice cream.

Among my own treasures is a crab soup recipe entrusted to me by the late, lamented Peter J. Malloy. Pete was an attorney from Baltimore who volunteered as chief chef at the Myrtle Gray Gunning Club here on Elliott Island. Detailed instructions for his famous soup run to two full, single-spaced pages, hand-written on a yellow legal pad. For posterity’s sake, and with a poacher’s apologies to Tidewater Kitchen’s Pamela Meredith, I quote:

CHESAPEAKE BAY

CRAB SOUP

Equipment: 5 gal. soup or stock pot

long wooden spoon

Spice of Life

Ingredients (approximate)

3 # Soup Bones

3 to 4 # blade-in Chuck Roast, trimmed & diced, plus bone

2 Smoked Pork hocks

1 Shank bone with meat (beef)

8 Beef bouillon cubes

1 Small head of cabbage, chopped

1 Bunch celery, chopped, including tops

8 Medium onions, chopped

8 Medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups Corn, fresh, frozen or canned

2 cups Lima beans, fresh, frozen or canned

1 cup Peas, fresh, frozen, or

Oxford Business Association April 2023 Calendar

3/31 - Scottish Highland Creamery at the Mews - Grand Opening!

3/31 - Sandaway Suites & Beach opens for the season; sandaway.com; 1-888-SANDAWAY

4/1- Cars and Coffee - Come out and enjoy cars, coffee, and camaraderie. Sponsored by Prestige Auto Vault and Doc’s Sunset Grille. Oxford Community Center. Free; 8:30 -10:30. oxfordcc.org; 410-226-5409

4/1 - Cooking Demo & Lunch: Authentic Curries from Around the World - Robert Morris Inn; 10 am; Info and reservations at: robertmorrisinn.com

4/5 - Beginner Chalk Mineral Paint Class - $45, all materials provided. 10 am - 1 pm The Treasure Chest, 111 S. Morris St. For more info or sign up, go to treasurechestoxford.com or call 410-924-8817

4/5,12,19 & 26 - Revitalizing Your Colors with Sheryl Southwick -. Oxford Community Center, 10 am – noon; Info and registration at oxfordcc.org

4/7 - Speaker Series - Scott Cohen: My Journey to Feed the Hungry in Ukraine - 5:30 pm. Free, Oxford Community Center; oxfordcc.org for more information.

4/7 - Alexander Valley Wine Dinner - Robert Morris Inn; 6:30 pm. Information and reservations at: robertmorrisinn.com

4/12 - Poplar Island Field Trip - Oxford Community Center – Free – limited seats; oxfordcc.org for more information and reservations.

4/13 - Bring Your Own Piece Furniture Painting Class –$65, includes 4oz jar o fpaint.5-8 pm. The Treasure Chest, 111 S. Morris St. For more info or sign up, go to treasurechestoxford.com or call 410-924-8817

4/13-16 - Quilting Retreat – jkthreads.com/retreats for more information and registration.

4/20- 30 - Tred Avon Players present ‘Moon Over Buffalo’; check tredavonplayers.org for dates, times and tickets.

4/21 - Blessing of the Ferry - Oxford Ferry Dock; 6 pm. Ferry open for the season beginning 4/22.

4/22 - Oxford Day - 8 am -3 pm - Schedule of events at oxfordday.org

4/22 - Cooking Demo & Lunch: Spring in Mark’s Kitchen - Robert Morris Inn; 10 am. Info and reservations at: robertmorrisinn.com

4/22 - Oxford Museum Opening Day - 10 am – 4 pm; New Exhibit - ‘From Colonial Port to Present, Oxford in Business’; music and refreshments after parade.

4/22 - Oxford Library Book Sale - 9 am - 12 pm; on Market St. in front of the library.

4/22 - Mystery Loves Company Book Signing - Wendy Sand Eckel signing Eastern Shore mysteries; 12 - 2 pm.

4/22 - Gift Basket Giveaway - valued at $75; stop into The Treasure Chest to enter the drawing, 111 S. Morris St.; treasurechestoxford.com; 410-924-8817

4/22 - Hospice Run/Walk - Oxford Community Center; 1 pm.

4/22 - Oxford Vintage and Trade - celebrating Oxford with a 21.654% discount on all merchandise.

4/24 - Maryland Food Bank - Oxford Community Center parking lot, noon - 2 pm.

4/26 - Bring Your Own Piece Furniture Painting Class - $65, includes 4oz jar of paint.5-8 pm. The Treasure Chest, 111 S. Morris St. For more info or sign up, go to treasurechestoxford.com or call 410-924-8817

4/7 - Piazza Wine Dinner - Robert Morris Inn; 6:30 pm. Information and reservations at: robertmorrisinn.com

4/28 - SILK All-in-One Chalk Paint Demo - 5 - 6 pm, $10. The Treasure Chest, 111 S. Morris St. For more info or sign up, go to treasurechestoxford.com or call 410-924-8817

Check restaurant and shop websites or facebook for current days/hours.

Spice of Life

canned

1 cup Carrots, fresh, diced

64 ozs. Canned Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice

1 cup Barley

1 heaping tbsp. Old Bay seasoning, or equivalent

1 tsp. Black pepper

½ tsp. Cayenne

2 tsp. Salt

2 dozen live crabs, cleaned, quartered and shell fat reserved

4 lbs. Crab claw meat

2 cans V-8 juice, 46 oz each

Procedure

Place first 5 items in stock or soup pot with one gallon of water, or more if needed to cover. Simmer over medium heat until ham hocks are thoroughly cooked, and rind is easily removed (approximately two hours). Let cool, and, when cool enough to handle, remove pork skin and all bones and fat which can be removed by hand.

While above operation is underway cabbage, celery, onions, potatoes and carrots can be cooked separately in water to cover, over medium heat, for thirty minutes.

Next, combine stock and cooked fresh vegetables with cooking water, and add all remaining ingredients except crabs, crab meat and fat. Add V-8 juice. Bring soup to boil, reduce heat to simmer, add

crabs, crab fat and claw meat and simmer thirty minutes, until soup is hot. Serve and stand back.

Soup keeps well if refrigerated on rack or any object which permits air to circulate under soup pot bottom. Soup freezes well, for six months or more. An optional addition with the vegetables is okra, canned frozen or fresh, diced. Should soup be thicker than desired, dilute with V-8, tomato juice, beef bouillon, or a combination makes a great extender.

“If unsatisfactory, blame Peter J. Campbell A. B. Malloy”

You might note that Pete mentioned Old Bay but didn’t insist upon it. The gunning club also stocked J.O. #2, purchased by the pound for steaming from their preferred fishmonger.

Crab-feasters sometimes engage in ardent disputes over the relative merits of J. O. vs. Old Bay, but none are so ardent as to refuse crabs steamed with their second choice.

Forty-some years ago, A.M. Foley swapped the Washington, D.C. business scene for a writing life on Elliott Island, Maryland. Tidewater Times kindly publishes Foley’s musings on regional history and life in general. Published works are described at www.HollandIslandBook.com .

Main Dish Salads

A fresh approach to salads ~ one that places them front and center as the main course ~ can open up new, creative possibilities.

Foods can be combined to create salads with an interesting mix of flavors, colors and textures. Presentation is an important part of main-dish salads. Some, such as Spicy Ham Salad and Chicken

Grape Salad, lend themselves to being tossed, whereas Shrimp-Endive Salad is more suited to a composed arrangement. The idea is to play up the food combinations and present them in their most attractive form.

As you know, there are a variety of main-dish salads. I encourage you to experiment on your own.

For starters, don’t limit yourself to only one kind of salad green. Try combining leaf, Boston, iceberg or romaine, endive, watercress, radicchio, etc.

When choosing your ingredients, keep in mind the importance of color and texture. In ChickenGrape Salad, the purplish red color in the lettuce is repeated in the red grapes on top. The crunchiness of the celery and cashews also contrasts with the soft texture of the chicken and grapes.

Try these easy recipes for a healthy lunch or weeknight dinner. They are the perfect addition to any menu rotation!

Spicy Ham Salad

Serves 4–6

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

1/4–1/2 pound thinly sliced blackpeppered ham, cut into 1 x 3-inch strips

1/4–1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1 x 3-inch strips

3 stalks celery, diagonally sliced

Tidewater Kitchen

into 1-inch pieces

1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips

Half of a medium onion, sliced into thin rings

1–2 hot cherry peppers, finely chopped

1 head Boston lettuce

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Combine vinegar, oil and water in a jar. Cover and shake vigorously. Set aside.

Combine black-peppered ham, prosciutto, celery, green pepper, onion and diced cherry peppers. Toss well. Tear lettuce into bitesize pieces and place on individual plates. Arrange ham mixture on lettuce. Shake dressing and pour over salad; sprinkle with oregano.

Chicken-Grape Salad

Serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 teaspoon salt

Water

2/3 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Red leaf lettuce

1 cup seedless green grapes, cut in half

1 cup seedless red grapes, cut in half

1-1/2 cup diagonally sliced celery

1/2 cup cashews

Place chicken in a medium

Tidewater Kitchen

saucepan; add ¼ teaspoon salt and enough water to cover. Cook, covered, until done. Drain and cool; slice chicken into strips.

Combine wine and lemon juice and pour over chicken, tossing gently. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Drain, reserving marinade. Set chicken aside.

Strain marinade; set aside 1/3 cup. Combine reserved marinade, mayonnaise, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Line individual plates with lettuce. Arrange chicken, grapes, celery and cashews over lettuce. Serve with mayonnaise mixture. Serves 4.

Shrimp-Endive Salad

Serves 6

Be sure to have the Belgian endive make a striking appearance and use the sprouts as a flavorful accent.

2 quarts water

1 tablespoon salt

2 ½ pounds unpeeled fresh shrimp

½ head romaine

1 head curly endive

½ head Belgian endive

1 small can water chestnuts, drained

1 medium green pepper, cut into strips

6 radishes, thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

4 tablespoons alfalfa sprouts

¼ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

Herb Mayonnaise Sauce

Bring salted water to a boil; add shrimp and cook for 3–5 minutes. Drain well; rinse with cold water. Chill. Peel and devein shrimp. Place romaine and curly endive on individual plates; arrange Belgian endive, shrimp and remaining ingredients except mayonnaise sauce on top. Serve with HerbMayonnaise Sauce.

Herb-Mayonnaise Sauce

Makes 1-1/2 cups

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon

2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt to taste

Tidewater Kitchen

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine mayonnaise and sour cream, mixing well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill 5 hours or more.

Citrus Crab Salad on Sourdough

Serves 4

This light, refreshing salad is a perfect light meal or delicious served as an easy appetizer.

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 navel oranges, 1 zested

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread

1 pound lump crab meat

2 green onions, sliced

1 loaf sourdough or other crusty bread

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, parsley, zest from 1 orange, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk olive oil into mixture until well combined. Set aside.

Cut the peels off the oranges and then cut each orange into quarters. Thinly slice each quarter crosswise. Combine the orange slices, crab and green onions and then toss with the dressing.

Preheat broiler. Slice bread and drizzle each side with olive oil. Place bread on a sheet pan and broil on each side until toasted and golden brown. Mound the salad on top of the bread slices.

Greek-Style Quinoa Salad

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 large lemon (zest and ¼ cup juice)

Tidewater Kitchen

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 medium green, orange or red bell pepper, sliced

1-1/4 cups cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/4 cup red onion, sliced Pita chips

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups chopped baby spinach or romaine lettuce

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups water and quinoa to boil; reduce to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Spread quinoa on a large baking sheet to cool.

For dressing, whisk together lemon zest and juice, feta, olive oil, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine

Tidewater Kitchen

the cooked quinoa and half of the dressing. Spread spinach on a platter. Spoon quinoa mixture over the top. Arrange chickpeas, bell peppers, cucumbers and olives on a platter. Drizzle the rest of the dressing over all and sprinkle with red onion. Serve with pita chips.

Boaters Bowtie Pasta Salad

Serves 8

1 pound bowtie pasta

1 (6 ½-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound fresh asparagus, blanched, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

4 green onions, chopped

4 boneless chicken breast halves, poached and chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

Drain artichoke hearts and re-

serve marinade. Set aside artichokes. Whisk together marinade, garlic and the next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Toss artichokes, asparagus and the next 5 ingredients with pasta. Drizzle with marinade mixture and mix well.

Season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.

A longtime resident of Oxford, Pamela Meredith, formerly Denver’s NBC Channel 9 Children’s Chef, has taught both adult and children’s cooking classes. She currently resides in Easton.

For more of Pam’s recipes, visit the Story Archive tab at tidewatertimes.com.

Tilghman’s Island

“Great Choptank Island” was granted to Seth Foster in 1659. Thereafter it was known as Foster’s Island, and remained so through a succession of owners until Matthew Tilghman of Claiborne inherited it in 1741. He and his heirs owned the island for over a century and it has been Tilghman’s Island ever since, though the northern village and the island’s postal designation are simply “Tilghman.”

For its first 175 years, the island was a family farm, supplying grains, vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs and timber. Although the owners rarely were in residence, many slaves were: an 1817 census listed 104. The last Tilghman owner, General Tench Tilghman (not Washington’s aide-de-camp), removed the slaves in the 1830s and began selling off lots. In 1849, he sold his remaining interests to James Seth, who continued the development.

The island’s central location in the middle Bay is ideally suited for watermen harvesting the Bay in all seasons. The years before the Civil War saw the influx of the first families we know today. A second wave arrived after the War, attracted by the advent of oyster dredging in the 1870s. Hundreds of dredgers and tongers operated out of Tilghman’s Island, their catches sent to the cities by schooners. Boat building, too, was an important industry.

The boom continued into the 1890s, spurred by the arrival of steamboat service, which opened vast new markets for Bay seafood. Islanders quickly capitalized on the opportunity as several seafood buyers set up shucking and canning operations on pilings at the edge of the shoal of Dogwood Cove. The discarded oyster shells eventually became an island with seafood packing houses, hundreds of workers, a store, and even a post office.

The steamboats also brought visitors who came to hunt, fish, relax and escape the summer heat of the cities. Some families stayed all summer in one of the guest houses that sprang up in the villages of Tilghman, Avalon, Fairbank and Bar Neck. Although known for their independence, Tilghman’s Islanders enjoy showing visitors how to pick a crab, shuck an oyster or find a good fishing spot.

In the twentieth century, Islanders pursued these vocations in farming, on the water, and in the thriving seafood processing industry. The “Tilghman Brand” was known throughout the eastern United States, but as the Bay’s bounty diminished, so did the number of water-related jobs. Still, three of the few remaining Bay skipjacks (sailing dredgeboats) can be seen here, as well as two working harbors with scores of power workboats.

Kent County and Chestertown at a Glance

Kent County is a treasury of early American history. Its principal towns and back roads abound with beautiful old homes and historic landmarks.

The area was first explored by Captain John Smith in 1608. Kent County was founded in 1642 and named for the shire in England that was the home of many of Kent’s earliest colonists. When the first legislature assembled in 1649, Kent County was one of two counties in the colony, thus making it the oldest on the Eastern Shore. It extended from Kent Island to the present boundary.

The first settlement, New Yarmouth, thrived for a time and, until the founding of Chestertown, was the area’s economic, social and religious center.

Chestertown, the county seat, was founded in 1706 and served as a port of entry during colonial times. A town rich in history, its attractions include a blend of past and present. Its brick sidewalks and attractive antiques stores, restaurants and inns beckon all to wander through the historic district and enjoy homes and places with architecture ranging from the Georgian mansions of wealthy colonial merchants to the elaborate style of the Victorian era.

Second largest district of restored 18th-century homes in Maryland, Chestertown is also home to Washington College, the nation’s tenth oldest liberal arts college, founded in 1782. Washington College was also the only college that was given permission by George Washington for the use of his name, as well as given a personal donation of money.

The beauty of the Eastern Shore and its waterways, the opportunity for boating and recreation, the tranquility of a rural setting and the ambiance of living history offer both visitors and residents a variety of pleasing experiences. A wealth of events and local entertainment make a visit to Chestertown special at any time of the year.

For more information about events and attractions in Kent County, contact the Kent County Visitor Center at 410-778-0416, visit www. kentcounty.com or e-mail tourism@kentcounty.com . For information about the Historical Society of Kent County, call 410-778-3499 or visit www.kentcountyhistory.org/geddes.php . For information specific to Chestertown visit www.chestertown.com .

Celebrating the Bryan Brothers and the Bryan Brothers Foundation

by Josh Poore

It’s been nearly 20 years since the passing of James M. “Jimmy” Bryan Jr., but his legacy and that of his brothers lives on through the Bryan Brothers “Building Dreams for Youth” Foundation.

A beloved member of the community, Jimmy was known for his generosity and his support of local youth programs. Often, you could see Jimmy or someone from the family business, Bryan and Sons, dragging a youth field so kids could play ball, laying wood chips so the local carnival could operate on dry ground after a hard rain, or helping a family in need around the holidays. Shortly after his passing in 2003, members of the Bryan family, along with family friend Jeff Weller, decided to commemorate

Jimmy and continue his sense of giving by creating the James M. Bryan Jr. “Building Dreams for Youth” Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to help ensure that all children on the Eastern Shore have the opportunity to experience personal growth through participation in youth sports, recreation and development programs. This is what Jimmy would have wanted.

The foundation’s early years saw tremendous support from Jimmy’s friends, family, business partners and acquaintances, and this allowed the board of directors to provide almost $500,000 in grants to local youth programs while establishing an endowment account to ensure children have unique opportunities for years to come.

Bryan Bros. Foundation

“It was very impressive and heartwarming to see our community rally together around Jimmy’s legacy and step up to continue his enthusiasm for kids,” says Allen M. Bryan Jr., executive director of the Bryan Brothers Foundation. “I remember several of our vendors with Bryan and Sons and Jimmy’s friends telling me that whatever we needed to get the foundation going, they would be willing to help.”

“What made Jimmy so special was he was truly close with everybody in the community, always said hello and had great stories to tell,” he added.

With the passing of Jimmy’s brothers, Allen Sr., Billy and Kenny, between 2004 and 2011, the foundation’s board elected to change the name to the Bryan Brothers “Building Dreams for Youth” Foundation to commemorate all four brothers and their impact on the community.

“It was a tragedy to lose all of them so soon,” said board member Sharon Poore. “As a group, we decided to change the name so the Bryan family would have a legacy and continue to have a positive impact in the community. Allen Sr., Billy and Kenny did a lot for Jimmy’s foundation when it was established, so it was only natural to honor all of them in the same way.”

In its 20-year history, the foun-

dation has provided more than $1.4 million in grants to local community organizations that shape the minds of “Shore Kids,” as the organization often refers to them.

“We have been able to step up and help a lot of other nonprofits in our area in the last 20 years,” remarked Allen Jr. “I remember one year we had a grant request come in from a little league that needed to buy bats or they couldn’t have a season. Little League of America changed its rules, and this group couldn’t afford to buy the whole league new bats. We were able to help, which was a great feeling.

“It’s those types of situations in which Jimmy, my father and his brothers would have gladly helped

out. And it’s great to see our community support us at our event every year so we can continue to help groups like that.”

Each year, the foundation brings the community together at its Annual Spring Event for a night of food, drink and fun to celebrate Shore Kids. The evening is highlighted by a live auction with a professional auctioneer who excites the crowd to show their support for local youth.

This year will mark the Bryan Brothers Foundation’s 20th and final Spring Event as it closes in on the goal of reaching $2 million in the endowment so the organization can provide grants in perpetuity.

“We are extremely excited about

Bryan Bros. Foundation

this year’s event and what it means for us, for the kids and for their future,” said foundation board member Josh Johnson. “We have the opportunity to provide ongoing support for years to come, and it’s all thanks to this community, including the businesses that donate each year.

“All four of them [Jimmy, Billy, Allen Sr. and Kenny] were good friends of mine for many years, and being a part of this group has been a great way to honor them and their legacy,” Johnson added.

Most of the foundation’s events have been held at The Oaks in Royal Oak. This year, however, the

foundation has decided to expand its final event and move it to a large warehouse in Easton, provided by Scott and Tracey Wagner. The finale will feature music by The Exceptions Band of Atlantic City, New

Bryan Bros. Foundation

Jersey, food and drink from local caterers and restaurants and, of course, the favorite live and silent auctions. The 400 expected guests can expect a fun-filled evening, including kid-inspired games like a putt-putt golf contest and a corn hole toss. The event will be held on Saturday, April 15, and tickets can

be purchased at shorekids.org.

“I remember attending the event one year early on and reading the list of organizations BBF had supported that past year. I was in awe,” remarked board member Christie Bishop. “This is exactly why I’m proud to be a part of this foundation—the ability to assist children when it matters most.

“I also remember reviewing a grant about food insecurity in Dorchester County and was saddened to learn about the need,” Bishop noted. “Being able to help in situations like that is one reason the foundation is so needed in the community.”

Bishop is referring to MidShore Meals ’til Monday, Inc., a Dorches -

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Bryan Bros. Foundation

ter-based nonprofit that provides weekend meals to students during the school year and summer.

Though the Bryan Brothers Foundation is stepping back from fundraising activities, it hopes to maintain its presence in the community by providing grants to youth-based 501(c)3 organizations.

“We are very fortunate to be in this position,” said Allen Bryan Jr. “We will continue to help Shore Kids and use this year to celebrate everyone who has supported us

along the way.”

And help they have, with a list on the foundation’s website of more than 100 organizations that have received grants over the past 20 years.

“We have supported so many great causes along the way, and I know my family would be proud,” Bryan remarked. “Like local swimming lessons. Its meaningful for our area, and I think it’s a safety thing for children as well.

“Critchlow Adkins does a great job teaching kids how to swim as a part of their programs, and we are

Bryan Bros. Foundation

proud to support it. And so is our community. I think we raised over $5,000 directly for the swimming program at one event.”

Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers is on the long list of organizations that have received funding from the foundation, and Ex-

ecutive Director Cristy Morrell is happy about the support.

“The Bryan Brothers Foundation has been an unbelievable partner for us over the years,” stated Morrell. “They have generously provided funding to support our summer programs and have made it possible for our campers to participate in even more enriching

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experiences and activities. We are extremely grateful to the foundation’s members and donors—our children and families are stronger because of their support.”

Those interested in attending this year’s event or donating to the foundation should call 410-819-3780 or email info@ shorekids.org. More information

can be found at shorekids.org.

Charles Joshua “Josh” Poore is the founder of Omni Solutions Agency and serves as the lead guru for the business. Josh’s background includes a certification as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and 10 years in bookkeeping and business management.

Melissa Grimes-Guy Photography

At Londonderry on the Tred Avon, the Eastern Shore’s only 62+ independent living waterfront community, our residents enjoy exceptional experiences daily.

Our Building & Grounds team is just a phone call away, day or night. They not only take care of all the landscaping around campus, but they handle all the repairs inside and outside our residences.

The Londonderry on the Tred Avon Buildings and Grounds team is another one of the reasons that life at Londonderry is full of exceptional experiences. Every member of our team is dedicated to going above and beyond, and always with a smile and a wave.

This is retirement living at its absolute best. Londonderry residents aren’t busy with day-to-day commitments of homeownership or meal preparation. Instead, they are enjoying strolls around our waterfront campus, lunch with neighbors, bird watching or taking part in one of the many activities we o er.

Provence Collection

For more than a decade, Lancaster Legacy has been creating quality hardwood furniture in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As a family-owned business, we take special pride in every piece we build, and we continuously strive to bring our customers the nest handcra ed furniture available.

“This novel ~ set in the round the world race ~ has some very bad characters out to ruin a young man struggling to find his identity, an unexpected love interest, and some intense blue water sailing."

The book was originally serialized in Tidewater Times. Available on Amazon, print or eBook.

Changes: Coming Again

A novel in progress

by Roger Vaughan

Chapter 20: Gloria

In his office at Moss, Andy was making sure to sit on his left buttock while going through the stacks of reports and emails that had been organized for him by Gloria. Sam would have cut the pile in half, but Gloria was good. She was in one of her friendlier moods, partly the result of Andy having given her a raise large enough to result in cautionary calls from several board members. She had been pleased by the raise but not overcome by it. Gloria’s sense of her own worth was beyond anyone’s grasp.

Reports indicated that All American’s participation in The Race was having a positive effect at Moss Optics. The attention The Race was generating was not only selling products, it was dragging a staid old company onto the public stage of commerce. While older board members observed the change with a certain amount of wariness, the attention had galvanized employees, making Moss a livelier place to be.

Andy was also encouraged by

the progress being made on his old Mountain View project. No ground had been broken, but with the purchase agreement on the initial location having expired, the company was about to close on a much more attractive venue atop an accessible little mountain in Vermont. The project was being run, and run well, by George Cooper, the businessman with the meteorology degree whom Mitch had corrupted into absconding with the substantial personal funds Andy had set aside for the project. George had been found, busted, then forgiven and rehired by Andy against all advice. Andy had sensed George was no criminal. Mitch’s offer, the cash plus enviable living quarters in Malaysia, would have been tough for anyone to refuse. And there was the ugly downside Mitch had threatened to create if Cooper had refused. George’s gratitude to Andy would be lifelong, and his work showed it. Andy’s old pal, the technical wizard Jeff Linn, was Cooper’s right-hand man.

Gloria gave a preemptory knock as she walked into Andy’s office

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with another folder of reports and correspondence. “Probably none of my business, but are you okay? You seem to be favoring your right side.”

“It probably is, and yes, I am okay,” Andy said, marveling for the umpteenth time at how striking this woman was. She had her hair up as usual, but it wasn’t just up; it was cantilevered in a clever way that defied gravity. And that was just the beginning. It helped that she was six feet tall, with excellent posture. The heels added another couple of inches. She looked down on the world from a gorgeous face adorned with prominent cheekbones beneath large, dark eyes working with a firm mouth that projected an intriguing challenge: truth or dare. Pretenders beware. And she was fit, with a pleasing, firm body suited for clothes mostly models could wear. Nothing fancy, very workaday, but always ready for pictures. The fact that she never wore makeup added a surprise that was somehow intimate.

you were one of the few people on my side.”

“True.”

“And we were right, which was good luck.”

“We were. It was more than luck.”

“I have another situation. There’s this person who has been a real problem for me. I finally have them in my grasp, and I really don’t know what to do.”

“May I assume we are talking about Isha?”

Andy lightly slapped the desk. “It’s that transparent?”

“To me it is.”

It helped that she was six feet tall, with excellent posture. The heels added another few inches.

“Okay, that’s on the table. Makes it easier. You probably know almost everything. But what goes on in here stays in here, right? In the vault.”

“In the vault.”

As Gloria turned to leave, Andy asked her to stay. “Please, shut the door and sit down, if you have a minute.”

Gloria shut the door. “I’m yours.” She sat, looking attentive. Lucky me, Andy thought.

“When I rehired George Cooper,

Andy quickly brought Gloria up to speed about The Race, about firing RD and about meeting Grady, his real father, in Australia. He left out the jewel smuggling. He told Gloria how, after a few months, Isha had surfaced at a Jersey Turnpike rest area, how she’d picked up Cameron and, after finding RD, had gotten a job with the Creightons as their granddaughter’s companion.

“Apparently,” Andy said, “Isha got this wild idea in her head that we had contraband of some sort on board the boat. She and RD, now a team out to get me for busting them ~ like I shouldn’t have busted Isha

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for scheming with Mitch to ruin me and take over the company; or maybe I shouldn’t have fired RD because he tried to throw me overboard in mid-ocean? Anyway, the two of them appeared in Miami with the teenage granddaughter, who was obviously paying the bills to enjoy the show, to try and steal whatever mysterious item they thought we were carrying. Less than an hour after we finished, so-called customs officers showed up and searched the boat. They found nothing, so they made off with Sargent’s petty cash…” Andy paused. “Sargent being the skipper.”

“You have been busy,” Gloria said. “I know Sargent. I send him checks.”

Gloria burst out laughing. Andy glared at her. He might have expected it. “I’m sorry,” Gloria said, still laughing, “I can’t help it. Are you going to show me? Is that why you wanted me to shut the door?” She kept laughing.

“No, I’m not.” Andy gave in. It was impossible not to see the humor in it. He managed to chuckle. “I’m already in the process of having it lasered off,” he said. “That’s fun.”

“Oh, why?” Gloria said. “It’s got to be a keeper. What does it say?” Andy had never seen Gloria so amused.

“‘Forever, Isha,’ with a heart and some filigree.”

“Oh, my word. With a heart. Where was Becky while this was going on?”

We get upstairs and pass out on the bed. I wake up in the morning with a tattoo on my ass.

“Having gotten all wound up for nothing, frustrated little Isha decides to take a shot. Okay, I’m gonna tell you something only three people know. That would be Becky, me, and Isha. Four: a technician. Everyone who is told a secret tells one person, right? I know that’s true. But you mustn’t. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Okay. At dinner, Becky and I were drugged. The granddaughter posed as a waitress and brought us drugged desserts. We get upstairs and pass out on the bed. I wake up in the morning with a tattoo on my ass.”

“Drugged. Passed out.”

“She must love it.”

“Yeah. She laughed, too. Said it was either that or cry.”

“Well, Isha had you where she wanted you. It could have been worse, you know.”

Andy paused, studying the onesecond pulses of the digital clock on his desk that matched his heartrate. He wondered why that hadn’t occurred to him, that it could have been worse. A few possibilities instantly played in living color. They weren’t pleasant. He found himself telling Gloria about Knife Man, the fight outside the bar in Uruguay and how he’d gone to see Knife Man in

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prison. “He said Isha had told him to kill me.”

“You, a white guy, an American, beat this local hired thug with a knife senseless, and he’s in jail, all very embarrassing for him…of course he’s going to say that.”

“That’s what Jan Sargent said.”

“Well, Sargent and I agree. I met Isha several times when Mitchell Thomas was sitting in your chair. She’s very devious, a gamer, a thief, a scammer. But a killer? I don’t think so.”

“No offense, but she reminds me a little of you: strong willed, determined, self-possessed, likes to do things her way.”

“None taken.”

“Why am I not surprised? That’s why you get the big bucks.”

“Ever think about hiring her?”

“I have, actually.”

“It could work. Not an office job. Special assignments. We have suppliers who get ugly from time to time. Disagreements arise. Situations. Executives playing hardball. Put Isha on it, send her to see them and negotiate. Our envoy.”

“It could work,” Andy said. “Worth a try. Got anyone in mind?”

“Yes, it’s in the folder I gave you. One of our coating suppliers is raising a fuss about pricing. Mr. Ogami. Very troublesome fellow, aggressive. Full of himself.”

“Good test.”

She's devious, a thief. But a killer?

I don't think so.

“What am I gonna do with her? It would be easy to have her locked up. She’s an escapee, don’t forget, wanted, on the lam, and her association with Mitch would take many months to unravel while she was being held in confinement. Sending her down that road makes me strangely uncomfortable. She’s got so much potential, if it could be focused in the right direction.”

“That’s a big if, but I agree. You have to figure out what’s the right direction.”

“Let’s make that ‘we.’ Okay?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, actually,” Gloria said quietly.

“I think so. And one more thing. Let me handle Isha. You set it up, then back off.”

Becky was lost in space. She and Andy were spending a few days at his house in rural Connecticut while he put in time at Moss before he flew to Florida to rejoin the boat for the final leg of The Race. Andy hadn’t wasted any time getting Becky settled behind the lens of the Moss Black Hole 949 telescope that took up half his living room. Jeff Linn had designed it. A section of the house had to be dismantled and rebuilt for its installation. A section of the roof had been made retractable. Andy had taken the dogs for a walk, purposely leaving Becky alone with

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the universe. Thirty minutes later, he’d kenneled the dogs and entered the house from the kitchen side as quietly as possible. Becky was still riveted behind the lens.

“Enjoying the view?”

Andy had spoken quietly. Even so, it startled Becky, so transported was she. Not quite back to Earth, she stared at Andy, trying to regain her bearings.

“I’m speechless.”

“It’s just the moon.”

“It’s that word ‘just.’ I mean, how many hundreds of times have I looked at the moon, appreciated the moon for its mystery, adored the moon in all the silly, romantic ways. When they walked on the moon…I remember watching that video when I was eight or nine, running outside to look at the moon, and running back inside again to see it up close, on TV. The moon…”

“That’s why I picked it. It has quite an impact, seeing something so familiar in a stunning new way. Even the pros keep putting their telescopes on the moon. It’s irresistible.”

Becky shook her head, gently rubbed her eyes. “The images are so sharp. I’m so close to those mountains and craters, and those shadows! I’m there. I feel like I’m floating down under a parachute, that

I could be landing any minute on the dusty surface. It’s a great way to be reminded of the big picture, the really big picture. The universe, the moon, in contrast to all that stupid short-term political stuff that ignores how we are wrecking our home, trashing where we live! Earth. You know I’ve read McKibben’s book, The End of Nature. It is so clear, and so very scary, about what’s going on with trillions of tons of methane that could be released as the tundra melts, and the greenhouse effect warming the oceans, and the huge, catastrophic results those things will have on everything. McKibben says our habits, our economies, our ways of life have to change. But they won’t. I wish every politician could sit here and look at the moon the way I just did. It might wake them up.” Becky shrugged. “McKibben says it’s already too late.”

Becky went to Andy and gave him a powerful hug. “Thank you.”

“And now the good news,” Andy said. “The moon is just the beginning. The universe awaits. In a little while, we can see Jupiter, maybe Saturn.”

Later, as they were finishing dinner, Andy told Becky he’d had a talk with Gloria.

“Was Wonder Woman catching bullets in her teeth today?”

Andy shook his head. “I’m sure

It has quite an impact, seeing something so familiar in a stunning new way.

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she could. She really is something.”

“I know.”

“We talked about Isha.”

“Really.”

“I brought her up to date…”

“Not the smuggling…”

“No, but the rest, the Miami craziness, the customs idiots, Jodi… the tattoo.”

“Oh, no…”

“It’s in the vault. I trust her. She had a good laugh.”

“I’m sure that would appeal to Gloria’s sense of humor.”

“Gloria also pointed out it could have been worse. ‘Isha had you where she wanted you,’ she said. I hadn’t really considered that. Gloria’s right. She did. The possibilities are not pleasant to contemplate. She had you, too. Lucky you don’t have a tattoo.”

“Ugh.”

“Maybe I should check.”

“Please do.”

sponsibility. Let her know there’s a legitimate place for her, that people think she’s worthy.”

“You are being so generous…after what she did to you, and I don’t mean just the tattoo. You’ve already been quite generous to Isha, buying her that outsized chest. Where did that get you?”

“That was then.”

“Okay. I have to admit some jealousy. Or maybe paranoia. She was your girlfriend there for a while, even though for her it was an act, a job. But still, there it was. And I understand there’s something irresistible about her for men. Don’t tell me if the circumstances were right she couldn’t reel you in for old times’ sake.”

makes her a loose cannon.

“Well, we would have to have lots of private meetings.”

Becky picked up a roll and threw it at Andy. They laughed.

“Gloria said she would run her. Once I made the decision to hire her, I’d have nothing to do with it.”

“Gloria thinks I should hire her.”

Becky took a sip of her wine. “Really.”

“Yeah. I had to admit I’d been thinking the same thing. It worked out with George Cooper.”

“Isha’s not George Cooper. George has a wife, two kids. She’s got no responsibilities at all. That makes her a loose cannon.”

“The idea is to give her some re-

“Gloria running Isha,” Becky said. “Wow. I suppose that’s one way to keep an eye on her.”

“It’s either that or jail, and somehow that doesn’t fit. She’s never had a shot at the straight side. And frankly, the side I’ve got in mind for her isn’t that straight. Gloria said she’d use her to go see troublesome clients and negotiate with them in her own inimitable way.”

Becky laughed. “That’s what I

She’s got no responsibilities at all. That

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like about Gloria. She loves a challenge.”

“You think it makes sense?”

“You’re going to do it anyway. Just make sure your insurance is paid up.”

“Practical. That’s what I like about you.”

Isha was in Cameron’s Porsche, which she had more or less taken over, cruising at eighty miles per hour on the Connecticut Turnpike, heading for JFK Airport and flights to some forgettable town in the middle of Wisconsin where they produced a vile chemical for coating the lenses produced by Moss Optics. It wasn’t her idea of a good time, on the one hand. But it paid well, and she rather liked the prospect of a confrontation with some puffed-up executive, a chance to put some arrogant creep on his back where he belonged. And she didn’t have much choice in the matter. There was that, like it or not.

It had only been a few days since her last talk with Cameron, when she’d found out the Hippo thing was bullshit. How had he put it, that his safety came ahead of a patient’s confidentiality, words to that effect, meaning her ass instead of his, and that she was quite cornered. Not a good surprise.

She’d gone ballistic when Cameron had begun running it down for her, how he’d found Andy thanks to her stupidly blabbing his name ~ so much for the truth setting you free ~ and how he’d had a talk with him and that Becky bitch, the three of them sitting over lunch, calmly weighing her fate, the nerve of those pretentious assholes…She glanced at the dash and saw she was going ninety. She eased back to seventyfive, scanning the mirror for patrol cars.

Isha had let loose one of her better tantrums there in Cameron’s office when he told her he’d ratted her out, crashing around the office at full cry, clearing his desk with a sweeping forearm, ripping several of those mollifying photos of Cameron and his goddamn dog off the wall and smashing them. Cameron had remained seated and unperturbed while she ran her course until she crumpled up on his couch in defeat.

Exhausted and temporarily drained, she’d heard him explain how, as a professional, he simply couldn’t condone or withhold how she had drugged someone, broken into his hotel room and, while he was unconscious, had him tattooed.

“You mean as a professional rat,” she managed to say. “And how do you condone our little sessions in bed? Or is that just part of your

So much for the truth setting you free

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deal, screwing your patients?”

“I’m glad you brought that up,” Cameron said, smiling. “This is where it gets good for you, because that’s a foul on me. My hand is raised. Guilty as charged. It’s not part of my deal, but it does seem to be part of our deal. And just so you know, I don’t regret it. Not a bit. Normally, given what you did, I would have had to report you to the authorities. But you would have said I molested you, your word against mine, and, win or lose, it would have created a troublesome mess for me.

“There’s more good news. Your old boyfriend doesn’t want to bust you. He appreciates your talents, thinks you could shift into a new approach, make some decent money on a more straight-and-narrow, less underground track.”

Andy? Andy was behind this? He didn’t want her busted? That was astounding to Isha, and also somehow very satisfying. What a crazy card for him to play. It made her feel righteous that she’d gone against Mitch’s orders and told Knife Man just to scare Andy, maybe cut him a little, but not to kill him. Andy didn’t want to bust her! Amazing. She realized she was smiling. Why? Because it felt like a win.

When Cameron began to outline the specifics of the alternative Andy had in mind, working for Moss Optics, Isha wasn’t so sure.

They weren’t going to bust her? That had gotten Isha’s attention.

They weren’t going to bust her? That had gotten Isha’s attention. She’d lucked out big time when she’d managed to fit herself into that filthy heat duct in the Central Park apartment building. Being put into the system at this point would be a disaster, with all the junk they could think up to pin on her. Accessory to murder was for sure at the top of the list, and just getting around that could take years. “The system” was not a good option for Isha. But

Gloria hadn’t minced words. Isha appreciated that. Good news or bad news, she liked it up front in plain language, stripped of sugarplums and bullshit. She could count on a few fingers the people she knew who were that candid, and Gloria had just gone to the head of that small pack. It had started with a phone call: “This is Gloria Goulart. I work for Andy Moss. I’m calling to speak with you about employment.” Direct and to the point.

The next afternoon, they were sitting on a bench at Mystic Seaport Museum, Gloria’s choice, on a slightly chilly, clear spring day. Even seated, Gloria was tall. That didn’t bother Isha. At close to topping out at five feet three, in slippers, Isha had always found a way

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to use her diminutive self as an advantage. Since other women were almost always taller, she’d had lots of opportunity to fine-tune her small stature into a compelling attraction. But she had to admit that Gloria was imposing. She moved like an athlete. She was so composed. She projected such quiet confidence. Isha had seen Gloria a few times when she’d gone to meet Mitch at the office, but this was the first time they had spoken. There had been very little small talk. Gloria had gotten right to it.

“You’ll never come to the office,” Gloria said. “You’ll take on challenging associates and providers, people who are out to make a bit more hay than we think is appropriate. Special assignments. You would go see them, explain our position, convince them they should take a step back. I expect there would be four or five jobs of this nature a year. Andy thought you’d be good at it.”

“I guess that’s a compliment.”

“It is.”

“You know I have been living at the Creightons’. I am their granddaughter’s companion.”

“I do, and yes, we don’t see why you can’t keep that situation. That’s up to you.”

“Special assignments.”

“Yes. First-class travel and ac -

commodations, of course.”

“Of course.” Isha had to chuckle as Gloria laid out her future. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

“That’s true,” Gloria said. “It’s a very generous alternative to confinement.” Gloria paused, glancing up to look at a bird perched on the complex rigging of the large, tall ship moored in front of her. “There is one very serious catch.”

“Yes?”

“There will be no more interaction of any sort with Andy, or Rebecca. None. If there is, this opportunity will collapse around your ears, and you will enter the system.”

“I understand,” Isha said. She looked Gloria in the eyes and added, “If you can catch me.”

There was a dark moment before both women laughed.

“I look forward to working with you,” Gloria said as she stood up and walked away.

“A piece of work,” Isha muttered to herself as she watched Gloria’s long, fluid strides.

Gloria was muttering the exact same thing. *

The sign indicated that it was the last rest area on the turnpike. Isha took the access road and pulled the Porsche into truck parking. She removed her phone from her bag and stared at it. She pulled up the number she’d wrestled out of RD

It’s a very generous alternative to confinement.

and

“Grady.”

“Hello,

“Isha.”

“Still

“Still.”

“Good.

“We could.”

When

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