Fort Sewall Lobsters

A Photo Essay
by Bill Purdin

First of all you have to know where it is. And, of course, how to get there.
Then, you have to get his attention. That can be a trying experience.
He may be talking with the neighbors. He may be just ignoring the world
and looking out to sea at his boat, Bollocks!, riding on her mooring.
He may actually be waiting on another customer, which is a drawn-out
process (see below). But, if you are patient and do not appear to be
too much of an out-of-Towner, or too pushy, or even too solicitious, that is,
if you just act normal and be yourself, he will eventually notice you
and ask, "Yes?"
"Do you have lobsters?"
"I just might."

Now, you're getting there.



First, he determines what it is you want. What size. Does it have to be
whole, or can you accept one with just one claw (they're cheaper). How many?
Once that conversation is over, he slowly walks down the old granite
stairs to the water, and then, depending on the tide, walks some distance
to his "car," which is a wire box, just beneath the surface in the cold
New England waters of Fort Beach, where his most recent catch is waiting.



Now, he's got them in the bucket. He seems pleased.



From the bucket to the scales.



A brief waiting period while the scales settle down and Paul can
get an accurate reading.



Then into the bag they go... one by one. He then figures out the
charge with a pencil on the side of the used grocery bag that now
holds the lobsters. You can see the wiggling through the brown
paper as he writes down the arithmetic, draws the
line and writes down the final answer... with a dollar sign
and a tap on the bag with the dull point of the stubby pencil.
The lobsters move again.



"Here you go. That'll be $35.16."

They just taste better (and they cost less) when you buy your
lobsters at Fort Sewall from Paul Crowell.
Trust me. I know these things.

Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays
2 P.M. to 5 P.M. (or so)
Mastercard and American Express both are NOT accepted.

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