A Living Magazine - Grounded in Maine - Day 33 - Boothbay Harbor to Damariscotta

Overnight Melinda's daughter arrived. So, in the morning I got to meet her and have breakfast with both of them. I was scheduled to go to Damariscotta next, and they drove me up the River Road to "Scottie" (the local nickname). 

When we got there we poked around Reny's (the famous Maine discount store). This was the original location of the store. There are now 15 other stores throughout the state. I was searching for the cheapest possible socks. In among the $12 and $15 pairs I found a $2 pair.

Then I went with them to Rising Tide Community Market, a "cooperative business dedicated to being a trusted community-based resource for high quality, natural, sustainable foods and goods." Neat place, very friendly but a bit out of my price range.

It was time to part. I had fallen behind considerably on the blog and needed to head back out on my own from there. We all exchanged a goodbye hug, and they drove off.

I went over to the Dollar Tree to get some pumpkin seeds and then walked back into town, planning to go to the library to work...

The Chapman Hall House.

It was closed. A minor pet peeve of mine is libraries that aren't open on Mondays. But shit, I got over it and continued down to the Ampersand Café, part of the Maine Coast Book Shop. Having about $4 left in the world, I looked for the least expensive item in the place. And, thankfully the café gods had placed half a dozen day old chocolate cookies in a basket and marked them half off. Fifty nine cents later I was in business at one of the tables.

This would turn out to be a good place to work. They had fast Wi-Fi, AC outlets and several other folks were there working online at the surrounding tables--some with no food or drink. I was in my element.

I worked the rest of the day there publishing a post, then took off to find a sleep spot. I saw on Google Earth that there were plenty, so I just played it by ear as I walked back up toward Hannaford. I planned to go to McDonald's which was very nearby for coffee the next morning to continue my work.

I found a spot across from the Head Tide Bakery. It was pretty close to the street. I didn't mind though, having slept next to hundreds of roads. The sound of cars going by doesn't even register with me anymore. I walk next to them, work next to them, and sleep next them... It's only the assholes who peel out of parking lots or beep impatiently that remind me just how ubiquitous traffic has become in my life.

I was worried about money again and kept feeling like something was missing from the night, but wasn't quite sure what it was until I climbed into the tent. Then I realized what it was: peace of mind. I'd spent so much time with Melinda, being essentially cared for by her. But posting all those great meals was deceptive. These Journeys are quite literally feasts followed by famines. Already, the experience of never knowing what was going to happen the next day was a bipolar one. Mix in food insecurity, and my obsessively deep mind just couldn't rest...

I stayed up a few hours just thinking. And, afflicted by this kind of temperament, I began to drift through all the other unresolved subjects in my life. I desire so many relatively simple things: time to write my several books, a permanent place to call my own, growing my own food, having a romantic relationship with a woman... 

They dangle at the ends of strings about two inches above my head. Lunging for them causes the strings to be withdrawn. Gently reaching for them tends to drive me insane. Hoping the strings will lengthen is all I have. Fortunately, hope may die during the night but is always reborn with each new sunrise. I fell asleep, eager for the new sunrise.

Damariscotta Sleep Spot.