My Dad, Ezra Smith, was a prolific writer of letters to the editor. After he died, I found every letter he’d ever written to our local newspaper, in files by decade. What a treasure!
He once wrote a letter to the editor about the outhouse at our camp on Nesowadnehunk Lake just outside the western boundary of Baxter Park. We actually framed the letter and put it up in the outhouse. A couple of years ago, when a new outhouse was constructed, his letter was moved, so it still hangs there.
I thought you might enjoy Dad’s letter. Here it is.
To the Editor:
Although I have lived in Maine most of my life, I had never been to Baxter Park. However, my luck changed when son George purchased a camp near there and I had the good fortune of being one of the first guests.
The water was not turned on at the camp so I had the privilege of trudging to the outhouse back up on the ridge. It was a beautiful morning, in fact every morning is quite special after a person reaches the so-called retirement age and especially meaningful if one happens to be in Baxter Park.
The whole forest seemed to be glistening and I was looking forward to my first try at the native trout in Nesowadnehunk Lake. The sun was just beginning to show over Mt. Katahdin, and it was indeed, as others have said, another wonderful world.
However, a sort of pessimistic haze suddenly overcame my happy thoughts as my mind bounced back to the real world for a moment. Back home in Winthrop, the day before I had received a notice of a large increase in water rates. Town spending had increased a whopping 10 percent. Our Blue Cross rates were up. State taxes were up. The government wants $25 before I can put my old boat in the salt water.
Retirement income is going down daily.
The depressing thoughts could have gone on all morning but upon my arrival at my destination, I saw the old Sears & Roebuck catalog had been replaced by a roll of Charmin. That got me to thinking things are getting better, though I’ll miss the pictures.
I know I should be happy to be alive. God knows it costs too much to die.
Ezra Smith, Winthrop
