1938 – In the Beginning Jimmy Thompson, one of the Harbor locals, stood on the sidewalk outside Louie’s barber shop. In spite of the few white puffy clouds looking down on him, the warmth of the early summer day had him rolling up his poorly chosen long-sleeved shirt. The earthy smell of low tide, more pungent than usual, lingered oppressively, as Jimmy reached for his smokes. Striking a match against the bricks of the barber shop building with one hand, he used the other to cover his head; ducking in time to avoid the tip of a seagull’s wing. A deafening clamor persisted as hundreds of gulls swooped down over the harbor in a grand demonstration, squawking and squealing as they followed the lobster men headed out to set traps; their boats laden with foul-smelling bait. Properly positioning himself for some good old-fashioned girl watching, Jimmy’s young pal Nick, joined him. In a nonchalant manner, hoping no one would notice, Nick cinched his belt up an extra notch to stop the incessant need to hike up his pants. …show more content…
On that particular morning she emerged stunning. Some said she looked like a movie star, or the closest version of one that Cutler Harbor would ever witness. Lelia smiled as she strode with a bounce in her step, her shoulders back, and her head held high, loving the sun-filled, free-spirited day. The vivacious young lady gushed with radiance as she cavorted her way down Township Avenue, in the new dress she had sewn, an impressive sundress with a matching bolero, made of an exquisite white fabric covered with a million tiny red polka dots. “Red,” not only her nickname as a youngster, but remained her favorite color to this day. Whenever circumstances allowed, Lelia wore the beautiful hue in some fashion. Whereas the majority of girls in town chose quieter colors, like browns and greens, for their