(Illustration by Tom Camilleri)
Christmas got here early for me one yr. As a younger boy, my Christmas expectations have been often fairly reserved attributable to our household’s monetary circumstances. However that yr, the primary Christmas snow we had been praying for started simply after I completed my homework, and I spent the following hour watching the magical white stuff rework a gritty city neighborhood right into a winter wonderland.
I often had hassle sleeping the evening earlier than I had an task, however with the considered a contemporary blanket of snow, I discovered myself up and dressing lengthy earlier than first gentle. I had promised the caretaker that I’d dig clams for one of many vacation treats he ready for others, notably single males and widowers who didn’t have mates or household with whom to share the vacation. I stepped out onto the virgin snow, the place not a single footprint was seen till I arrived on the nook the place the ironmongery store was situated and observed a single set of tracks going within the entrance door. Two blocks later, I walked in two units of contemporary tracks, each heading for the all-night Bridge Diner on the financial institution of the Taunton River. With a shiny quarter burning a gap in my pocket, I made a decision to not have breakfast at dwelling however to deal with myself to a scorching chocolate and Danish pastry on the diner. After I cleaned up the final crumb of meals and was about to depart, the waitress known as me again and handed me one other scorching chocolate for the street. Again within the good previous days, nearly everybody was within the vacation spirit.
I headed for the boathouse touchdown. Midway there, I reduce throughout the tracks of my pal Mike. It was a simple learn because the previous vet walked with a cane and had a foul leg that he dragged behind him. I adopted his path to the highest of the steps, the place he had appeared down on the slippery descent, appraised the scenario, and determined towards the chance. There wasn’t any smoke coming from the boathouse chimney and no tracks alongside the shoreline, so I surmised the caretaker and his ingesting buddies will need to have celebrated late and closed the tavern down within the wee morning hours. It was lower than an hour to low tide and I had work to do, however it must wait. I sprinted down the lengthy staircase and located the coal shovel the place it was hidden beneath the work skiff. It took fifteen treasured minutes to clear a path on the steps earlier than I used to be capable of start my task on the water’s edge.
A lot of the previous timers used a round-tined pitchfork to dig clams, however I used to be taught to dig with what the caretaker known as a clam hod, a short-handled rake with inward-facing tines that required digging in a kneeling or bent-over place. The brief rake was tougher to make use of, however it was rather more environment friendly and allowed a talented digger to excavate in an enlarging circle because the partitions of the increasing trench caved in, exposing the clams and masking up the outlet behind him. After the primary frosts of mid-October, colder climate had discouraged the fair-weather diggers, however the most efficient areas have been nonetheless fairly nicely cleaned out. To make issues extra difficult, after the primary frost the clams maintain a lot deeper and their shells turn out to be very brittle. For that cause I made a decision to dig in a bit of arduous backside that the sensible diggers averted due to the bowling-ball-sized rocks that littered the realm. I labored up a sweat over that construction, however it was nicely value it as a result of I uncovered a cache of clams that overflowed the rim of the 4-quart pan I used to be utilizing.
Mother at all times taught us that we’d be rewarded for our charity and acts of kindness, and on that chilly December morning, I believed that eradicating the snow from the steps paid off in diamonds. I anticipated to unearth maybe a quart of clams for the caretaker’s chowder, however because it was, I struck the mom lode. As soon as the pan was overflowing, I started stuffing clams in my pockets. I used to be nearly frozen after I walked into the heat of the caretaker’s kitchen the place the aroma of pipe tobacco stuffed the air and the pungent scent of licorice emanated from the jug of clear liquid that was being handed round.
For a hearty inventory, at the very least a quart of clams is critical. Since we had greater than sufficient, one of many caretaker’s cohorts melted huge gobs of Crisco in an enormous forged iron skillet whereas one other whipped up a tasty batter to roll the shucked clams in. Fried clams just a few days earlier than Christmas was a rare deal with.
When somebody popped a head within the door, the caretaker added one other cup of water to the pot, reduce the potatoes a bit smaller after which handed out one other bowl of the steaming, fragrant potage. It was just like the blessing of the loaves and fishes; earlier than lengthy, it turned so crowded that I discovered myself sitting on the countertop in that slender kitchen stuffed with fragrant steam, pungent tobacco smoke and goodwill towards males.
I nonetheless recall that day, when disabled veterans and poor working class males shared small items and good cheer with their fellow watermen. Their actions spoke louder than the proverb in regards to the consideration being rather more necessary than the scale or worth of the present, as tins of tobacco, an affordable pipe and some packs of cigarettes have been tendered. The boys additionally addressed the caretaker’s candy tooth after they pooled their meager sources and chipped in on a field of Fannie Farmer sweet for the person who cooked for them and was at all times looking for his or her welfare.
It bought so scorching within the kitchen that one of many males cracked the highest half of the south-facing window and, despite the fact that their appetites have been sated and items exchanged, it was apparent to me that nobody was in any hurry to depart, notably those that had no household to return to. I slid off my perch and was about to assemble up my jacket and scarf when Mike caught my arm along with his cane.
“Hey child, I noticed what you probably did. I used to be looking the window and watched you shovel off the steps. Thanks.” And with these phrases he positioned his fingers on my shoulders and advised me my father can be happy with me. I fought again tears, and simply earlier than I made it to the door, the caretaker blocked my exit.
“The place do you suppose you’re sneaking off to? There are dishes to be washed.” He rubbed my head and produced a large bag of penny sweet from Dad and mom sweet retailer. All of them knew that was often my first cease at any time when I acquired just a few cash for operating errands. My journeys to the sweet retailer have been often for nickel and dime purchases, by no means for a bag of that quantity. Mother and my siblings can be sharing it with me. And, I don’t understand how or when he did it, however the caretaker had managed to place apart a big saucepan of chowder for my mom.
That afternoon, I walked dwelling over well-trod sidewalks with not solely meals for the physique however nourishment for the soul. Life was good. Merry Christmas!
