Whether you live inland or on the coast, making a life in Maine means getting to know your neighbors, and learning to listen to one another. Being heard is powerful, and so is steering into conflict with the desire to keep listening. We have two stories about the power of making your voice heard, and of listening to your heart. The first is the story of a reporter from Skowhegan, Maine, who fights to keep working and living after losing his vocal cords. The second is about a town that comes to see a massive cruise ship docked in port during the Pandemic almost like a kind of family member.
Emily Kwong’s 2012 piece Parts of Speech introduces us to long-time Morning Sentinel reporter Doug Harlow. Doug was never a quiet guy, and as a reporter, being able to talk to sources and call up strangers to track down stories was a crucial part of his work, and his identity. So when he learned that his vocal cords would need to be removed in order to battle cancer, he made preparations. He recorded some last messages, then set his mind to learning to speak again, using a small device called an electrolarynx.
Featuring: Doug Harlow, Mary Lou Harlow, Colin Hickie, Georgia Harlow, Russell Douglas Philbrick
Town: Skowhegan | County: Somerset
Eastport, Maine is a small town with a very deep port. So when a no-sail order went into effect at the start of the pandemic, a massive cruise ship named the Oceania Riviera needed a place to dock. It seemed like it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, but not everyone in Eastport was convinced it was a good (or safe) idea. Mariah Dennis’s Only Port of Call follows the story of how the town came to view the ship as a part of itself, if only for a short – though very meaningful – summer.
Featuring: Rocky Archer, Hailley Bradbury, Don Dunbar, Tessa Ftorek, Chris Gardner, David Oja, Bob Peacock, Jeanne Peacock
Town: Eastport | County: Washington