Over the years I have owned and used many chainsaws. In my younger years, the metal of choice was either Homelite or McCulloch. The McCulloch saw was enormous, heavy and loud with a bar that was over two feet long. It was like lugging a small Evinrude outboard through the woods. But, once you set that baby on a log, it was so heavy, you needn’t do anything but wait for it to finish the cut. No pressure needed. Don’t get it bound up though, it --- took a backhoe to dislodge.

Then along came, Stihl, Jonsored and Husquvarna. All good saws that served me well. Recently I needed a new trim saw for limbing up felled trees or removing dead or broken branches. This past year has been rough on the white pine on our property.

Since I don’t work a whole lot in the woods anymore, I wanted to check with some of my fuller time buddies to see what they recommended. Just as with photo gear, the saw world evolves and new stuff comes along. I got lots of opinions. Donny Clark, who we’ve known since he was a little whippersnapper growing up on Barters Island, suggested I stick with a bow saw. “Hi Donny.” The one name that did come up regularly, especially for service, was Chadwicks in Nobleboro. So I fired up the Jetta and launched. Road trip.

When I entered the Chadwick shop I removed my hat as I am want to do (courtesy of my USMC father) and adjusted my colorful floral mask. The gent behind the counter was working on a transaction but looked up as I approached the boundary line set for virus regulation. “You don’t know who I am do you?” he said. I instantly recognized the voice but needed to study the man behind the beard. “KENNY!”, I said.

It was Kenny Yereance. “Geez,” I said. “You got any of them special rolls from the Cash and Carry behind the counter?” What a coincidence. We met at the Lakeview Motel with the Bernaths back in the ’70s. I hadn’t seen him in years.

We visited a little but Kenny was very busy. I said hi to Mr. Chadwick who I had never met but recognized his dulcet tones from a phone call. What a nice man. He sold me a brand spankin’ new ECHO saw and I made some photos with him, with his permission. Not every chainsaw person I know is so accommodating. I reunited with an old friend, bought a saw and made a photo. It was a good day.