Alfred Huskins lived across the street from “The Pink Cottages” just off Dogfish Head Road, back from Ebenecook Harbor, on Southport. He and I met when I was doing some work for Mary and Liz (Harward and Kiehn) at the cottages. I was also cat-sitting for Mary and Liz at their house over near Decker Cove. My job was to keep their long-haired cat alive and hair ball free. It was a long winter which we both survived.

Alfred was related to the Roberts family from Barters Island. Our first home was on Kimballtown Road in a Roberts place. We knew Harold and Marion Roberts through a mutual friend. They lived in the house that now belongs to the Atwell-MacLeods on Dogfish Head, right next door to Alfred's house and past sawmill.

Alfred was not a large man. But that did not diminish his abilities or stature — he was very capable. I saw him do some stuff at the mill with a big pile of logs once that seemed completely impossible. He also was the Lusty Lobster guy on Southport and ran the pound across the cove from what was Boothbay Region Boatyard, now a Hodgdon facility.

The pound has always been a favorite spot of mine, even before I photographed much in the area. Something about the concept of piling a bunch of lobster into a big pond intrigued me. The way the gates were built to manage water was equally interesting. And hanging out and chatting with Mr. Huskins was always fun, when he could hear me.

The remnants of the pound operation remain but now the water flows unmanaged.

Memories of the pound and Mr. Huskins, back in the day, still remain. The rush of water as the tides change recalls efforts configured for one purpose — corralling and sustaining the lobster herd. And Mr. Huskins' Lusty Lobster old truck chugging along, an arm and cigarette out the window. He was a nice person.