MANATEE (FL)
NewsManatee
~ Part Two ~
(Part One can be found on our Past Headline News page)
"Mr. Gilpin invited myself and my older brother to his house for an overnight visit. We were no sooner through the door when he offered us something to drink. I am not sure what the libation was (usually Bacardi and Coke), but it was certainly something off limits for adolescents. Feeling like big shots, we drank with him. My brother got so drunk that he burned a hole in his couch while playing with a candle. Mr. Gilpin put my staggering brother to bed in one room, and guided me into the other room. Evidently, he and I were going to share a bed. I went to bed wearing only my underwear, and cannot recall whether he had his on to start or not. Regardless, in short order, we were naked. I will not describe what went on after that.
Suffice it to say that you cannot overuse your imagination. These types of things occurred with great frequency over the course of his time in Maine. Today I would think it strange that a not small container of Vaseline was on the night stand, but at the time I thought nothing of it.
The house was a small beachfront cottage of less than 1000 square feet, with the kitchen directly in front of the door from the drive, which was to the left of the house as one drove in. There was a waist high dividing wall between the kitchen and the living room, on the left of the front door. The bedrooms were at the opposite corners, both left and right as you stand in the doorway. There were French doors that opened from the living room onto the beach, facing Monument and Wood Islands. The heating system consisted of a below-floor unit that had a large grate, situated in the living room near the bedrooms. I thought this was neat as I had never seen one before, and hence never forgot it.
For the complete story, logon to NewsManatee.com