A Boothbay Story

Boothbay Harbor
No LL

On the way in to Boothbay Harbor is Newagen Point. On our honeymoon in 1966, Libby and I came to Boothbay pulling a little caravan camping trailer smaller than the car. We drove out to Newagen Point and we saw the huge, lovely and historic looking Newagen Inn. We decided to splurge on our meager resources and spend a night att the inn rather than in the trailer.

When we checked in they asked us, "American continental plan?" I didn't know what that meant. I still don't know. Anyhow, I chose the least expensive option. We started feeling uneasy though because the inn appeared to be the place for rich people, not newlywed paupers like us.

For some strange reason that I never found out, Libby and I appeared to be the only guests in this huge resort. It was July, hardly off season. Anyhow, in the morning, we came down for breakfast. In my memory, which may be larger than life, we came to an enormous room with tables set for 1,000 people and with 100 uniformed wait staff standing stiffly at attention, white linen towels draped over their forearms. Libby and I were the only guests. We felt extremely self conscious and under dressed.

The waiter came to take our order, but he asked for our room number. We gave it to him. We returned a minute later saying, "I'm sorry but your plan does not provide breakfast, you'll have to leave." We asked if we couldn't pay cash for breakfast. "I'm terribly sorry, no," was the answer. Oh dear. With tails between our legs and with our cheeks burning, we had to march out of the room, unfed, past those 100 staff people staring at us. The humiliation was complete.

That night we cooked our own lobster banquet over a can of Sterno in the tight quarters of our little trailer. There, we felt like king and queen. Our experience at the Newagen Inn was life changing. Ever since, we like things plain, simple and blue collar. We would choose Motel 6 over the Ritz Careton any day. We prefer eating in a neighborhood diner than the fanciest restaurant.