Northbound in the Hoopty – Tim Cotton Writes

While my ‘Hoopty’ is a Honda, it’s got some idiosyncrasies. Now and then, it jolts you to reality with a horrific hitch in its giddyup; I think that’s the technical term.

I still drive it distances, but only because I know a guy with a tow truck, and another guy who works on Hondas.

Truth be told, I loaded up Ellie, who is not accustomed to riding in the back seat of a sedan, my T-BON (Travelin’ Bag o’ Necessities), and headed to Aroostook County because the S.O. promised me pot roast when I came up to visit with her and the grandkids.

Good, slow-cooked pot roast will tempt me to drive far greater distances, but the chance to see the kids, and the S.O. would tempt me to drive far greater distances in much more dilapidated automobiles.

I digress.

I swung into Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (that’s what they called it when I worked there in high school), grabbed some fries to split with Ellie, and motored with wild abandon. It had just started snowing. Not the kind of snow they like to portray in movies about Maine, but the kind that creates abundant slick spots, and leaves plenty of bare macadam for your tires to gain gription and keep up forward (mostly) momentum.

I was able to pick the kids up at the storage facility where they reside with other similar models whose parents have to go to work or school unencumbered with the little rascals, ate some great pot roast, and let Ellie and her dog-cousins frolic in the snow.

I share photos, mostly for the Ellie fans, who can see that when not resting her head on my shoulder for the drive, she does keep a sharp eye on any remaining French fries. She knows they are for her, but remains cognizant that I like them too.

I can promise you that she had more than I did, which is good for me but not so great for the dog. I promise you they were unsalted, and she doesn’t get them much; I surmise it’s better for her than the whiskey she really wants.

Kidding; I kid.

It was a good trip up-country, but we must head home to meet with the generator repairman. It seems the one I installed after heavy pressure from the S.O. also has a hitch in its giddyup, and we must get that figured out.

Plus, the driveway needs to be shoveled out—again.

From the Jagged Edge of America, Aroostook edition, I remain,

*I’d like to thank the new subscribers to the Newslog (It’s a blog, but more fun). My friend, Don M., joined last week, and I told him that I would acknowledge him. We spoke over sushi about a week ago. He advised he’d love to read the stuff, but he is not getting on Facebook. I suspect there are a lot of you who feel the same way. I will do better at placing my daily missives over here in the blog, so it can be read by those who eschew the Zuck’s time suck. I appreciate all of you. Thanks for joining, the support in notes, BuyMeACoffee memberships, subscriptions on the Faceplant page…well, you know the deal. Thanks. TC

Coffee & Chocolate

Barnes & Noble

This is one of the best books I have read in years. It has tenderness and warm, gentle humor - and several laugh out loud spots. Give yourself a gift and read this. You will better about life.

Amazon Customer October 9, 2020

Amazon

I loved every bit of this book. I’ve been following the Bangor Police page and then Tim Cotton’s page on Facebook for years now. I think of it as a tiny little piece of my day that I can count on to make me feel something – usually something good, comforting in some way, occasionally a wee bit of sadness, but sad in that wistful way that a person appreciates. This man writes the way I often find myself thinking in my own head. He points out all the commonalities that we have as people, rather than the differences. The differences he writes about are the superficial ones, and the ones that make us interesting. I stretched this book out for quite a long time, reading a chapter or two in between other books. It’s a great place to turn when a person wants to occupy their minds with something peaceful that helps us to understand the world and our place in it just a little more.

Unhappy July 1, 2020

I’ve enjoyed Tim Cotton’s stories and ramblings on Facebook (or The Book of Faces, as he calls it) for a while now. And having a whole book of his musings is the reading equivalent of binge watching Netflix (something I’ve only recently learned about during the lockdown). Cotton talks about the little things and he tells it like it is. But it would be a mistake to say he has ‘no filter’ – he most definitely has a filter and it’s a filter of kindness and compassion. I liked Chapter 5 ‘The Cop’ best. It’s more fictional than the rest, and I hope it’s a hint of a novel to come?

Wrenn December 30, 2020

I have read this book 4 times now; the first 2 times I read it slowly, trying not to let it end too soon. I decided to read a few other things after that – Hamlet, Great Expectations, A Time to Kill, A Time for Mercy, Little Women. The entire time I was reading those books I longed to go back and read The Detective in the Dooryard again. When I picked it up for the third time, I felt like I was sitting down with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years, the kind you know so well you can pick right back up where you left off. The Detective in the Dooryard is a collection of stories, some about Tim Cotton’s experiences as a Bangor, Maine police officer and Detective; some are about memories of things that shape us all into who we are today. Tim often references music, mostly from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Just the mention of a song’s title makes me remember growing up and coming of age during those years, and I am immediately taken back to people, places and events in my past – some good, some bad, but always just as clear as if I were there. Tim’s writing is so descriptive you feel as if you are there inside each story as well; some of his writing actually takes my breath away. There is a lot of humor, wry sarcasm, wit, and deft handling of sometimes difficult subjects. This book is the touch of your Mother’s hand on your forehead when you’re sick, your favorite treat as a child; it’s coming home. Can’t wait for the next one

Hannah January 6, 2021

This book is like a warm hug. I honestly don’t want to put it down, but I also don’t want it to end. The struggle is real. It is not a mystery that you think you can figure out and refuse to put it down to prove to yourself you’re smarter than the author, but it feels so good and real you want to read more. Maybe I’m biased because I grew up in Maine and Tim Cotton’s lyric writings immediately put me back in the Maine woods and setting sun as I try to get every bit of light to take in the last bit of beauty from the day. It really is poetic, and funny, and relatable. You don’t have to be a big old sentimental Mainer like me to thoroughly enjoy this book, you just have to be a human living in a chaotic world looking for a happy release. Would I recommend this book; YES, SIR! Will I be giving up my copy any time soon, probably not. I know I’ll pick this book up whenever I need a warm hug, a feeling that I’m home in Maine snuggled up on my gram’s homemade quilt, and a moment of happy calm. Pick this up and enjoy! You’re welcome!

TIM COTTON WRITES

Coffee & Chocolate

Amazon Customer October 9, 2020

Unhappy July 1, 2020

Wrenn December 30, 2020

Hannah January 6, 2021