Beyond the South End

A Day With Daddy

Here in the South grown men call their fathers “Daddy.” That’s what I called my father from the time I was old enough to call him that and into my adulthood.

My Daddy was an easy-going man who never knew a stranger. I loved having my own special time with him. I was “Daddy’s girl.”

We had similar personalities and interests. Many’s the time I heard the phrase, “You’re just like your father.” That could be in reference to a bad thing or a good thing.

On this particular special day with Daddy we took our mopeds out on a little spin. Let me tell you why we both had mopeds. I got mine in the 70s when they became a popular toy to have. I used it a lot where I lived in Connecticut.

It wasn’t long after I got my moped that Daddy decided that he just had to have one of his own. Mine was a yellow Puch, one of the best mopeds at the time. I don’t know what brand his was.

Connecticut didn’t require a moped to be registered, but Maine did. I’ll explain why I acquired a Maine license plate for my moped later.

In 1978 I was between semesters in grad school at Fairfield University and decided to spend some quality time in Maine with my family for a while. It was September and the folks were still at the cottage in Spruce Head. I stayed in the other cottage we owned at the top of the hill. How do I know it was 1978? No, I do not have total recall like Marilu Henner.

As mentioned, Maine required registration in order to ride a moped in the state. Therefore, when I brought my moped to Maine to ride while I was there, I had it registered. You can see by the plate that it says FEB 79. That means it would expire in February of 79. From what I can remember, I only registered it for six months, September 1978-Feb. 1979, so I wouldn’t have to pay so much insurance on it. Notice the MC on the plate. I guess that meant it was a motorcycle license and they didn’t have ones specifically for mopeds. When you come right down to it, it was a cycle with a motor, so yes, you could say it was a “motor cycle.”

You didn’t need a special license to ride a moped, however, like you did with a big Harley or something. You just needed a regular license. So my Connecticut driver’s license was perfectly fine.

So that’s how I can place this little excursion with my Dad. I was 47 at the time, he in his late 60s or early 70s. Hard to believe I am now about the same age as he was in this picture.

Here’s how these pictures came to be. One day in Spruce Head, Daddy suggested we take a little ride on our mopeds. I said, “Where?” He said, “Oh, just around. Follow me.” I said, “Great, let’s go,” like the Daddy’s girl I was.

As you can see from the lighthouse, we ended up at Marshall’s Point in Port Clyde. There were a few hills to climb with our mopeds before we got to that destination. Those motors were small, only going 35mph at the most, so some of those hills were a struggle. It was a fun day as we laughed trying to get up the hills. Thankfully, on those back roads, the traffic is not heavy. It was a wonderful excursion.

After we left the point, we continued on to the village and had some great fish chowder or clam chowder, I forget which. I believe it was in that grocery store that is quite well known there which serves food. If I am wrong as to that location, please correct me.

The three little pictures you see I cut to fit into a neat hanging chain picture frame and I have it on my office wall. I can see them from where I sit. I was not about to leave it behind in the flood mess. I still have this plate too which I stick on the bottom of a frame of a picture of the coast of Maine, also in my office.

When I moved to Georgia, I brought my moped with me. When I was between cars I used it as my main means of transportation around my town. I went to the bank, grocery store, post office, and to work, which was nearby. I eventually sold it when I moved to an area where it was not safe to drive a moped. My Dad eventually upgraded to a motor scooter which he actually drove back and forth from Spruce Head when he was still working at Bald Mountain Printing on Main Street in Rockland. I have no idea where he parked it during the day.

I tried driving that scooter once and nearly ended up on my rear end when I let the clutch out too quickly. That one summer was the only time Daddy and I got to have fun together on our mopeds. The precious times we share with our mother and father are held in our hearts all our lives. I never forgot that day and the fact that I got to hang out with my Daddy for a while.

This Sunday, June 17^th, is Father’s Day. If your “Daddy” is still living, give him a big hug and kiss. Happy Father’s Day!

Thanks for listening.