Introduction---And a Note to My Neighbors ix
A Five-Minute History of Matinicus
1(6)
The Year of Living Insularly
7(3)
Getting Here Is None of the Fun
10(4)
On the Edge of What?
14(4)
The Return of the Native
18(3)
Island Wheels
21(6)
Live Lobsters Ain't Red and Other Truths
27(11)
The Third Reason to Come Here
38(3)
Bell Buoy
41(4)
For the Next Island Teacher
45(3)
Teacher Wanted for One-Room School
48(3)
Readin', Writin', and Reality for an Island Teacher
51(3)
Not Just the "Three Rs"
54(3)
The Island Kids are Lucky
57(6)
Students from Overseas
63(4)
Breakfast Aboard the Robin
67(2)
Making Do and Doing Without the Flying Service
69(4)
Safely Out to Sea
73(3)
You Can't Get There from Here....
76(4)
Why Don't You Have a Cow?
80(6)
Survival Rations
86(3)
Two in the Stern
89(7)
The Customer Is Always Right
96(4)
Anadama Bread and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles
100(3)
Artisanal Electricity
103(3)
The Outlaw Doughnuts of the Resistance
106(6)
Greep Birds and Secret Eagles
112(3)
How to Entertain Guests
115(3)
The Marine Operator Is Holding Traffic
118(5)
No Desire to Tweet....
123(3)
Resistors, Doctor Bob, and Lech Walesa
126(3)
We're Not Off the Grid, We Are the Grid
129(3)
Leaving the "Baby" with a Sitter
132(2)
Election Day in the Old Schoolhouse: Arrive Hungry
134(4)
The Littlest Caucus
138(3)
Disorganized Territory
141(4)
Fight City Hall
145(5)
Pity the Census-Taker
150(2)
Letters I Wished I'd Written
152(3)
Sister Cities
155(3)
After the Fire
158(3)
Matinicus Island Has a Post Office (At Last!)
161(3)
Why I Live on Kumquat Street
164(6)
You've Got to Give Me a Valid Zip Code, Lady!
170(4)
Pie, Kale, and Sheetrock
174(6)
Years of Tradition Unhindered by Progress
180(4)
Christmas on This Island
184(5)
Lobster Chowder Is a Man's Work
189(4)
The Red Dahlia Society
193(3)
Us Egghead Bookworm Types Will Do Anything for Cookies
196(3)
What We Need Around Here Is a Municipal Parade
199(4)
Waitangi Day
203(4)
We'll Miss You, Dave and Betty
207(2)
Don't Tell the Nurse
209(3)
The Schooner Bowdoin Makes a Stop
212(3)
What Sort of Year for Monarchs?
215(3)
Matinicus Island Rescue
218(4)
Head Lice, Propane, and Chamomile Tea
222(4)
Who You Gonna Call?
226(4)
Knock on Wood and Water Down the Stew
230(4)
Keep a "Weather Eye" on the Sky
234(3)
The Harkness Rescue, One More Time
237(10)
A Dumpster, Toilets, and the Bloody Electrician
247(4)
The Song of the Island EMT
251(3)
Ferry Day: We're All in this Together
254(4)
I Feel Safe---How About You?
258(3)
Terrorism Poster
261(4)
Åland Island, Home Sweet Home?
265(4)
Watch Out for the Crane
269(3)
Make Way for the Garbage Czar!
272(8)
The Society Pages
280(3)
The Soft-Edged Boilerplate of Tradition
283(5)
It Could Have Been Any of Us
288(3)
No More Pirate Jokes for a While, Please
291(2)
All the News, Whether It's Fit to Print or Not
293(3)
Writers "Discover" Matinicus Again and Again and Again
296(3)
A Year on Matinicus
299(4)
You Might Be from Matinicus If....
303(4)
Nobody with Any Sense Would Write About an Island
307