Pirates Prowling the Streets of Portland
Last fall I began an internship at the Preble Street Resource Center as part of my Master of Social Work coursework. I was scheduled to do outreach in the courtyard during my first week. I sat on a bench next to Bob Bergeron and introduced myself, then asked him if he was a Mainer.
“No, Mass.,” he said.
“No kidding?” I replied. “So am I.”
“Oh yeah? Cambridge?” Bob asked with a smirk on his face.
“No, worse: I’m from Cape Cod. How about you?”
“I’m from Leominster”
“Really?” I asked, smiling. “That’s where Robert Cormier’s from! I loved all his books when I was younger.”
Bob looked at me with surprise and exclaimed, “I knew that guy! You like to read, huh? I’m an autodidactic myself.”
“I know what that word means, Bob!” I shot back, jokingly.
“If you really want to know what’s going on here, you know what you should read to educate yourself?” Bob asked.
“No, what?”
“You want to read Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck. It’s basically about this place. It’s about a bunch of drunks who are big-hearted but can’t seem to get out of their own way. There’s even a store in the book that’s just like Dyer’s” — Dyer’s Variety, a convenience store just steps from the Center, on Portland Street.
“OK, Bob,” I said. “I accept your challenge.”
I got the book from the library that weekend, read the slim novel over the next few days, and returned to Preble Street looking for Bob. When I found him that afternoon, we had a terrific discussion about the book, Steinbeck’s mastery of language, and his empathy for the characters. I told Bob I’d learned a lot from Cannery Row and had gained new insights about the cycle of addiction and people affected by it.
Then I recommended a book to him and loaned him a copy. He read it and we discussed it the following week. I never expected I’d be in a book club with a homeless guy, but we’ve had some of the best discussions about literature that I’ve had in years. The lesson I’ve taken from this is that no matter what people are struggling with, we all have something to offer and to gain from our interactions. That inspiration can come from the most unusual sources.
Last winter, Bob and I started talking about comics, and also about the book he wanted to write. One day I brought my laptop into the Center for him to use, and he typed out what eventually became the text for this comic, The Pirate Ship, which I illustrated with his collaboration. The comic is for sale in downtown Portland at Coast City Comics, Strange Maine and Casablanca Comics, and available online via Etsy. I hope you enjoy these excerpts from the book we’ve made together.
— Katy Finch
