A favorite place for us to visit in southern Maine, before the summer hoards arrive, is Ogunquit.

To stroll along the 3+ miles of Ogunquit Beachhigh tidelow tideon or off shore breeze, it is one of lifes simple pleasures.

"So.can we go..pleeeze, pleeeze.can we walk the beach this afternoon?

OK, lets do it.

Temps in the upper 50slight on shore breeze and appears to be low tide or at least not high tidebeautiful. Indeed, let's do it.

My full concentration was on finding a parking spot facing directly on the ocean.she says, did you see that dog?

That dog, I responded, there are several dogs out there.

No, did you see the dog with his head sticking out of the window of the blue car?

"Huh?"

You missed it, didnt youyou simply missed it and I would really love to have a photo of that dog.

Ok, Okjust let me circle back around and I'll park as close as I can to the blue car.

Parked the car, took my camera and we walked over to the blue car.

Hi, sir, I said to the elderly gentleman seated in the drivers side front seat of the blue car.

We would like to take a photo of your dog.I guess thats your dog, in the back seat.

Yep, the gentleman responded, he's my dog and his name is Tobias.

Well, what about a picture, I repeated.

You can take his picture, said the gentleman, but I would like to ask you a question...sorta make a trade with you in return for the photo.

Question....Trade..what kind of a question or trade do you have in mind, I asked quizzically.

Ive been working on this puzzle for a while and I am completely stumped with this question about music, he offered, pointing to a crossword puzzle book in his lap.

Well, funny you should ask, I responded, because many years ago, pre MTV, I actually worked at a radio station and played a lot of music. Whats the clue?

Right here, 60 Across: M. Manfreds 1960 music lyric, he said, and it has 16 letters, starting with a d and ending with a y'

"Eh......Eh.....maybe...Eh," I muttered and stammered.

OK, start writing as I spell, I blurted, DOOWAHDI DDYDIDDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj9fofFGXKc

"I think that's right," said the gentleman, "at least it fits."

"Of course it's right," I affirmed, "what about the rest of our deal?"

"Go ahead and take photo," he responded, "a deal is a deal."

I snapped the photo of Tobias, we again thanked the gentleman and he thanked us as well for the assistance with the puzzle:


As we turned to walk away, she asked, Why the sunglasses?

Cataracts in both eyes, he said, "just makes dealing with the sun a little easier."

He went back to work in his puzzle book and we walked the beach.