I recently went to see the Old Man; he seems so lonely and sad.

I asked him to tell me some stories. He told me he loved living here and spent his life hunting and fishing; he even had some gardens. He loved his family and friends. Life wasn’t always easy, and at times food was scarce.

He and his people would travel to Mount Kinoe to make tools and arrowheads. They also would go to the ocean and fish, and enjoy the coast like we do.

He told me about a battle at Norridgewock nearly 300 years ago. His people lost many friends and family there. After that, they moved away to Quebec and other places.

He was sad because his spear broke many years ago, and his fishing net fell apart piece by piece. Then his arms fell away, too. His clothes are shabby, and not many people seem to care.

Winter is approaching, and he dreads the cold winds that will whip at his back. He asked me to remember him if he should fall down some cold night. I told him not to worry, as I will always remember him.

Surely others out there must see him each day, as they speed by. He’s the Skowhegan Indian, and he needs our help.

Becky Poulin, Skowhegan