Have you ever been to Maine Craft Distilling in Portland? Tucked behind an excellent oyster shop on Washington Avenue, my wife and I went there on a recent Sunday for a midday libation—a habit of ours we probably should break. The drinks were generous, as was the waitstaff with their time. Our server was a young man who had eagerly returned to Maine from Boston, where he said, something had been missing. 

The following morning, I woke up and couldn’t find the money clip I’ve been using since my phone replaced my wallet. Where was it? Perhaps I had left it at the restaurant where we had eaten the night before. We checked—no luck. Oh well. I had an appointment in New York in the afternoon, so I rushed off to the airport with the fatal conclusion that my money clip and the dollars it held were gone.

My wife also had a journey to make that day, to Vermont. Heading out of town, she passed by Maine Craft Distilling. On impulse, she pulled in. It wasn’t yet open so she knocked, and the owner came to the door.

“Is there any chance my husband left his money clip here yesterday?” she asked.

“Yup,” he said succinctly. “Come in, and I’ll get it for you.”

He walked to the little office, opened the safe, and drew out the money clip, which still clasped together maybe ten $20 bills.

I later thought about our server, and wondered if he had found in Maine what was missing in Boston.

—Bruce Hallett

Maine Diaries is a collection of stories from Mainers about moments big and small that embody our state, its people, and the experience of living here. Submit your own 200–300-word story about a moment in Maine to [email protected] for a chance to be featured.