The story took place on an island in the middle of a large lake located in between the Ossipee and Belknap mountains. For me, this was and still is the most beautiful place in the world, and where my story began. I was hired at a lodge as the speed boat driver. Along with my duties as boat driver, I was the bartender, plumber, painter, fishing guide, Maytag repairman, carpenter, valet, garlic chopper, cheese grater and everything else laborer. The story revolved around the site of a new dock to be built. Gus and his wife owned the lodge and hired me. Their daughter was having a cottage built just off to the left and around the shore from her parents lodge. This true story is about one phase in the building of the dock she used for tying her boat to. The dock also became a viewing platform overlooking the lake and natures spectacular never ending performance.
Building a dock was new to me, but not new to Gus. Early one morning, it was always too early; Gus talked to me about building a "great" dock on the other side of the cove. Gus always used the word "great" as he easily verbalized the impossible to a "would be" helper. First move 3 large rocks into the lake to serve as a base for a much larger rock to sit on. Then move this giant rock to a position on top of the first three rocks. The huge car sized rock would sit half submerged, and serve as a focal point for the great dock to rest. A beautiful deck would be built around the huge granite centerpiece. Gus's plan sounded so easy to me, the naïve young man that I was.
Gus and I carefully carried three chain falls (pulley system used to hoist boats), chains, clamps, hooks, cable, and tools from the boathouse shop through the woods along the shoreline to the first rock that had to be moved. The path was slippery in some spots and rocky in others. The terrain was made even more treacherous by all of the equipment and tools in our arms.
We must have been a sight, a tall skinny 18 year old, and Gus, a not very tall slightly overweight music teacher. We did not have the appearance of an experienced laborer, and expert rigger; the type of workers you would expect to undertake a construction project like "the great dock". I was young, skinny, and quick to learn. Already having learned that doing anything over such rough terrain was very hard work.
Gus, in his sixties, did not seem to tire as we moved the heavy pulleys into position, and placed the chain around the first rock we needed to move. I had worked with Gus before and knew to just follow his direction and an explanation would come soon. These were big rocks about half as big as a car. I remember asking myself; how would all this heavy rock moving be done? It was time to ask the big question. "Gus, how will we do all this heavy lifting"? "Donny, the chain falls will give us a mechanical advantage of 6 to 1", he explained. I listened intently as the explanation had started to make some sense. Little did I know my science class lessons on machines and pulleys would ever be used, and used so soon. Using gravity, machines and leverage we moved the first rock into the lake with ease. This was the first day in three and by far the easiest.
Gus and I walked back to the lodge; he was totally satisfied with the progress we made and I, completely exhausted.
As we walked back, my gaze turned across the cove to the white porch surrounding the large two story main house with its comfortable white wicker furniture that looked so inviting. I had been hired for the summer to drive the boat. The boat was a Dodge, a beautiful 28 foot antique speedboat used to provide transportation from the mainland to the island and ferry the guests back and forth to the boys' camp. The opportunity to stay at the lodge and drive the big boat made the hard work easy.
I went into the kitchen and got a soda for myself and a large glass of ice with water for Gus. Already settled in his favorite chair he contemplated the day's events while looking across the lake to the distant mountains. We all feasted on the beautiful views that the lodge had to offer of this glacial lake. For many afternoons before this one, Gus had looked across the cove to the site of the great dock. The dock site preparation was all figured out, yes, he had a plan "no stone was left unturned", literally. We talked some about how the dock would be built before he nodded off, taking a short nap in his favorite chair.
As the dinner meal was prepared by family and help, I headed into the boathouse to get the boat ready. I liked everything to run smoothly with the boat and I treated the Ranger like she was mine; it was my job. I drove over to the camp front dock and picked up the guests an hour before dinner. The season just started we had some guests, but not a full house. This meant we had time to undertake dock building and other interesting projects.
I remember how early the next day started for Donny, and how sore I was from the previous days work; boats, breakfast, and drive the guests to the camp dock. I had a busy morning ahead for me. Summer had just begun and the weather was cool in the morning; warming up fast toward noon. A light misty fog moved across lake, on that cool crisp morning. The smell of pine trees, bacon frying, and hot coffee seemed to linger in the air as I cut across the cove to the lodge. The big boat glided by the dock site, and Gus waved happy to see his helper. Soon we would start on that second rock. I walked through the woods to the dock site; the air was rich with pine scent. Gus directed me to set up the chain a slightly different way than for the first rock. I had already learned to follow instructions exactly knowing the job would go faster and easier, if I did. He was an incredible engineer, at first glance you would never have realized the amount of work this music teacher could do. The day went well each rock sliding exactly into place. By now these accomplishments by a sixty six year old man and a skinny kid, had become business as usual. For Gus the word fail did not exist and some of that same attitude was starting to rub off on me.
A walk through the woods to the lodge and Gus would head for his favorite chair. I poured some water into a tall glass filled with ice and brought it out to him. As I approached him, I noticed how intently he looked out across the lake. It was as if a link or bond existed between him and the lake; she held him very close. It was 1964 and the lake was not developed at all. Quite so quite, not many boats, much of the noise we had came from a couple pairs of loons living in the back cove across from us near the camp. We talked for a while about our successes until he nodded off.
Soon, I would return with the guests and the air would fill with conversation as everyone waited for dinner. Gus woke up as I returned with a boat full of guests. He would greet everyone as they came onto the porch with that big warm smile. Gus seemed to enjoy meeting people, and conversation abounded as the wonderful aromas from the upcoming evening meal drifted out of the kitchen window. The topics would range from the Arts (music) to Washington and international politics. Gus was part of why people enjoyed staying at the lodge so much; along with the fantastic cooking and the ambiance of the Lake.
The next day very little work was to be done, Gus was busy at the camp, and I shuttled guests back to the landing as they headed home. As the afternoon came around we did get some time to work on the big rock. I was directed to bring a much longer section of heavy cable as we headed over to the site of the "great" dock. Gus had a new idea for moving the rock. Unlike the other rocks this rock was not near the shore line it was about 10 feet away. Not far you say, for this rock, 10 feet was like 10 miles. We wrapped the stranded cable around the rock; then set the hook from the chain fall into the cable loop. We set the chain fall near a tree that would give us the right direction for the pull. The chain fall was fastened near the base of the tree with a heavy chain. We tensioned the rig a little and left it, our time was up.
Gus did not walk back with me this evening; instead he decided to spend some time thinking. Everything was okay between us, although we had begun to stretch each others patience. This was hard, tedious work over very rough terrain. I was under constant pressure to stay relatively clean and available for the guests. The boats always came first and Gus would always give way when conflicts occurred. The senior staff of the lodge did a good job of give and take. That is probably why it worked at all.
I remember looking across to the dock site; there was Gus standing on a large rock near the shore. First he would look at that huge rock, and then moved his gaze down the path the rock would eventually take before coming to rest on top of the three rocks already in place. Now he would look out across the lake and then up to the mountains all the while smoking his pipe. Every few minutes he would say "yes sir". I walked around the shoreline to remind him it was getting dark, but mostly to make sure he did not get hurt in the low light. Back at the lodge, well you know the drill by now. I think we all went to sleep early that night; it had been a busy day.
The sun and Donny arose at almost the same time. The sun had no help, but I did. I slept in one of the rooms above the kitchen. Gus would use a broom handle to bang on the ceiling and wake me up. I already knew we had to get an early start, there were a few guests coming in around 3 o'clock.
The walk thru the woods along the shore was all too short for my aching muscles. There it was, looming before us in the morning light, that granite behemoth. I pulled on the chain, the cable tightened, but the rock did not move. We wrapped a chain around the rock and set up another block and tackle system. I pulled on the chain and the whole system became taut. We both pulled on the block and tackles together; the rock did not move. One more block and tackle is all we had. I would go back to the boat house to get more chains, clamps, and hooks. I saw Gus sitting down, near one side of the rock toward the back; he had an idea. As I was about to leave he said, "Donny, get the house jack also", so back I ran. I was getting tired just running back and forth to the boat house.
While I was getting the house jack Gus had started to set up the third block and tackle system. This was fast becoming more than just moving the boulder, yes boulder, this was no longer a rock. I viewed the moving of the rock as a challenge, a conflict between us and this huge mass of stone.
On my return we finished hooking up the additional chains. Already we had two chains and one cable wrapped around the boulder and the house jack was next. Our block and tackle system gave us a mechanical advantage of 18. It was like 18 men pulling on the boulder every time we tightened up all the chains. I saw immediately what Gus was up to with the house jack. Yes, this was going to work, it had to, we did not have any more tools. Gus worked the house jack, while I tightened the chains, first one then the other. Once all the chains tight, Gus gave the house jack another turn or two. Then I would tighten the chains again; THE ROCK STARTED TO MOVE! At least 2000 pounds of New England granite was starting to roll. We would repeat this process at least a dozen times, before the house jack had reached its highest point. The giant boulder was leaning very precariously exactly in the direction we wanted it to go. We both felt that with one or two pulls on the chain falls; the rock would roll over, slide down the slippery bank and into its final resting place. Gus positioned himself next to one of the chain falls and I on the other. The third block and tackle would serve to help hold the rock from going in the wrong direction. "Ready Gus", I yelled, he nodded and very quietly I thought I heard him say, "Yes sir". We pulled on the chains; we pulled again, and again, and again. The huge behemoth of a boulder rolled over and slid just as planned; then stopped. We both could not believe our eyes, it stopped. The massive rock had come to a halt just as it was entering the lake. Gus muttered something appropriate, and just shook his head. He found the nearest rock to sit on, took out his pipe and had a smoke.
We talked about the problem at hand, this was serious. Gravity and momentum should have been enough to move the rock all the way into the lake. We noticed that the rock was just hung there, for no apparent reason. Okay let's do it again. We unhooked and unfastened everything. This was a brand new problem.
A voice from the main house echoed across the cove reminding us about the guests arriving soon. I would need time to cleanup.
We fastened a cable around the boulder and hooked it to the largest block and tackle. The house jack was position under the edge of the rock away from the lake. A few turns on the house jack followed by tensioning of the block and tackle. This time the rock did not move, the house jack could not be turned anymore. Both Gus and I pulled on the chain attached to the block, pulled and pulled. Then the unthinkable happened, the cable broke. Yes, the cable snapped flinging the end through the air and taking a big chunk of bark out of a nearby tree. We were okay, stationed well away from the rock.
Then once again the voice called, "Donny". Gus yelled back "just a few minutes more". I was totally defeated, this was to be the first and only time Gus and I would have words.
I stormed back to the main house, time had run out. I needed to get cleaned up and ready the boat for the guests. As it turned out not a moment too soon, from the boat house I heard the phone ring. As I backed the 28 foot antique boat out of the boathouse I could not help but notice Gus sitting on a rock smoking his pipe. I pulled out of the cove; he did not wave. The ride to the landing seemed ever so long. I greeted the guests, loaded their luggage, and proceeded to bring them back to the lodge. The boat trip with the guests was a nice break for me. I was still upset over the argument Gus and I got into; was I out of line? A nice boat ride in a beautiful antique speedboat would help me relax. I asked the guests if they would enjoy a little longer trip to the lodge. The scenic route took us around a beautiful island with a pristine beach. The boat flew across the lake as I increased the throttle; I thought "let's see what she will do". The ride was smooth as the boat came to a plane easily and flew across the open water. The Lake was all mine, there was not another boat in sight. This was just the thing I needed to help relax a little and sort things out. As the boat cleared the island the boy's camp came into view. I slowed the boat down just a little as we passed in front of the main dock. The campers were all awestruck by the beautiful "Ranger", her mahogany decks gleaming in the sunlight. Now I slowed the boat down even more to headway speed and entered the cove that the lodge was in, so green, lush, and rocky. I was a little worried for Gus, this was a major defeat. I began my approach to the boathouse, the "Ranger" gliding in front of the huge boulder with Gus still standing there smoking his pipe. I tied up the boat in the boat house and assisted the guests as they climbed out of the boat and onto the boathouse deck. I helped the guests with the luggage and showed them their cabin.
I decided to go stand on the front porch for a moment and check on Gus. The aroma from the kitchen dominated the air while I stood at the railing looking at Gus. He was still standing on a rock, looking at the huge boulder and then out across the lake, so quite. I better go help him get back to the lodge, thinking to myself.
Just then, the almost eerie silence was broken by a grinding sound and Gus yelling "Donny, Donny, the rock is moving". I could see the rock slide into the lake. It appeared to come to rest on top of the three rocks just as planned. What just happened? Gus climbed onto the huge rock; he stood up, and reached into his pocket for his pipe. This man called Gus had done something no other person could have done. In my opinion, Gus used his incredible concentration along with his love for the lake and island to solve the problem standing in the way of accomplishing his dream. Once again his gaze went out across the lake, almost like saying "thank you" for what just happened and I heard him say "Yes Sir".
Too weird you say; believe me, this would not be the last time I would see Gus "do the impossible". The summer of 1964 continued as did the work on the "Great" dock, and Gus taught me a plethora of skills that I would use for many years to come. I think often of that moment in time, the lake, the island, the lodge, and a man called "Gus" one of the great influences in my life.
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