He is his own man, doing a job that might be traditional in his family, often with gear he builds and maintains himself. He will probably not tell you that part of the reason he stays is the challenge of wresting a living from the sea, but challenge has always attracted mankind. Standing on Shore Road in Ogunquit, Maine, you can almost believe that old song was written here. Painted a fiery red and covered with local advertisements, Ogunquit's trolleys are a tourist attraction in themselves. They're not really trolleys, as they have internal combustion engines, and they go down tiny lanes and through hotel parking lots in the course of their travels.
Toddlers stand, all agog, as the big red trolley pulls up.
Customers climb aboard and pay their twenty-five cents to ride across town, to travel several stops, or to do a complete loop as a town tour. The drivers provide a constant barrage of commentary on the habits of other drivers and the crowds of pedestrians, as well as a wealth of local lore. I work a seven hour day. Sue, the trolley driver, told me how the town of Ogunquit initiated the trolley scheme to relieve traffic congestion during tourist season, and that it was an immediate success. Amazingly, the low fares cover all operating costs, including driver salaries.