Dressed in sweater and tie, he invites each visitor to partake of afternoon tea. I return his welcoming smile, but until recently knew little about him.
On one particular occasion the drawing room was quiet. Pouring a second cup of tea, I introduced myself. Mr. Cooper, I discovered, was not employed by the Inn, but rather a volunteer. He has lived in town for more than 50 years; before there was a Harraseeket Inn. Mr. Cooper, I was about to learn, was a man with a story.
Mr. Cooper served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and while on a mission in 1943 his plane was shot down by the Germans. He was imprisoned in a POW camp for two years and, in 1945, the Nazis forced their captors on a six-day death march. When I expressed my astonishment that he survived when others did not, he replied, “It was just plain luck.” After the war, he and his wife raised a family while Freeport became a bustling town full of tourism and commerce. How he came to be a volunteer at the Harraseeket occurred through a series of events that affected Mr. Cooper’s life, as well as the inn’s.
Tragically, Mr. Cooper’s wife passed away from breast cancer five years ago. He told me that during her illness, the owners of the inn, the Gray family, often brought meals to their house. The Grays, also in an amazing act of kindness, repaved the Coopers’ driveway, which had been in great disrepair. We heard just as many wonderful stories about Mr. Cooper from the staff at the inn. Mr. Cooper graciously allowed the employees to park behind his house, walking through his yard to get to work.
Sadly, Mr. Cooper also lost a daughter to breast cancer.
As he talked about his life in Freeport it became clear to me that through his overwhelming heartbreak this was a man of hope and optimism. He found a way beyond his despair.
Mr. Cooper said he enjoyed volunteering at the inn because he liked being surrounded by people. So, seven days a week, rain or shine, he walks from his white clapboard house next to the Harraseeket to host the afternoon tea.
Mr. Cooper turned 91 in January. He certainly doesn’t look to be a man of such a seasoned age. It appears that as much as Mr. Cooper needs the inn, the Harraseeket needs him. His attitude and gratitude are heartwarming. He is an asset to the inn and all the guests who have the good fortune to meet him.
I hope the Harraseeket and Mr. Cooper celebrate many more birthdays together.
Happy birthday Mr. Cooper.
Mora Hecht lives in Palm Beach Gardens, FL but travels regularly to Maine to enjoy the hospitality in Freeport.