>Still in New England. Kittery, Maine. It’d be nice to say that Bob Kraft, who started up Bob’s Clam Hut in 1956, was still running it, has gone all gentrified, changed his name to Robert and opened up Robert’s Maine Grill and Market just across the road on US1.

Would be nice, but it isn’t true.

Would also be nice to report that the people who work there have a moderately advanced sense of humour.

Would be nice, but….

Popped in out of the cold to check the menu and spied some of their t-shirts handing on a line over the lobster tanks.

“Are they retail items, or are they just hanging up to dry” I enquired.

I was sort of hoping that the Master of Ceremonies (or whatever you call the jumped up waiter behind the podium) was going to say:

“Sorry, sir. They actually belong to tthe lobsters and they’ll be putting them back on as soon as they get out of the water after their evening dip”

But he didn’t.

Deadpan face.

“No sir” he said” “We hang them up like that to make them look as if they’re on a washing line. We use clothes pegs especially to create that impression. We have the retail items right over here….”

I kid you not.