NO POSITION

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The following letter was sent to Mark Forrest, chief of staff for Cong. Bill Delahunt:

I understand that Congressman Delahunt, my representative, has failed to indicate his position on the House health care initiative. I find this unconscionable at a time when we are all considering its merits and faults. Fence sitting at this time appears indecisive at best and cowardly at worst. Do you not think his constituents deserve better?

Hadden Blair

West Tisbury

ACCIDENT HAZARD

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The dangerous situation around the Morning Glory Farm stand on Meshacket Road and down Meshacket Road toward Clevelandtown Road is unacceptable. It is only a matter of time before there is a bicycle fatality there. I fear for the families I see riding along that stretch of roadway, especially the children. The road is barely wide enough for cars in several places. Maybe it should be turned into a one-way road with enough room for cyclists and walkers. Please urge town leaders too install a bike path. I am sure Morning Glory Farm would trade some of their land for safe access to the store. If not, the town should take the land by eminent domain in order to protect the public. Again, please fix this problem before something terrible happens.

Eileen Kane

Edgartown

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BY BREAD ALONE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

My wife and I have been seasonal visitors to the Vineyard for well over 50 years, always up-Island, almost always on Tisbury Pond. For most of this time, Humphrey’s bakery has been a quiet but vital part of our stays. Somewhere along the way, amidst the blueberry pies and jelly donuts, we got hooked on their oatmeal bread and it became a mainstay in our diet — as toast for breakfast with various wonderful Island jams, for lunchtime sandwiches and occasionally even for dinner. Arriving on Island, the first stop would be Cronig’s and the second would be Humphrey’s. Leaving the Island, the question would be how many loaves should we buy to freeze and apportion over the weeks and months ahead.

Over the years, our kids and our friends all developed a love for umphrey’s. Our best friends in Maine even have a cat named Humphrey, a kitten from the family home in back of the bakery that is now over 20 years old. My first remembrance of Humphrey’s is selling them hand-picked blueberries with Sue and Phil Spalding in the summer of 1951 or 1952 at, I think, 25 cents a basket. And, as I recall, the 25 cents quickly went back in their coffers in exchange for cookies or donuts or some other culinary essential.

A few years ago when the death of the patriarch resulted in a family feud, we rooted for the younger generation in the belief that they would carry on the tradition for years to come. Of course, the first disappointment was that they had the name but not the location. Suddenly, our quiet North Tisbury bread runs were extended to Vineyard Haven. Then came the second and more disquieting revelation — bread was often not available. Could we call and reserve it? Some days the answer was yes, some days no. Should we come early or late — again, various answers. And with each succeeding year, the amount of available bread shrank.

Finally, this summer, when my third down-Island bread run resulted again in no bread, I asked how a bakery could always be out of bread, no matter what time you asked. I was told by the barely civil gentleman, who I presume is now the baker, “We are not a bakery, we are a sandwich shop.” The much nicer girl at the counter added quietly: “He does not feel it is worth the time to make bread except for the sandwiches, because he cannot make enough money selling bread.” By this logic, he will presumably decide at some point that he can buy cheap but passable sandwich bread and just shut down the ovens completely.

And so the end of a summer institution and tradition. A wonderful up-Island bakery has become a mini down-Island, three-store Subway wannabe, selling quite good sandwiches, but no better than those to be found at a dozen other down-Island venues. Better the other part of the family had succeeded at rebuilding the bakery in North Tisbury and simply named it something else — Humpty Dumphrey’s, perhaps. Does anyone know where to find good oatmeal bread?

Mike Rodell

West Tisbury

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ACCIDENT REPORT

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I am writing to express my family’s disappointment with the Vineyard Gazette. In a story about the police beat in the July 14 issue the newspaper printed what I would consider incorrect information. We called the Gazette and were told they would correct the article, however the only thing they corrected was the statement that Nelson DeBettencourt was not the one flown to Boston and in fact it was Vernon Oliver.

My parents, my aunt and my uncle were the victims in the car. The story reported that the woody (antique car) was stopped in the middle of the road, when in fact it was still moving and in the process of taking a right turn. Only the tail end of the woody was still in the road when the other vehicle struck the car.

The story also said the woman who hit them was 29. She was 19.

The story also reported that the teenager who hit my uncle’s car tried to stop, yet there was not a single skid mark that indicated she used her brakes before hitting them.

We are tired of everyone saying: “Why were you parked in the middle of the road?” My uncle was driving and he was turning, not stopped. We felt the need to write this letter so that people understand the true nature of the accident.

Pam DeBettencourt

Oak Bluffs

The Vineyard Gazette welcomes letters to the editor on any subject concerning Martha’s Vineyard. The newspaper strives to publish all letters as space allows, although the editor reserves the right to reject letters that in her judgment are inappropriate. Letters must be signed, and should include a place of residence and contact telephone number. The Gazette does not publish anonymous letters.