Mr. Romanoff is sixty years old. Mr.
Nearing is seventy years old. Mr.
Romanoff’s mother is eighty-five. On one
of the mushroom field trips, a photographer
came who had been sent by The New York Times.
We took the Stony Brook trail. We
had no sooner gotten started than the
photographer busied himself taking pictures.
Soon Mr. Romanoff was not to be seen.
Mr. Nearing drew Lois Long aside and said,
“Mr. Romanoff has had an accident to his
pants. Would you find out whether one of
the ladies has a safety pin?” Lois Long
complied. A very small safety pin was
found, and Lois Long gave it to Mr.
Romanoff. He came back to the group.
The safety pin, being so small, proved
ineffective. Mr. Romanoff nevertheless
stayed with the group, and, as the
walk continued, the split in his pants
progressed until it was complete, crotch to
cuff. We stopped for lunch at a spring.
Mr. Romanoff looked at his pants and
said, “My mother will hear about this.”
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