The Mast-Head

Monday at the office, I proudly wore a new T-shirt that has to be the bargain of the century. Well, perhaps that is a bit of hyperbole, but $10 for a shirt in this day and age is a good deal in my book, and the shirt, which announces the 2005 East Hampton Town Largest Clam Contest, is a thing of beauty.

My wife and I had stopped in at the contest on Sunday at the Lamb Building on Bluff Road in Amagansett with the two girls. Lisa bought a toddler-size shirt in blue for Everett Rose and a youth-size in red for Adelia, which were only $5 apiece. I took the blue in an adult medium. Medium, I repeat, not bad for a desk jockey of 42, I'd say.

The clam judging, as usual, was great fun. There's nothing like seeing a quahog nearly as big as your head placed on an appropriately sized upholstered throne. I hope that in future years, a tiny crown will be supplied for the winner as well, and if it isn't, I'm donating one myself.

I have a weak spot for local T-shirts, hats, and other memorabilia. For years, I have simply had to have a Three Mile Harbor Boat Yard shirt, so when one became threadbare, I'd go buy another. My sister once gave me a vintage set of Montauk Lighthouse teacups which I treasure. Harvey Bennett keeps me supplied with his Amagansett Tackle Shop hats and shirts in exchange for an East Hampton Star hat payable upon demand. The demand is fairly frequent, though Harvey denies it vehemently.

A few summers ago, a volunteer at the Ladies Village Improvement Society fair noticed me looking at a display of polo shirts emblazoned with the organization's tree logo. Something like two minutes and $45 later, I was the owner of one, despite better intentions.

In the drawer at home you might find a Ross School long-sleeve shirt. That one for some reason draws a lot of comments. There are Ts from Claws on Wheels and Iacono's chicken farm. These are for wearing, not for collecting, but just what the attraction is, I don't really know.

The clam shirt is something else again, I found out. Parading it around the office, several people announced that they were going to hot-foot it down to the town trustees office to see if more were available. Just to be sure, I checked with Laurie Miller-Carr, the trustees' secretary, to see what remained in stock. She said she still had a few if someone was interested. You better believe it, Laurie.

David E. Rattray