“First Person” shares the stories of people who make a life here, in their words. Conversations are edited for clarity and length.
For more than three decades, John Kaler has worked on cars and trucks at George’s Garage on Orr’s Island. Kaler, 64, is an Augusta native who learned the trade in his stepfather’s garage and brings not only a toolbox but also a generous spirit to the work.
My stepfather ran gas stations all his life. He was old style, where you’d go in and someone would pump your gas, check your oil, wash your windshield. When it was slow at the pumps, he’d show me how to work on the cars in the garage. Growing up, my friends and I had cars, and we’d do our own work. We didn’t take them to my stepfather because he was in the business of making money, and we didn’t have much.
In 1986, I met George Morgan, who this garage is named for. He’d always wanted his own business and he asked me if I wanted to open this together back in December 1993. He grew up on the island. Everybody knew him. George was the owner and ran the office, while I did all the mechanical stuff.
I usually pick up on stuff pretty quickly; I can figure out how to take things apart and put them back together. When George passed away in 2016, his son and daughter took over the business and wanted to keep it going. By that time, I was sort of family and they asked me to keep running it.
What do I like most about this work? The customers. I meet new people all the time and, of course, there are lots of regulars. Everybody is so friendly, so cooperative, so understanding. I just love the community.
I was always shy but I’ve kind of broken out of my shell now. People call me all the time. “John, I’ve got a problem.” Most of the time, Jimmy — that’s George’s son who works with me — and I can figure out what’s wrong and get them fixed in a timely fashion.
I feel that we shouldn’t go overboard on our prices. You know, a lot of places in town and the dealerships are getting wicked big money, and nobody likes going there. They want to bring their car to a trusted person, and I treat them the way I want to be treated.
We’re not here to get rich. I just get to make a living and keep the business coming. When we first started, through the ’90s and up to the 2000s, we didn’t have all these electronics and computers in cars. But nowadays, it’s a whole lot more complicated. Thank goodness for the internet and our Snap-on diagnostic device.
Cars arrive at all times — mornings, nights, weekends — especially in the summertime. I’ll be sitting inside the house, watching TV or having supper, and all of a sudden, here comes the truck with lights on and a car being towed. I almost never turn people away, even when I’m booked up. I can’t say no. That’s my biggest downfall, everybody tells me. When it gets real busy, I should — but I can’t, you know? Someone’s broken down, they need their car. It’s up to us to try to get them back on the road.
Everybody comes here: lobstermen, people who work at Bath Iron Works, a lot of retirees and, of course, the summer people. One guy came in, he was from Los Angeles and I asked him, “What do you do out there?” Turns out he’s a writer for those animated shows like “Bob’s Burgers” and “American Dad.” A lot of them, I don’t know what they used to do. I can see that they got money but I don’t get nosy and ask a lot of questions.
There’s a lot of tourists, people who just come in for a drive down to Bailey Island and have problems with their cars, need a tire repaired, an alternator, brakes. It gets busy, but for the most part, they’re pleasant. Every once in a while, there’s some people from — I won’t name the state, but you know — who get a little arrogant. I mean, nobody is really mean or disrespectful, they can just be a little demanding. Gotta have it done right now. I try to do what I can to help them out.
I had one girl that came in, that she was broken down here, and we ended up fixing her car and she loved my dog. She was so tickled that when she got back to Florida, she sent me a postcard and a picture of her dog, saying that she got back to Florida with no problem, really appreciated it, and here’s my dog. I’ve gotten quite a few of those, from people from out of state that I helped, and they got back home and sent me letters. Makes me feel good that I done something good for somebody.
I live here in the house attached to the garage, where George used to live. My old dog was named Tebow; he came from Mississippi and somebody down there must have liked the quarterback Tim Tebow. He was a black-coated Labrador retriever-border collie-chow mix. He was a real good dog, faithful and friendly. He’d lie out in the driveway waiting for people to come in. He was 9 when he died. I found my new dog, Charlie, through a rescue agency in Woolwich. He’s very playful, very energetic. Loves his ball. Wears me out sometimes with the ball. He loves all the customers; he beats me to the office so he can be the first one to greet you.
I’d like to hire someone to help us out, especially in the summer. The phone’s always ringing, people are always coming in. We need someone in here who is qualified to do mechanical work and take the load off, even if it’s part time. Because, like I said, I just can’t say no.
