Every town had a town drunk, or the town idiot, but in South Lubec we had James Trott. It appeared Mr. Trott was afraid of water if he thought it was going to touch his body. He was always so ripe if by chance you happen to bump into him you could still smell him an hour later. If he walked by a farm yard that had some animals hanging around they would all take off as soon as he walked up, even the pigs. On a dark, moonless, night you could always tell when Mr. Trott was within a hundred feet of you even though you couldn�t see him.

Mr. Trott was walking by an old house they were tearing down and he stepped on a board and drove a nail through his shoe, stocking, and foot. Someone tried to pull out the nail but it hurt too much and they carried him to Doctor Williams, shoe, nail, and all. Doctor W. W. W. gave Mr. Trott something to ease his pain and pulled out the nail. He made the patient sit down and remove his shoe and sock so he could inspect the wound. The vile odor that came from a foot that hadn�t been washed in months and from a dirty sock that had probably never been washed, turned the doctor�s stomach. He put his hand over his nose and almost mumbled to Mr. Trott,   �This is the dirtiest, stinkingest, foot I have ever seen or smelled, James, and because I�ve got to clean it up and give you a tetanus shot it�s going to cost you a bundle of money.

  �That caused a problem for Mr. Trott because he didn�t have a bundle of money, not even a small one.

   �You had better stop whatever you�re doing then, I don�t have a single dollar to my name. You know the state supports me and my eleven kids and my check ain�t due for two more days.�

   Doctor Williams thought about that for a minute and said, �I�ll tell you what I�ll do, James. If you can show me a dirtier foot in this whole town I�ll give you this visit for nothing.�

   �You sure about that, Doc.?� Mr. Trott asked trying to think of some way to get off scott free.

  �I�m a man of my word, James,� the doctor answered.

   Mr. Trott reached down and quickly took off his other shoe and stocking and went home without paying his bill.

   When Mr. Trott got home one of his eleven kids asked him how he was doing. Mr. Trott laughed and told his son he had just received a free visit to the doctor�s office but he didn�t understand something the doctor had said.

  As he spoke he brushed the cuff of his right sleeve across his nose.

   �What did he say to you that you didn�t understand?� his son asked.

   �He said I was built backwards,� Mr. Trott replied.

   �Did he tell you why he thought that, Dad?�

   �Aayah,� Mr. Trott said still a little confused. �He said my nose runs and my feet smell.