There are institutions in this town. I’m not talking about banks that seem to proliferate every corner like Starbucks minus the coffee … and service … and minimum balance fees. No, there are things that if changed or missing, there would be a huge hole in town. We’ve seen some of them come and go over the decades and although we never seem to talk much about them, their absence is felt — it’s palpable, real.

There were lesser characters in this play that have taken their bow and departed the stage. There was Ernie’s Drive-In, strategically placed down the road from Fat Boy. It’s only claim to fame in the age of cola wars was that it was not Fat Boy and has since passed into obscurity as a lobster shack. Then there was MacLean’s on outer Pleasant Street, which served up a variety of brown — fried clams, scallops, etc… Deering Ice Cream was the in-town place to be for beating the summer heat, just as Dunkin Donuts on Maine Street used to actually make the donuts on site for fresh donuts to go with your coffee.

Actually, three Brunswick icons were born on the same date in 1955. Fat Boy Drive In, Tess’ Market and Bodwell Motors on Pleasant Street. When I used to go to Tess’ as a kid, there was candy, soda and pizza with Mr. Tess at the helm. It’s now his daughters’ turn and the store has grown up with me, with wine and beer to go with the exact pizza recipe I loved as a kid.

You didn’t have to be an eatery to become a fixture in Brunswick. It’s just certain things stick out to me because, hey — have you seen me lately? I appreciate my food. No there have been bodily fixtures over the years as well. There was Officer Joe Labbe, who used to show up at football practice and ride the sleds during tackle drills. He was a large man with a bigger personality who understood community policing before it was cool. Everyone at Brunswick High School knew and respected the man. As for me? Well, I knew both the cool officer Joe as well as the professional and still cool, Officer Joe.

Once, while flirting with a couple of girls, me and my friend Scott happened to cross the Mall just behind them — it was after curfew. One of the drawbacks to being a teenage runner was the frequent occurrence of sudden and horrible cramps. My calf locked up and I had to retire to a bench beside the gazebo. Then, like a slow train through the fog, he approached. Officer Joe asked what we were doing on the Mall past 10 p.m. and, pointing his night stick at me he shot, “And you should know better!” Once we explained our mission he looked past his shoulder at the two girls who were disappearing toward Federal Street.

“They’re getting away,” Joe said, “you better hurry.”

Yet another fixture in town was Calvin. A collector of spare change, Calvin drifted through town and was usually a friend to all he met. He would recite tales and often tell people he died in Vietnam — an impossibility on several fronts. In 1985, I was part of a relay team that qualified for national competition in Seattle. We had some funds to raise to put it mildly and part of that effort was a car wash at 7-Eleven. Things were going well until we saw Calvin approaching. We thought for sure he was going to hit us up for a donation from our cash box. Instead, he asked what we were doing and when we told him the story, he went on about how the town was behind us and congratulated us on our effort before going on his way.

Although I fully expect the business to be there in the spring, Brunswick lost one of it’s finest this last week with the passing of Danny McDonald. Forget the arrival of robins as heralds of springtime — it’s the appearance of that big, red Danny’s hot dog stand on the mall that defines the change of seasons in Brunswick. Along with it comes the lunchtime line that stretches half the length of the mall. Danny was also a great contributor to the aforementioned trip to Seattle as well as a huge supporter of athletics in town. His son Sean was a BHS athlete and a fellow graduate from the class of 1988. Since Danny’s passing, many of my classmates took to Facebook to share memories, thoughts and prayers for Danny and the whole McDonald family. From California to Tennessee, to right here in town, condolences poured in for a man who gave so much more to the town than memories of a perfect lunch on the mall. More than just a business owner, Danny was a smiling face, a genuine greeting and the embodiment of everything the people of Brunswick feel proud of in this town.

It’s with mixed emotions I’ll be getting my first Danny dog this spring. I’ll remember every warm, sunny day on a bench, watching the world pass by from childhood till now while enjoying a simple pleasure in life. I’ll be ever grateful for another spring in our town. Finally, however bitter, I’ll remember how Brunswick has lost another beloved icon in town. And so, on behalf of all who have those same memories of Danny — of warm days with a simple hot dog or hamburger and chips on the mall, our hearts to out and our thoughts are with the McDonald family.

Douglas McIntire is a writer, educator and connoisseur of Danny dogs and whopper burger baskets alike. He can be reached at [email protected].