My Buddy Paul

Paul D’Alesandro and I were buddies since 1980. My wife, Stephanie, introduced us while he worked at the Gardiner Public Library. She walked our one-year-old son, Seth, in our baby carriage, down the steep hill on Brunswick Avenue at least three times a week. She thought we would be pals, and she was right.

Paul was a reference librarian in Gardiner, Augusta, and Portland and often moonlighted as an indexer. He loved to cook and secretly wanted to work in a professional kitchen. His wish was fulfilled in his retirement when he started cooking with the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program on Mondays.

Paul, his wife Judy, and their rescue Sparrow were killed in a needless head-on car crash in May of 2021. They were on Route 196 and headed for a physical therapy session for Sparrow.

I started writing stories about my adventures with Paul during the COVID 19 lockdown. I shared other stories with him, but he never got to see the six which are collected in this small volume. These tales are mostly true, but as usual, I have taken certain liberties, because I can. He would have been annoyed.

I recently saw some graffiti in New York City which boldly stated, “Bad Decisions Make The Best Stories.” This book is a collection of Paul and I making bad decisions as we walked, hiked, and paddled through Maine. There are many momentous books about men challenging the elements. This would not be one of them.

At the age of 76, I still develop new relationships, but will never have old friends, just friends that are old. Still good, but not quite the same.

Steven Levy October 30, 2025, Front Porch, Brunswick, Maine

How to Order:

All proceeds from My Buddy Paul will be donated to Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP).

How to Purchase:

How to Receive Your Book:
Upon receipt of payment, a copy of My Buddy Paul will be mailed to the address provided. I will insert an inscription if you wish.