Ep. 14: Lisa Sprague- The Silence of the Clams

Lisa Sprague clams up when you start sniffing around for her chowder recipe. Same goes for her Stuffies. What's a Stuffie? Some would say a tiny clam meatloaf served in an ashtray.  There are a few variations on how to serve a Stuffie.  And the exact ingredients added to the butter, breadcrumbs and clams remain unknown. Lisa is like a Knights Templar. Guardian of a vast and important secret handed down through generations and protected under a veil of mystery.Clams run in the family. Lisa's Dad, the legendary Bo Gemp was a "tonger" (a professional clam harvester). We learn about Lisa's clan and their long standing ties to Block Island.Lisa started living here full time in 1976 after she graduated from college. At the time she was working as a lifeguard at what was then State Beach. During this segment, Lisa recounts a tender moment interrupted by Champ Starr who was on the hunt for a late night snack. She also had a close encounter with a hammerhead shortly before meeting Peter Benchley (the author of JAWS).At the end of the season, she answered a classified ad in the local newspaper seeking a Physical Education Teacher for the Island School. Lisa got the job and became the first Gym Teacher here on the island. She designed the course and had to get creative sometimes. No- she didn't take the kids clamming.Lisa's service to the community has been a constant. She joined the rescue squad in 76' as well and has been involved ever since. She's been a dispatcher at the police station too. Both jobs were serious ones, but we get a couple of funny stories from Lisa. Once, an escape prisoner hijacked a police cruiser and found himself in a real...picklement.All this and skillet tossing stories too! Just remember- Manhattan clam chowder is NOT a thing. Don't ever bring it up in front of Lisa.Put down the clam rake and hit "PLAY", Cap'!