The other day I got a call from a producer at a radio station in St. Louis, Mo. He said that every week for a year the station was doing a feature on one of the 50 states, and this particular week it was Maine’s turn. He wanted to know if I would provide him with information. He admitted he got my name from the publisher of my book, “The Maine Dictionary,” which he said he bought at Sherman’s Bookstore in Freeport.

Since a year has 52 weeks and the United States has only 50 states, I asked what he was going to do on the two extra weeks?

Allaying my concern, he said they planned to do features on Puerto Rico and Guam.

Once that was resolved to my satisfaction, I proceeded to tell the producer everything he wanted to know about Maine.

I told him we call our state Maine, but no one knows how we ended up with that name, so he shouldn’t even ask. We will, however, listen to any plausible explanations his listeners might have. (If I get any I will be sure to pass them along.)

I told him that our state has about 1.3 million people, not counting what we call “summer complaints.”

He was glad to hear our population numbers but, like most people, he wanted to know about our moose. I let him know that Maine had about 30,000 mostly healthy moose. Then, of course, he asked about lobsters. I said we have more than enough for anyone who wants one, and I gave him an 800 number his listeners could call to have lobsters overnighted to St. Louis.

“How large is Maine?” he asked.

I said Maine has 33,275 square miles of land. Fortunately, most of it is above sea level at high water. I said, “We’re proud of the fact that a few of those 33,275 square miles of land are even owned by Maine people.”

Highest point in the state? Mount Katahdin, at 5,268 feet. I said, “Folks in the Old Port are sometimes higher on Saturday nights but then get pretty lowdown by Sunday morning.”

He said he didn’t need to know that.

I said Maine’s lowest point is sea level.

When he asked where to go for further information, I said his listeners should get here first, then stop and ask a colorful native for information and/or directions. I let him know they might not get to their destination, but it’ll be an authentic Maine experience.

Well, then he wanted to know what someone should pack before coming to Maine.

“As little as possible,” I said.

I said we prefer that folks bring nothing with them and plan to buy everything they need while they’re here. Just bring lots of money and credit cards. I said, if you insist on luggage you might want a suitcase with wheels. If you’re planning to visit one of our wilderness areas, you might want luggage with four-wheel drive. Luggage with a power take-off with hook and cable would also come in handy.

What should people wear? I said the only thing certain about Maine weather is its complete unpredictability. Even people who are paid to predict our weather have no idea what it’s going to do from one minute to the next, so what chance do the rest of us have?

In coastal towns, fishing boots and foul weather gear are acceptable in restaurants and shops, just as logging outfits are socially acceptable in Maine’s western hill country. I told the producer that even in summer, you’ll be glad you have a few sweaters, sweatshirts and heavy jackets with you. Bringing all kinds of rain gear will almost guarantee you one dry, sunny day after another. Conversely, if you don’t have a stitch of waterproof clothing, you’re begging for a non-stop downpour.

And finally, I said, you should also expect one morning where you experience a bank of fog that – as Kendall Morse would say – “is thicker than three in a bed.”

John McDonald is the author of five books on Maine, including “John McDonald’s Maine Trivia: A User’s Guide to Useless Information.” Contact him at mainestoryteller@yahoo.com.