Hawai‘i Literature & Art
— Since 1978 —
Boy and Uncle: China virus –Boy, da news say dey attacking people in Chinatown. Telling dem “Go home! Go back to where you came from!” –Dey tink dey went bring da corona virus from China. –Dat no make sense. Most of dose guys nevah been to China fo fifty years. –You no remembah? President Trump…
Swimming teacha tell us, “Da whole world only get FLOATAHS and SINKAHS. Jump in!” I touch bottom. Pull hard for air. All da SINKAHS gasping.
The Rat is gone, the Ox feels lucky. It is said that wearing metal and the lucky colors, yellow and green, will bring prosperity. I wear my gold and jade Chinese ring whenever I go out. I used to call it my Green Lantern ring. Now it’s my Ox ring.
Sixth grade, our Americanization was through the Standard School Broadcast sent to each classroom via a wired speaker. Listening to the speaker on the wall meant we didn’t have to do any work for half an hour. Most times Alfred fell asleep and snored quietly. Mrs. Chong took the broadcast as an opportunity to rest…
After-school basketball was humiliating: choose up sides with whomever wanted to play. Could have eight or nine players to each side. Pushing, bumping and hacking. No ref. I was usually last, way after the good guys, the medium guys, and the girls. The junk guys had to play defense. Shirts versus skins, except for the…
He knew facts of every refrigerator and range. Still he wondered why local couples walked right past him and went straight to the haole salesmen. Right past the short, pudgy Chinese guy in the short-sleeve white shirt and the crooked tie. Shet, I can sell just as good as dem. He started with a clip-on…
–Uncle, I had test today. –Oh? What kine test? –Math and English. Da standardized test, everybody gotta take um at da same time. Two hours. –You worried? –Litto bit. –Me too, I had test today. –What kine test? You no go school. –All kine test. Erryting. All da tests combine erryting into one blood test….
–Boy, what means “lock down?” –Supposed to stay home except fo essential tings. Not supposed to go out eat, go beach… –Jes like jail den. –Yeah. –But if you in jail, you lock up. And if you foget your keys, you lock out. Why dey no call um lock in, cuz you lock inside? No…
Boy and Uncle: Mask –Uncle, what you wearing. Not Halloween. –One mask. Da gov-nah said gotta wear mask when you go out. So I went find my favorite mask. –Uh, Uncle. Mask gotta cover your nose and mouth, not your eyes. –Not dis kine? Das all I get, my old Long Ranger mask. “Who…
Boy and Uncle: Election –Gonfonnit! Damn pen leak all over. –What you doing? –My mail vote. I vote erry single election since I was 16! –Ah, you couldn’t vote when you was 16, Uncle. –I know, I know. But my mother ask me who take care da Chinese people. So I tell her what…