You're Too Young to Understand

“Is that ‘B’ as in bacteria, or ‘D’ as in death wish?” Rap’s Directory Assistance #2 fills the narrow space of my Toyota. The crisp sound of the CD makes it easy to imagine her plugged into the old-fashioned operator board.

“That’s ‘I’ as in incumbent.”

My six year-old asks, “Mom, what does incumbent mean?” I explain.

“Who are you voting for, Mom?”

“Willy Maunawili, I guess.”

“Do you have an address?” asks the operator of the Mr. Frogtree-type voice.

“I think it’s 1444 Pukapuhi‘u Place,” he replies.

“Mom, what does Pukapuhi‘u mean?”

“Well, puka is a hole and puhi‘u….well.”