Kapahulu- 427 words

1960s Kapahulu, O'ahu

Mama K.- Ikaika! Ikaika!

Kaika- What Ma?

Mama K.- You wen cook da rice? Dinner going be ready in five minutes!

Kaika- Wow! Just got back from baseball practice twenty minutes ago! We're under pressure from the coach to play our best at this tournament but they're not giving any prizes.

Mama K.- What you mean no prizes, not even manini kine?

Kaika- Nope, crazy yeah?

Mama K.- Sounds like my bingo club, we play every week but they don't allow winners, how you gonna encourage people to get better? Must be like kids baseball, or any kind of hobby.

Kaika- Eh, how come Kaipo don't have to cook rice anymore? Ever since he turned seventeen things really changed for him around here. He got a lot more privileges. All he does is surf all day and pick up girls.

Mama K.- Look, you got a brand new puppy for your birthday, I don't know what you're complaining about! What are we gonna call her anyway?

Kaika- I like Butchie Girl. Yeah, I'm gonna call her Butchie Girl.

Mama K.- Well you can tell Butchie Girl to stop barking all day, I only watch one show on TV and that's when she likes to bark, nonstop. She drives me and Mrs. Yamaguchi crazy when we're talking. The funny thing is, she always stands in the same place and barks. Almost like she's trying to tell us something. Never mind, I'm in no mood to get spooked these days, I got my own problems.

Kaika- What kinda problems Ma? (pauses) Oh, I know, must be Uncle Dane. Everything was normal until he left his family on Maui and decided we needed a man in this house. I still can't figure him out. He drinks beer and eats boiled peanuts every night while we're eating dinner. Then, when he has about a six-pack of Primos in him, he starts to talk pupule.

Mama K.- Never mind Uncle Dane, he's got his own problems too. He had a tough time in the war, lost all of his friends. Just cut him some slack if he gets thirsty every night around dinner time.

Kaika- After you go to bed, he starts to talk about people walking around outside, he says they're looking for something near the old lehua taro plants. He calls them the spirits of my ancestors. I'm not really sure I understand what he's saying. Sometimes he gives me the creeps.

Barry enters.

Kaika- Eh, Bruddah Barry, just in time for dinner.

To be continued…