As someone who traffics in bad luck, I surely appreciate every modicum of happystance. It’s easy to do that in this alternate world I now live in- where no one wears makeup, bus seats are covered in sand, and sarcasm is absent. To help me adjust to the slower pace of life here, I’ve been going on morning jogs so I can begin to understand the concept of pace. I jog for about 20 minutes…always in the direction of the supermarket. The food here is delicious and not as expensive as I imagined it would be, probably because I don’t live in the tourist area.
Foodland, my supermarket, sells the usual packaged snacks as well as daily cooked meals. I’ve eaten their poke, chicken, macaroni & cheese, chickpea salad, and sandwiches. All of those hot plates were less than $7. Next to Foodland is a sushi joint that sells 4-piece rolls for as low as $2.50. I bought a bag of shrimp chips from Nijiya Market for 69 cents.
Earlier this year I worked with a Hawaiian entrepreneur to host a webinar. I finally reached out to her yesterday to let her know I was in her state :
Great, Aina Haina is a great neighborhood. You definitely need to check out Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha. Let Uncle Clay and Bronson know I sent you!
Is this Uncle Clays? I went by there last night but they were closed. So funny you mentioned that! I took a pic because the sign was funny.
Coincidentally, the picture is indeed Uncle Clays. It’s owned by Uncle Clay and his dashing nephew, whose mannerisms I found so breathtaking. Uncle Clay warmed at the mention of our mutual acquaintance’s name and told me “Welcome to our ohana, You have good mana.” (Ohana= family, Mana= life energy). I would say that this is the nicest compliment I’ve ever received, but then I heard him say the same thing to every person who walked into the store. I fell in love with him and his nephew, then ordered a lilikoi shaved ice with mochi for $4. Heaven.
I inhaled that bowl. Then I felt sorry for the Canadian sojourner who I met at the beach this week. He bought shaved ice in the tourist area and said it was terrible. We were both on line at “Cold Stone”. Everyone in this alternate world is so friendly and social.
There was also food at choir practice this week, a table spread of viands. I had a lot of fun singing. They taught me a good deal. There’s not much that I really understand about myself/my desires/my intentions, but at least I know one thing is for certain: I am an alto.
