I finally figured out that the reason my stories disappear is that you have 60 minutes to type and save. I am a slow typer, but I didn't think I was that slow! I had a nice, philosophical story - gone! At the top of the news is my hard learned lesson that whatever is posted on a public site is...public! Did I learn when I posted some private comments on friend's facebook sites? No. I was googling Uncle Robert's in Hawaii in anticipation of going to visit Dennis over the holidays, and on the list is my World Nomad story about Uncle Robert's! I did put travel writer on my list of possible careers - can I say that I have been published? Anyways, I belatedly reaized that World Nomads in a public site, and I have made some judgemental and unkind statements about Bebo. Bebo, who is human like the rest of us, trying to create his own little piece of heaven here on the farm, and I have no right to judge his process. Sincere apologies. Uffda!
The holidays were different. Duh! Bebo said we were going to go to the beach on his birthday, then he said no. He said there is too much work to do. I show up Saturday, Christmas Eve all booted and ready to work. No one. Nothing. No movement or activiy from the house. Hmmm. I guess it is a holiday afterall. Decided to catch the bus into kona for the day. Success! Flagged down the bus. Found out the bus goes by one of my favorite mini-snorkeling beaches in Kona. My only day off is Sunday. Busses do not run on Sunday. Anyways, I got off the bus at the farmer's market (I have been to six different farmer's markets!) I walked through the shopping district, wishing I was rich and could buy gifts for everyone - including me! Very bittersweet. I walked this street with Walter four years ago. No Walter now. I took a tour through the 'palace' that the Hawaiian royalty used when in Kona. Loved it. Told the young man at the desk thatI was worried about catching the bus back to Captain Cook. He showed me where the bus stops, and while I was touring the house, he had called the bus company for me! That is aloha! But, the phone was busy, so he gave me the phone number and said there is a schedule posted inside the King Kamehameha Hotel. Mahalo! I walk across the street, intending to have breakfast at my favorite restaurant, Tante's, and realize that they are giving out free Christmas holiday lunch. I get in line. Yuck! I couldn't give it away. Too bad. Felt guilty finding a garbage to dispose it. Walked over to the hotel and couldn't find the schedule. Went to the Concierge - an elderly lady with badly-dyed hair, but sweet disposition. told her my story and asked about the schedule. She got out a notebook, looked around, took a schedule out and slid it to me. You keep it, she says. Mahalo! I check the schedule and decide i have time to find lunch. Walked up to my favorite Vietnamese place and got shrimp rice noodle salad. I saw the Walmart sign as I was walking to the restaurant, and remembered my list. Started walking to it, and it never seemed to get closer. Humbug! This is my holiday in town. I am not going to Walmart! I turn and walk back to the oceanfront shops. Ah, the smell and sound of the ocean! WOw! Time for the bus. An hour bus ride and then another hour to walk home from the last stop. I approach two people sitting on the sea wall and ask if this is the bus stop. Yes. I meet Pineapple and Rose. Pineapple (a joke name) is native Hawaiian and Rose is Micronesian. We sit and talk about the tourists walking by. We are joined by a man named Jaguar. he says something about being the Jaguar of the Jungle. Wants to know how old I am, and tells me I am luscious. He is swinging a plastic grocery bag around while he is talking. he says something about escaping/getting out of jail because he was going to get married. Then he takes this table knife out of the bag that has been sharpened and has cloth wrapped around the handle. I admit, I am getting a little worried. Pineapple and Rose do not seem concerned. Jaguar eventually wanders away. Various street people stop by and chat with Pine and ROse. We all comment on where is the bus? Pine says check the schedule. OH, the 1:48 bus runs on Friday, next bus at 3:30. I decide to walk around, my butt is tired of sitting on lava rock. Devin sends me a text pic of himself at his aunt's for dinner. I give him a call. The holidays...are somewhere. Not here. I walk back to the bench, and sit next to Pineapple. We discuss native Hawaiian sovereignty (sp?) and he shows me his tattoo of the symbol for sovereignty. He says he knows Bebo. What? He says Anthony is a cousin. I say Anthony says he is Navajo and Puerto Rican. Cousins? He looks me in the eye and says, we are cousins. he also says Anthony is a chief. OK. And then he says that Bebo is having financial difficulties. He says he knows everything that happens on the island. Interesting. The weird thing is that Anthony had told me that he is puzzled that people think he is native, even the natives! Previous lifetime? Wow! Other things were said that I do not want to share at this time. The bus finally comes and ROse and I get on. Rose gets off to meet her daughter and a woman named Terra sits next to me. We had a wonderful converstaion, lots in common. Wish I would have asked for her phone number. Someone to swim with! Walked home and wished some one would offer the old lady a ride! Dinner with Bebo and family Christmas Day alone and lonely. I tell myself this is just this year, next year will be different.
My time is almost up. More in New Year's story!
