Trying To Sway

Whenever Rudolf Nureyev felt that strangers were looking at him, he immediately straightened his posture.

NUREYEV:  His Life by Diane Solway
 

PHOTO:   A Self-Portrait of me in my Honolulu Hotel Room on January 29, 1988
 

I arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii the last week of January 1988.  

I hadn’t been in Hawaii since July 1987.    I was back  for my return visit after about six months.   I knew some people there but it was ironic that I coincidentally bumped into Bill Matson on Waikiki Beach.   He goes there often.  It was difficult to read him but he was as nice as the last time I saw him.   He asked if I might want to go on a large catamaran boat cruise with him tonight, January 29, 1988.

 

“They’re really fun,” Bill said.

 “Why not?  That sounds great.”

 

I loved the YELLOW of the boat.   Bill met me there and it was as fun as he'd promised.   We both just wanted to have a good time and after a few mai tai cocktails it’s easy to mingle and just plain have fun.   

I had my polaroid camera with me and I took a couple of fun group shots.  One was taken with a couple of flirty, chubby gals.   Another was taken with a couple of elderly ladies.   They were all so much fun. 

 

I was brave when it came to the learn how to hula session.   I didn’t realize it at the time but Bill took a shot of me with my camera, trying to sway with the boat (not an easy task).   Sometimes I felt strangers were watching me but I chose not to care.   I simply stood tall and wanted to have a good time during my last night on the island.

The local Hawaiians working on the boat thought I was a local because I had such a local looking tan.    The staff was so nice.   I captured a pic with one of the local gals, too. 

PHOTO:  ‘me’ with Local Hawaiian girl

A week in a Hawaii can fly by faster than a silver bullet.   I made sure I had a good time.   I liked just resting on the beach during the daytime.    It was the thing to do.    Honolulu seemed to agree with me.   I was pondering the idea of moving to Hawaii; however, it also felt rather remote.   I was torn between the mainland and the gorgeous beaches.

The song for the week of January 26, 1988 was NEED YOU TONIGHT by INXS.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swdbv5I6qzc

I wasn’t quite sure who I needed at night.   Sometimes sleeping alone on a soft pillow does the trick after a long, hot day in the sun.   One thing I did know was that I’d be back in Alameda the next day and ready for my usual drill at work the following week.   It was what I felt the need to do.

“Men by their nature, seemingly cannot be happy unless engaged in enterprises that make them feel useful.   They must, therefore, be returned to participation in such enterprises.” 
-Kurt Vonnegut Jr.,
PLAYER PIANO, a novel