Sunday, August 10, 2014

Of course it was Jack

My first Tuesday on Oahu, I went to go paddling.

I was staying about 40 minutes from downtown.  I don't spend 20 minutes in the car on a normal basis, much less 40.

There is a Canoe Group in Oahu (actually there are many)  - and I found a recreational one near Waikiki. There wasn't one closer to me, or at least not one that I found.

SO, here is me - driving 40 minutes to an hour ONE WAY to go paddle  (I used to travel over an hour to go ski on Saturdays - so that girl still lives in me when she finds something she enjoys)

I get to Waikiki in the middle of the afternoon.  I find where I'm supposed to be at 5:30pm.  I go park and find the beach.

This is a really beautiful beach.  BUT, it's crowded.  I'm whiny.  I'm hot.  I just spent an hour in the car trying to find this place.  I'm spoiled. (Don't even get me going about finding parking!)

In the water.  Then reading my book.  Back in the water.

I think it's time for a beer.

I walk to Duke's - which is a great place in a nice hotel right on the water.  I sit there for a bit, chatting with the guys next to me.  Then another man on the other side comes and sits down.

He SOUNDS just like Jack Nicholson.  He's thinner though.  We start chatting.  (Of course we do).  I'm still in kind of a whiny mood.

"Why would you live here?  People should just live in LA.  There is traffic.  You are closer to everything.  And there is the Ocean."  I say.  (As I said, I was feeling whiny).  The man on the bar stool replies " Look kid, I live in LA, this place is nothing like it".

Mind you, this man has on a pair of khaki shorts, a collared shirt and a ball cap.

We chat for a bit.  He tells me of a couple good hikes I need to go on.  (And he says, "When your friends you are staying with don't want to take you on the hike "because it's too touristy, tell them you are going anyway". )  (BTW, we went on those hikes - more to come)

We talk for a bit more.

The whole time I'm arguing in my head "This is Jack Nicholson."; "No, it's not".

Then I stand to leave.  "I'm going to paddle now.  Paddling makes me VERY happy.".Then, he says, "I got your tab".  I reply "Thank you. I really do appreciate it."

He looks at me.  His right eyebrow arches, he replies, "You enjoy yourself".......




PS - The next day, I GOOGLE Jack - all the things he mentioned about him were exactly the same as the man I was talking to at the bar.

PSS. - My friends say, "You made his day - You didn't recognize him."

PPSS - Thanks for the drinks Jack..........



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