This couple comes into the restaurant the other night.
Honeymooners from Switzerland. They have been in Hawaii for three weeks. We are the last island on their tour. They are waiting to be seated.
The other hostess asked:
"Why Hawaii? It's a LONG WAY from Switzerland."
"It's always been my dream. Since I was a little one."
I'm standing there smiling. My eyes fill with tears.
I'm a part of your dream.
I'm the lucky one.
I've always been that person.
No matter the age.
No matter the place.
The other person.
If you sit down next to me, you are telling me your story.
In fact, I now get almost aggravated when you don't start telling me your story. Well, because, it's just a matter of time.
OR, maybe you aren't ready. Then you get up and leave. You aren't ready yet. It's okay. We all have our time.
Today, a lady I've met through canoe club. (Can we confirm now, that I only meet people through canoe club or airplanes? or maybe gym memberships or oh heck nevermind).
When someone your age shows up at canoe club shows up = you latch on! I'm still one of the younger members. Shock! Surprise! About six months ago! Wow! She might be our age! (Not sure when mid-fifties got to be the young people, but hey! we are going with it!)
We've done some activities together with some other "young people". Today I sent her a text as I know her husband works Friday nights too. Want to go to Happy Hour?
Needless to say. We hung out boogie boarding on the beach on a Friday afternoon. She remarried in 2016 has two grown children. Went some trauma with her kids in 2016. And here we all are on our island of misfit toys in Kona.
Figuring out our next steps in life.
We both laughed about what people told us was "normal". We actually feel sorry for the people who still think normal is real. Normal is a setting on the washing machine.
Let people tell you their stories.
Every night I like to find two "stories" from the people who come in to the restaurant. Of course, we are a destination town. A vacation town. Every night, it is someone's birthday. Someone's anniversary. The smile hasn't left my face when I say, "Be sure and let your waiter/waitress know". Yes, we do give a complimentary dessert, no we don't sing. We would be singing all night.
Last week? We had a couple come in three nights in a row. With three children in wheelchairs they had adopted from the Ukraine a year ago. One night they had only brought one child in, Michael, he is 8. A year ago he was non-verbal (didn't speak). He speaks now. Full of questions, much like any 8 year old. Wanted to know my name, age, last name, age of my kids, my kids names, and on and on and on. And the name of every one that walked by. The last night they came in, he told me the restaurant was wonderful and I was beautiful. My his life has changed in a year.
Three men came in last night. A couple and their friend. They were waiting near the bar. When I went to get them, I was taking them to the other side of the restaurant. One said, "Oh, but Seth (the waiter), we want HIS section!" Smiling and laughing with me. I turned with mischief in my eye and said, "He doesn't play on your team." I knew it was brave of me, but I also could tell they were having fun. They laughed. I gave them a table right on the ocean and said "Will this view due??" When they were leaving, they told me they had just moved here from Maui, I let them know they were more than welcome anytime and we are a very friendly community. They gave me a twenty dollar tip. I don't receive many tips directly from our patrons, so this was really nice.
Our company had a part-time office position available. 9-1pm Mon-Thurs. I had spoken to the HR person about the position. It was a good position. Making a little more than I am as hostess. Not standing all day. I could wear whatever I want, the office too is right on the water. The HR person, let's call her J, then called late Friday and said it would really need to be more 9 - 3, Monday - Friday, but I could still leave early the two days a week to go to canoe club to help the kids in the afternoons. I told her I would let her know on Monday.
I called her Monday and told her I was having too much fun as the hostess. I let her know when I was ready, I would be back.
Last night, the Director of Operations came in for dinner with his wife and friends. He introduced himself and said "I've heard good things about you". I smiled and thanked him.
"You know, you broke J's heart" (by not taking that other job), he said. I smiled and said "Well, I was going to break someone's heart". This time it's not mine.
I took a part-time job as a Hostess at a local fine dinning waterfront restaurant. Dinner hours only. Two nights a week. They are only open 4pm (happy hour only). Dinner from 5pm - 9pm.
Beautiful restaurant. Right on the water. Beautiful sunset. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
I remember saying 12 years ago. I want to be the hostess there one day.
Well, by now, we know I play the long game. I guess I have more patience than I think.
What I DIDN'T expect?? The HARDEST part of the job???
Wait for it......
Trying not to cry every time I work.
What did you say??
Because, this is what I'm so lucky to hear when people ask for their tables:
The VERY SECOND TABLE I EVER SET: Smiling woman from ear to ear, "This is my Granddaughter" Smiling mid twenties woman standing next to her "She flew into to surprise me yesterday, the rest of the family had dinner here last night. We now have 4 generations here. She and I are here for happy hour, the two of us." I literally couldn't say a thing. I did my best to smile and nod my head. Sat them at the best two seater table right on the water. Thinking of all my trips with my Granny.
We are here for our (Pick a year) Anniversary. We have always wanted to come to Hawaii.
I seat a table of 6. Anniversary trip of a group of friends. They befriend a group of 4 friends waiting on their table. By the end of the night, both groups are taking pictures of each other together. As they are all walking out the door together, we are going to a party together on Monday. I smile and reply "Vacation friends make wonderful friends." I should know, I have a daughter from a vacation many years ago.
Older man, I say that like I'm 20, kept coming back to the hostess stand to tell us silly jokes. Do you know the only kind of bee's that don't sting? Boo bee's?? :-) Boo is right. He did give me a ten dollar tip. Their family was celebrating anniversary 41. I said to his wife, how did you do it? She smiled and said he keeps following me! They were fun.
This is a bucket list trip. It's my last trip.
A family of 6. The mom was standing there telling me about her 13 year old daughter taking pictures of another group in the parking lot. She said her oldest daughter was 20. So the mom knew that the next few years were not going to be easy with the 13 year old so they had come on this trip as a "bonding" one.
The door happened to be empty and a let's say a 14 month old walked in, no shirt, no shoes, blonde hair and blue eyes with arms in the air. (I could see the parents in the background) But just for a moment, it looked like he was all on his own. There were two other people standing to the side. I owned the moment for him. "Aloha my friend!" "Are you looking for a table?" "I'm sorry, I know this is Hawaii, but we do require shoes and a shirt". I'm not sure who was smiling more. Me or everyone around. All I could think was, I knew just a few seconds ago, two little boys who looked just like you.....
I've been waiting for this job for a very long time.
Have you ever TRULY been to Wal-Mart? or really, it doesn't have to be Wal-Mart, it can be any store. Any store. Any store that is large enough to have a cross section of a population.
You do have an intention of buying something, but take a minute next time. Walk WITHOUT intention.
I've done this a couple of times at a couple of different stores in my life. But, it's almost become a every other a week habit at our Wal-Mart here in Kona since December.
The backstory:
The word in a word in Hawaii that sw=means fmailiy and tha means family. People scoff. But if I were to say that world means "ssssssx" in Italian" or x in russian they might be okay.
But no, a third world country owned by the United States???
Hanai, means family you choose. Not because your cousin married someone. Or married someone. Or because someone you have known and loved someone one since you, who cares since when.
My daughter. was here today. She made she choice to wake up early and wake up her boyfriend and come paddle with me and my canoe club.
That's the beautiful thing about those we invite into our "hanai" and to those " hanai" in which we become. We never feel it is happening. We become.
She was there. With her boyfriend at 6am, at Keauhou Bay to go paddling. Only one person - so who is Lily? We just smile. My teenage daughter I reply. Jim, across the boat replies, "Are they teenagers?". They will always be in my mind.
Lily and I swim. We paddle back.
As we get the boats in and walk to the club. Jeff is there.
Not what I was expecting.
Lily wasn't either. She had asked me earlier if he had paddled, I relieplied no. He captains late night manta dives. William, her boyfriend, had been caught up in old time "rowing" conversation.
As, my former, and also younger self walked up to greet him. Along with my duaghter.
Everything, everything, going to be all right.
The only way to do this again. Because I do TRULY love to write. Is well, to start to write ever day.
So, here is today. Write now. :-)
