So I’m tired, I’m really tired. I prayed for the forecast to be as it said it would be, stormy. No. I awoke and it was questionable. Oh My.…The pressure of bringing smiles to shave ice lovers (I thought). I needed to put gas in the car, because some of us don’t always fill the tank, here in “$4.89 a gallon” paradise. I awoke too early for my person to understand, 5:30am.
I went to Wailuku Hillside 76. I neglected to roll up my favorite soft khaki cargo pants and stomped inside, through small puddles, to pay cash. Cuffs wet, because I was wearing rubba slippers.
So I say, “May I have $20 on Pump #1?”. The most bright-eyed, peppy aunty you will ever see at 5:40 am asks, “You get your kama‘aina card?”
It was drizzling, I said no with a poor-ting look. “Go get your card” – she says, motioning towards the parking lot.
I listened like she was my mother, I went and got my card. She was gonna save me money. Too cute.
“Hoooughhh” I exhale loudly as she rings me up, still dragging. “Who going eat shave ice on one day like this anyway?” I care freely say.
“Eh!’……You don’t know! The sun could come out?! They are going to want shave ice!!” Aunty says.
I smile. Thank you. I needed that.
So my morning is long and arduous. I arrive at 9:45am. Really? Who eats shave ice before 10am? I think.
The set-up minuscule, the line quickly forms. The heat was rising. Middle schoolers were HaPpY to get their sugar fix and a cool specialty. I knew I should have had real fruit juice flavors when the most adorable preschoolers came to get shave ice from me. Too cute, and a fundraiser to boot! I got to see the twins of a surf grommet I grew up with, brought back memories, made them very happy.
At the end of the day, after driving one of those Maui ‘perfect eight’ days…I needed more gas.
The same Aunty was at Hillside 76. I was happy to report. “You were right!” I exclaimed. “I sold 100 shave ice in two hours!”
“See! What I told you?! Awwww….too good!”
Other workers chime in with enthusiastic noises.
I smiled an unmatched smile, she might as well have been relative. She was. Aunty “Hazel” at Hillside 76…you are an Aunty Aloha.
