Where has the time gone? What happened to the young red-haired young man I found in Waikiki? After 43 years, he’s still here, making my life easy, plentiful and full of fun.
Waikiki? Of course, everyone knows the story of my blind date one late winter in Hawaii. The red-haired young man was scheduled for some maintenance work at the Air Force Base in Kaneohe and I was the lucky winner of a blind date with him.
My best friend arranged the date through her husband and friend and got me involved without my consent. After several phone calls, after begging me to do her a favor, my best friend called one more time along with another friend who convinced me to talk to this young man because he came all the way from El Dorado Springs. After all, this other friend was from Greenfield.
Okay, we met, we liked each other, we had drinks, we had dinner, and he wanted another date the next day. No one asked me for a second date, ever… what’s wrong with him? He insisted and I said OK, I’ll see you tomorrow after work.
We met again and spend a few hours together; it was not enough for him. He wanted to get married the same day and of course I said no. But not for long, as he insisted, so much!
At the time, I was working as a sales rep for a food company and visited my clients regularly, wearing my red blazer in my 1978 Red Mustang, my little red carry-all with samples and this day with the young man in tow. At the Hilton Hawaiian Village, because there is no parking near the kitchen, I used to park the car on the red zone around the corner. A policeman followed me to the area, asking me to move the car as it was parked illegally, again. I got back in the car, moved it forward about 20 feet, still in the red zone, and the policeman agreed it was better. The young man waiting in the car could not believe what I had just done. Of course, he said he now had to marry me.
After a few days where I served as a guide for him on the island, he needed to get back to Base in San Diego. I knew he would not come back, so I enjoyed whatever days he was giving me.
I was wrong, again. On Valentines Day the following month, he returned with a butterfly in a gold chain as a wedding present. We had spent a total of 6 days together and here we were in front of the Parish priest, asking to get married. Father Joe said we were old enough to know better and he married us the following Saturday.
Today, Grumpy’s hair is no longer red, just wisps of white and light brown, with some semblance of red. I still see him as the red-haired young man coming down the staircase at the Hale Koa Hotel in Waikiki. I have not regretted any moment after we met; and I hope he hasn’t either.
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