Hawaii 2001 revisited

I spent a good part of last night thinking about my adventures with dad in Hawaii and some of the 'funnies' we had together.

Dad needed a cane to help out with his balance a bit. He did not go anywhere without it. One night I got dressed up in an old Hawaiian muumuu that had been made for my mother in 1965. I picked out the green shirt that dad had gotten from the very same trip. We were retro styling! I think we had a special dinner date that night, something a little extravagant. We headed out the door from King Kam's and started down Ali'i Drive. When we got on the rough sidewalk near the 'breaker' wall, water was splashing and things were a bit tricky for Dad.
He realized he didn't have his cane. I reached over and put my arm through his. To which he immediately pulled away saying-- *Oh don't do that, people will think I'm an old fool who can't even keep his balance.*
I had to think quick.
I was not going to have him fall and get hurt, yet I wasn't about to go back to the hotel either.

So, I put my arm firmly in his and patted his hand.

*Say, you DO know we are in Kona where NO one knows who we are. If we stroll nonchalantly down the street arm in arm, you know what all these folks are going to think?*
Dad said, *I'm an old fool and you have to hang on to me.*

*Nope,* I said, * they are going to look at you and then look at me and wonder. What the heck does that smart dressed elderly guy have that he has a young gal on his arm? They'll say 'wow, look at him, he's got something special'. In other words, Dad...*
I leaned in close and spoke into his ear. *They are thinking you are one hot fella to have a girl like me!*

Dad grinned ear to ear. *How about that?* He took my arm and we strolled down Ali'i Drive.

He forgot his cane more often in the evenings, after that. And he sure smiled a lot.