This particular Sunday, my one and only plan for the day got blown away by big winds and rain that banged up the north shore one more time. So, there I was, sitting in my car at the 7/11 in Lihue this morning, wondering if any of the riders from the Sons of Kauai would drive up out of a shared sense of boredom. I suck at making plans and was at a complete loss regarding my next move, not to mention the hours and hours that lay ahead.
A hearty breakfast is the best way to have the energy you need to not do much of anything, the beginning of a plan. Clearly, circumstances were calling upon me to be highly creative. Sitting at the 7/11, I decided to invite myself for a plateful of brunch at a nearby establishment. I am a huge fan of routines, could be border line compulsive, but when you blow up the cemented plan, all sorts of wonderful, new things can happen.
I’ve never been a terribly big fan of going to restaurants by myself, having done it on and off for decades. I recall being way more self-conscious years and years ago, but you gotta get to a point where you enjoy your own company. I am now entertained by my social awkwardness, rather than feeling a roomful of embarrassment.
Everyone of us gets to spend huge amounts of time alone. Being on your own is kind of like dating yourself, no touching, please. It’s like an arranged marriage, because you have inherited yourself and you need to make it work. I am always aware when I feel completely at home in my skin, which is happening much more as I ripen on the vine.
Having a relaxed Sunday brunch was perfect. At the same time, it felt a little weird, because a handful of miles up the coast, the wind was punishing the island. This place will be forever a mystery to me. Scrambled eggs, chunky crisp, home fries, long strips of bacon and a couple of cups of coffee felt like a wonderful treat, painting a smile on this old boy’s face. I meandered out to my car, thinking I probably ought to check out the wrapped around surf on the west side.
As I drove west, it didn’t take long for the weather to come at me, as it sling shotted around the northern end, slapping the face of the west side. My plan was to drive out to Kekaha, where the waves were reported to be up to forty feet. The wind started picking up and I didn’t like it. All of a sudden, I felt like a moron. What was I? The Big Wave Chaser and star of my own reality series, risking my life each week to look at waves. I canceled the show and peeled off at Salt Pond.
I got out of the car and let me tell you, the wind played havoc with my hair. I was afraid my signature Kangol would blow away and felt it was safer to leave it on its very own passenger seat. I didn’t get to see big waves, rather a confused ocean, waves tripping over each other and making a mess of things. I made two, wonderfully inane iPhone videos for my grandson and a special family living in Japan.
I sat in the tranquility of my car for a while, watching the world blow all around me. I don’t think we understand the true power of nature. We will never be more than her servant and she will always, always have the last word. This whole climate change thing isn’t about the survival of our planet, it is about our own. When you look at a flexing ocean or watch how the wind does whatever it wants, the practical path for us would be to make peace with this behemoth. The smart guys with all the money don’t give a shit, mistakenly thinking that our death duel with earth will spare them.
It is amazing what you can think about when you have some time on a Sunday. I was on my way home, with the wind at my back and my son called. We had a wonderful talk. I really love him and cherish the relationship we have. When most of us talk about our children, they are generally not in their forties, like my son. It has been a thrill to watch him grow. He put my grandson on the phone and we had one of those great grandpa/grandson talks about what he’s been doing. At the end of our time, he said, “I love you.” I went wild and told him how cool it was. Yes, I told him I loved him and was nuts about him. I floated the rest of the way home.
I walked in the door of my place, a lifetime after I left it this morning. Now, I had absolutely nothing to do, so I figured I’d write about this particular Sunday.