Hawaii '93

This is perhaps a continuation of this story, or if you wish, a prequel to this one.

We had booked the barn in the sky to get to Hawaii. Four workmates and myself had dreamt up this trip using our employee benefits to stay at Ritz Carlton properties in Hawaii. A new charter company had started up with one plane and daily service to Honolulu. $99 each way. Such a deal, even then in 1993. The stewardesses wore jeans and t-shirts and pulled down a screen to show the movie with an ancient schoolroom projector. They gave out free popcorn in baskets that were passed down the rows like the offering plate in church. The flying contraption rattled and shuddered for six hours half way across the Pacific. We had lodging lined up for two weeks and I think we each paid only incidentals as we had gotten many nights comped. We were upgraded to club level for half the trip which included foods and libations. The only downside was that we all shared rooms, so privacy was limited. The gang consisted of a straight girl, a gay guy in a relationship with a woman, two gay guys and myself. One of the gay guys grew up on the island and we all visited his parents house where he turned into a spoiled little brat right before our eyes. I have not been in contact with any of these people for many years, but I do wonder what ever happened to them. Google isn't giving anything up.

Our first and last stop on our tour of the islands was Honolulu, a couple days at the beginning and the end of the two week vacation. Honolulu had a couple of gay bars and the gay boys went to these places at night while straight girl and gay guy pretending to be straight went out to the straight clubs. At the gay bar, I was quite flirty with one of the waiters. He was quite flirty back. The trouble with this was that one of the gay workmates had a crush on me. I knew it but couldn't do anything about it except make it clear I wasn't interested. He held that candle firmly in his grips and made disparaging remarks about the waiter each time he passed by and winked or made a comment. "Pretty cocky for a short guy," he said and, "He needs something better than a five dollar haircut." I responded to these barbs with, "Ooh, I love short guys," and "Wait, where do you get a haircut for $5, I want one." It didn't matter really, we were all going to go back to our room (note singular) and head out to Maui the next day. As I left, I told the cute flirty waiter that I'd be back in ten days and I'd stop in to say hi. Poor guy, life was going to give him a whammy through the vehicle of me. You'll see, just hide and watch.

Part 2