A PRICELESS DATE

Thursday was a funny day.

The work was exceptionally easy.

My knees felt exceptionally good.

It was Thursday; one day away from Friday, giddy was our feeling.

The Vog (The smoke from the active Volcano on this Island of Hawaii, is called Vog, and can cover Kona specifically, due the wind currents. The Vog appears somewhat like a fog, or marine layer, but it is actually fine smoke, although it doesn’t take on a smoke like look, if the wind shifts it can cover Oahu, which is way North of this big Island),  was exceptionally light.

It was a good time to walk home, which means, walk down the steep hill of YWAM, pass the security gate, down to the main Highway, walk north about 600 yards and take the detour left off the main Highway through the Coconut Village Shopping Center, and go through the parking lot down to Ali’i Drive, which is along the shoreline, where all the shops and restaurants are). We had one main job, look for a fun place to rest, eat really good food, drink really good beverages (It is against YWAM policy to drink any hard liquor, you’re asked to leave if caught, we are looking for non-alcoholic Smoothie type drinks to refresh our souls) and see the sunset from a cool looking beach type restaurant.

Food and Drinks outside the confines of McDonald’s, or the YWAM cafeteria was our big goal.

We walked along the sea wall and scanned north along Ali’i, then we spotted it, it was there all the time, but we didn’t notice it.

Bubba Gump’s.

A postcard of a place, the covered Lani, was perched along its own sea wall, boats floating on the blue harbor ocean of Kailua Bay.

We went inside and were treated like royalty by Tori, a very cool waitress, we perused the menu and settled on “Run Forest Run,” a mixture of orange, strawberry, guava, then we decided to eat ¾ lbs. of Bubba Gump’s favorite Shrimp in Garlic feast basket, just an appetizer mind you.

I’d mentally kicked off my shoes, my hat was on the seat and I was settling down for a serious treat time as we gazied beautiful ocean from our great railing seats, as we wondered what the poor people of So. Cal., and Russia were doing.

Then Carol spoiled everything.

She said “Let me see your credit card.”

“I don’t have the credit card, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t have it,” said she.

Two tables were very closely situated next to us on our perfect sea side railing table, they stopped eating, and talking, while they heard me call out three times for Tori, each one demanding a louder voice, then I said “I’m sorry, but don’t put our order in, WE DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY, WE LEFT OUR WALLET AT HOME, BESIDES THAT, WE ARE LOSERS,” I said.

She said “OH, DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME,” (with people your age, her body language intimated.)

We left hat in hand, with our eyes to the floor, and our butts dragging behind our egos.

We walked down the stairs in disbelief and sadness. Our great time on the ocean was gone.

Then we saw our resurrection sign. Root Beer Floats for $4.50 (We had $6.50); Buckwheat says lets split a Root Beer Float.

Low and behold, there at the Root Beer place was a sea side seating, right next door to Bubba Gump’s.

We shared the same view as the sneering mob at Bubba’s, in fact we looked down on them from our perch, there we sat, one Root Beer Float, two bags of $1.00 chips (we didn’t have money for the tax) but my schmoozing paid off, the sweet gal said, “No problem, have a nice date.”

We were like kids again, one float, two spoons, two bags of chips, and great view, plus and we saved about $50.00.

We strolled home along the sea side street of Ali’i Drive, smelled the same flowers as the rich people, and had more fun, and love, than money could buy.

We walked home, rested  a little, showered, and changed into our worship cloths. We walked back to the YWAM base for the most astounding worship, led by Joyce, an incredible violinist I've met, and an unbelievable Korean woman, who led us in the greatest worship I've ever been to. They sang the most hauntingly beautiful songs, ushering us straight into the Throne Room of God.

We walked home under the stars.

What a date day.

Priceless.