I had a best friend, Jeanne Dye, whose family owned Ellen Dye Candies on Fort Street. They had a lovely beach house in Kailua. One day she took me over the Pali. Now this was a long time before they put one puka in the mountain and made the tunnel over the Pali.
It was also before I did any driving. Though I had been over the Pali quite a few times, I learned that day how to take a car over. We stopped at the Kamehameha Memorial just before the summit and climbed down as far as we could. There was a fence at the memorial, so we could go no further.
Well, anyway, we climbed back and got into the car. I rolled up the window on the passenger side because of the wind. I guess Jeanne didn't notice that I had done this. That is, until we were almost into the wind ! All of a sudden she came to a screeching halt on the side of the road. I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I asked her what the heck she thought she was doing ... I thought she was crazy ! The wind was cold !!
Jeanne looked at me and said that if we tried to go over with both windows up the wind would take us right over the hill. Auwe ... that was my first lesson in driving in the Islands.
We proceeded to her house. I, of course , brought my sarong so that I could go swimming. Which we had planned to do. I thought we would go right outside their door and swim ... so I started to change. Jeanne stopped me and said we were going somewhere else to swim. Well, that was fine with me, but I just couldn't figure out why she would go somewhere else to swim when she had a beautiful beach in her own "back yard".
Well, we piled back into the car and headed toward Diamond Head and Waikiki. All the time I am thinking..."this is crazy"... and when she pulled up into a clearing on a cliff I figured she was even more "LOLO"...
We got out of the car and I finally just had to ask her where we were going. She said " Doris Duke's house." Oh my, I thought... we are going to meet this millionairess !!! WRONG !! We climbed down the cliff to the beach and there with a fire going, were all my friends, swimming and dancing... (everyone carried a uke or guitar or both in those days) ...Jeanne and I joined the party.
The fun and games went on until about 9 or 10 o'clock that evening. The party was really rolling by then. A luau was going on in the old style. Food, music, dancing, and great friends. This kept up until midnight....
All of a sudden, I was picked up and carried to the fire and seated on a rock next to it. I was curious and a little embarrassed....what now?? Then out came this beautiful cake with 16 candles on it. It was put in front of me and everyone shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY... HAU' OLI LA HANAU !!!" Oh, my it was my surprise birthday party !!!
That was the only time I had ever been surprised with a party, and it is one birthday I will never forget. Now when I see how people treat each other, I go back to that November day and thank God for all my friends who showed the genuine Aloha Spirit...that is something that we are born with and that we can always carry in our hearts no matter where we are.
About Author
Pat Cunningham McCroskie was born and raised on Oahu. (Roosevelt '48) She now lives in Grand Junction, Colorado. She spends her time taking to and thinking about her children. She has 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She is currently putting a collection of stories together about Hawaii for publication. Any old time friends out there are welcome to get in touch with her at via email or ICQ#37939253.
