It was my junior year in high school and I was having so much fun being a teenager. All my weekends were booked from the beginning of the week. This weekend was no different. I had plans to go to the Leilehua and Kahuku basketball game. This was a big game!
I was so excited and really looking forward to going to the game. I know I was going to drive. I was driving this little Toyota Corolla we called "Agnes!" She was a reliable little car and she took me all over the place. She was really my brother's car but since he was away in the Air Force stationed in Turkey, I made good use of her availability. My plan was to pick up my girlfriends, Linda and Kathy. The three of us was going to the game.
The weekend was here and I was getting excited. On game day it started off good until my dad got a call from the hospital and was told that my grandpa had just past away. I looked at my dad. He was feeling so sad because that was his dad and he took it kinda hard. He told us the bad news and I was feeling sad for him. But I still was thinking about the game and how excited I was about going. My dad asked me if I was going out that night. I told him that I had already made plans. He told me I should cancel and stay home because my grandpa had just past away. But I told him that I had to go. It was an important game. He didn't say anything, but I knew he did not want me to go, but I wasn't going to listen.
He told me again later on that day that I should cancel, but I told him that I couldn't because my girlfriends and I was really looking forward for this weekend. Being a teenager and hudhead I told him that it was an important game. Really it was! I knew I could stay home just for this ONE night but like one hudhead kid who refused to listen, I went out that night.
I picked up my girlfriends and we went to the game. Today I don't remember if we won or loss, but the thing that me and my girlfriends Linda and Kathy do rememba was wen we were on our way home to Wahiawa and we were going down toward that bridge past Whitmore village from out of nowhere had one big black dog running toward our little Toyota Corolla. We all saw the dog. Linda was in the back seat but she was sitting chicken fight way cause us were all talking story and when that dog was running toward the car we all went scream!!!! And I went hit the dog!!! Was so scary but I didn't stop! I continued on and turned into Big Way Burger parking lot. Which was the closest place and was still open.
When I came to a stop we all went out of the car to check if had any damage. There was a small dent and we saw black hair, so we knew it was the dog hair. So we decided to go back down by the bridge to check on the dog because we know we hit him. Had big noise wen we went hit him but the dog was no where around. Us went come sked and we went back to Big Way Burger parking lot wondering what happened. We all saw the dog and this dog was big! I remember seeing his face over the hood! But the dog was not around and we know he should have been wounded or something cause we know we hit him and us went all scream!
Then at the Big Way Burger parking lot where us was parked we all started to think what the hell was going on. That's when we all realized that my parents had warned me not to go out that night, but being hud head I went out anyway. We told this story to my faddah when we went home. Both Kathy and Linda was with me and after hearing the story my faddah looked at us and said that it was a sign that I should have stayed home that night the way I was told to do. But because I was hud head and really had to go out that night my grandpa who just died gave me a sign! I dunno if all this is true, but I do know now that I should have listen to my parents. That night I remember I had a hard time going to sleep. I just kept thinking about that big black dog.
Today me, Linda and Kathy cannot forget that dog and how it was running up the hill toward our car! We still wonder "was that a dog or a message from my grandpa that I should have stayed home that night the way my parents had told me to!"
About Author
Sandra Samson Thomas, a 1971 graduate of Leilehua High School was born and raised in Kunia Camp on the island of Oahu. After high school she attended Canon's Business College and Honolulu Community College. Her goal was to work in the library and to become a librarian. Instead she became a Human Resource Specialist for the Federal government. She is married to Dwight Thomas of San Diego, they have 3 kids and 4 grandkids. They make Wahiawa their home after traveling the world while her husband was in the military for 20 years.
