Oct 29th: Kualoa Ranch and Old Friends
Benny was a little hung over but at breakfast when the men all reminded him what was planned for the day. He started to get excited.
“I … I can still go?” he asked hesitantly, desperately wanting to.
Lev said, “Of course, why would you think otherwise?”
Diego added, “Osito, I need some money shots today. Now if you don’t want …”
“No! I want to. I’m … I’m not a baby.”
Chan then said, “Do you think I’m a baby because … because I didn’t fight?”
And then it clicked for Benny. He answered, “You did, just in your own way. You would let the old people get hurt. That was cool.”
And from that point forward I think Benny changed the narrative in his head. That he “wasn’t a baby” he just did things different. And to be honest, maybe that is how I need to look at my own actions yesterday. I get through life different, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
What was Benny so excited about? Kualoa Ranch
[1]. But that doesn’t really explain what the place is. It is famous for being the filming location for a bunch of blockbuster movies and television shows. It is also a awesome nature preserve and one of the number one attractions to visit when you come to Oahu. It also has some incredible Hawaiian cultural activities. All of that and more is what had Benny so jazzed up. I was a little worried that he would have a hard time getting through the day but except for a moment here and there he was fine. He was tired early tonight but after all of our activities today that isn’t to be unexpected.
We were there before they opened for an early tour. We were going to be doing so many things today that if we hadn’t started early we would never have fit everything in. First came the one-hour Kualoa Ranch movie tour to see film locations for Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Park, and Magnum P.I., and Hawaii Five-O. We had a local guide that led us to the Hollywood hotspots and provided background on the history of the ranch. We traveled by vintage school bus past some of the island’s most stunning natural attractions, like Mokoli’i Island (Chinaman’s Hat), Kaneohe Bay, and the Ko’olau Range, mountains which dominate the eastern half of Oahu. It was easy to see why so many top filmmakers in the business chose this area as the backdrop for their shows. We were given the opportunity to take photos of the locations; also the sparkling waters of Kaneohe Bay, that was featured in several scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean 4.
That was the introductory tour, the next one was a little more detailed and the three men seemed to be interested on a professional level. We explored the famous Ka’a’awa Valley, known as Hollywood’s “Hawaii Backlot,” where over 200 Hollywood movies and TV shows have been filmed since the 1950’s. We saw the boneyard from the old King Kong movies and their remakes, the Jumanji dance-fight area, the ATV hill from Mike & Dave, Godzilla’s massive footprints, and several other filming locations. Many of that I’d never heard of. We also learned about Hawaiian culture, ranch history, agriculture, and stopped at a historical WWII army bunker, built entirely into the side of the mountain range, that had been turned into a mini museum with posters, props and memorabilia from movies and tv shows filmed at Kualoa through the years, as well as some cool WWII artifacts and exhibits.
The next part of the day involved an adventurous and rugged open-air Jungle Expedition deep into the Hakipu’u rainforest with its own movie locations. We rumbled along jungle trails, across stream beds, powered up steep, bumpy hills for many spectacular views. We were also lucky enough to participate in a short hike to a scenic overlook with outrageous views of Ka’a’awa and Hakipu’u valleys.
The icing on the cake for Benny was a Jurassic Adventure Tour. Two and a half hours of adventure. Benny has always been a fan of dinosaur movies and he was watching a documentary the while we were stuck in a hotel room in Florida and the Jurassic movies and how they were made were part of it. The tour we were on to us to film sites for the movies in Kualoa, Hakipu’u and Ka’a’awa Valleys. It was a bumpy rainforest trek with lots of mud and movie props. There was the Indominus Rex paddock with its 60 foot walls, the bunkers and authentic dinosaur cages used in the movies, and the famous field where the gallimimus were “flocking this way!” Benny loved it though I was getting a little Jurassic’d out by the time it was over.
We were getting a little hungry by this time (understatement) so we grabbed some food in Aunty Pat’s Café. The way we are eating out lately our per diem is not going to last, but the burgers were so good. And I don’t say that because I was starving.
Another trip to the lady’s room and two more stuffies for The Crew. One is a triceratops and the other is a brontosaurus. They’re friendly. Apparently the others all had a naughty look in their eyes or needed to find a kid more their style. Er … yeah. I’m not sure how Benny would have “intergated” a T-Rex or Indominus into the Crew.
I can’t complain now that it is done but I’m going to need to watch Lev spoiling Benny. I’m not going to be able to do this for him forever. I … heck I’m not sure what I mean. Lev has just been doing stuff that I can’t or won’t and … yeah, it does bother me a little. I also don’t want Lev to think he needs to buy our love or anything else. But that’s a battled for another day.
Our last activity was a Polynesian Canoe Sunset Sail. The ship we used really wasn’t a ship. Kamoauli is a locally owned, all-wood, double-hulled, traditional Polynesian canoe (wa’a kaulua). Its crew offered a one-of-a-kind native Hawaiian cultural and educational experience. We sailed along the Waikiki coastline while being immersed in the stories and history of place (Mo‘olelo). Our guide told us it reflected the land (ʻāina) and ocean (moana). We were encouraged to participate in hands on activities, using native materials to make food, clothing, tools, and other traditional items. We got to ask questions, explore the deck, nets and hulls, and take part in poi (taro) pounding. The crew provided 'Ukulele music and traditional chants ('oli) and locally-sourced traditional food and drinks were all part of the experience.
# # # # #
After the Sunset Sail we returned to the hotel and I changed to meet Charles and Renee down in the lobby. Lev and Benny were coming with me.
“You sure about this? I don’t want to crowd you,” Lev said.
I snorted. “Have you ever known me not to tell you my opinion on something?”
“No.”
“Then trust me on this. Besides if the two of them are on the outs with each other you might be able to keep Renee’s mouth in neutral.”
“Uh …”
“She’s a good person … just occasionally opinionated. And her sister always did know how to wind her up.”
“Er …”
“You’ll see. And I promise, I won’t let you turn into Old Dog in a room full of puppies.”
He winced. “Well I
wasn’t worried about that.”
I grinned and then laughed. “You do know I’m kidding right?”
He said of course but I get the feeling maybe he is a little worried about our age difference now that people keep pointing it out.
# # # # #
“I remember you! You’re Map Man.”
Benny was more interested in the floor show and in the art program that I gave permission for Lev to bring to keep him occupied in case of “adult conversations.”
Charles was momentarily outraged when I flat out asked Renee, “So, are you going to put him out of his misery and say yes? He was already in love with you before we were in high school. Are you suddenly worried because you put the cart before the horse?”
“Oh my gawd. You did not just …” She turned to Charles and said, “You
told her?”
“Not on purpose. It’s just she’s Gus and you don’t not tell Gus things. She knows how to get it out of you … painfully when necessary.”
She tried to stay mad for all of two seconds and then giggled. “Gah! I hate these weird hormones. I can’t stay mad at him.”
“You never could. And it is hormones, just not the pregger ones.”
“Gus!”
“Yeah, yeah. So, back to original question.”
She sighed. “It’s asking a lot of him. My parents… Joanie …”
“What have your parents and sister got to do with anything?”
“You remember what they’re like. And Mom really flipped a switch when their ultimatum didn’t work, and I left the house. I flew out here and Charles didn’t even know I was coming. That was four months ago.”
“What happens when he ships out.”
“He isn’t.”
I blinked and looked at Charles. He looked embarrassed. “I’m here finishing out my brother’s time for him so he can qualify for an upgraded prosthetic. Not active duty but working to help set up some mapping programs of the memorials to try and monitor their disintegration. I’ve also been helping remap the harbor and some of the associated shoreline because a storm last year really made a mess of things. It pushed a lot of sediment into the harbor and pulled a lot of beach front out in other places. We’re checking to see if what settled into the harbor is from the beach front or from someplace else.”
“That’s …”
“It’s a new program. Not civilian but quasi-military. I never officially entered ROTC but I did have enough credits that I could have. And this way everyone gets something. The military gets the personnel they need for a temporary project without having to kick in more money to an already failing benefits program, I get a job that can count towards prior employment for preferential hiring for certain jobs … the USPS as an example … and my brother gets access to elevated benefits for the prosthetic.”
“Sounds …”
“Complicated?” Charles answered.
“No. Like blackmail. Your brother should be getting bennies regardless since the amputation was a direct result of his active-duty assignment.”
“You sound like Dad.”
“They still not in favor of you enlisting?”
“No, at least Dad isn’t. Mom swings back and forth. I guess trying to justify me doing this. Renee’s parents … aw, you don’t want to hear this. Tell us how you’ve been doing.”
“First, I don’t need to hear it because I heard it all through school and beyond. And you don’t have to tell me about Joanie either because she couldn’t stand me then and I’m sure uses me as the best example of what not to do with your life. Relax, I wouldn’t want to be her either. The only people that can tell you two what to do is the two of you. So, what’s it going to be?”
Renee gave a sweet and embarrassed smile then looked at Charles who reached into his pocket with an excess of excitement and pulled out a ring box that would have flown into the fish tank if Lev hadn’t caught it and handed it back. When Charles started to go down on one knee she hissed, “Do that at the apartment. I can’t guarantee how I’ll act right now.”
I snorted. “Not in front of Benny you won’t.”
Renee and Charles both had to smother their laughter. When Renee saw the ring she said, “That’s your grandmother’s ring.”
“No one else is fit to wear it but you.”
“TMI,” I told them while I called over a waitress and got us some drinks. Lev and Charles had beer while Benny, Renee, and I had Shirley Temples. Benny’s with lime rather than grenadine. We’d brought Benny’s sound cancelling headphones just in case the floor show got a little raucous. It had and he was happy to wear them and just focus on the paint program.
The remainder of the night was spent in good memories and well wishes. I told them about Pei Shin, about Townzen, and they told me what they knew of the rest of the old gang. Renee quietly told me about Christopher finally cleaning himself up.
“He once said you were his biggest screw up.”
“That could be taken more than one way. And I’m not interested.”
“You sure?”
“Definitely.”
“Good. I like Lev. Little older than us.”
“He’s not Methuselah.”
“No. Definitely not. Just seems older. More experienced.”
“That’s because he is.”
“Fine. None of my business. But, it really is good to see you with someone.”
“I’m not Methuselah either. You act like we should all be hooked up by now.”
“I guess Charles and I have just been together for so long. And I want all of us to be as happy as we are.”
“Relax. Some of us are working on it. The rest of us have plenty of time.”
“Which one are you.”
“Do you really think I’d trust just anyone with Benny?”
She slowly smiled and we went on to another subject. That’s when some members of the Canoe Club showed up and made a production of rubbing Charles’ nose in being his brother’s “plus one.” Apparently swabbies aren’t liking the special accommodations that some vets get by having someone serve out their tour.
They tried to get in my face and I asked them nicely if they’d like to take it outside.
“Gus …” Charles and Lev both said at the same time.
“They are not going to insult my brother’s memory or my grandfather’s service and get away with filling out an Eye-Dee-Ten-Dee form. These ‘tards are nothing but butt sharks.”
“Chief …” Charles said, trying to pull out my better nature.
Another guy showed up, designated driver since he hadn’t been drinking. “You sound like you did your time.”
“I was. But my brother came home in a body bag and I chose family responsibility over stripes. And if any of you mess with my nephew, I’ll shove this gold star up your ass and make sure its cuts your hemorrhoids up along the way. I already had to put up with enough ‘tards at Pearl yesterday. Ain’t in the mood to play nice today.”
The other three started sobering up. A fifth man – higher ranking if I had to guess though he wasn’t in uniform – showed up and said, “You screw up my date night with the wife and I’ll find a couple of brig chasers.”
I wasn’t going to let the insult to Lawrence go and Charles whispered the details.
“You know where he served?”
I snorted. “Honorably in some blacked-out place off a sandy coast.” Everyone understood what I meant.
“And your grandfather?”
“Last rank was Captain before a back injury while on training took him off active duty.”
“Name?”
“Barrymore.”
“Shit. Lawrie Barrymore was your grandfather?”
I nodded, hiding the surprise I was feeling.
“They still use that incident at Newport.” I understood him to mean the Navy’s Officer Training School. “We’ll let you get back to your meal.” He turned to Charles and smiled. “And congrats. Wife was watching and now I owe her some flowers and romance.”
Everyone got the message, but I was still a little bent. When I sat I felt Lev pat my hand in understanding. For everyone’s sake I did my best to let it go.
“Sorry.”
Renee was the one that said, “Don’t be. Those three guys are jerks. Hopefully they got the message this time and will stop harassing Charles.”
“Hey …” Charles said.
I told him, “They’re drunk in uniform.”
What Lev didn’t understand Charles and Renee did. I despise people that don’t respect their own uniform enough to stay clean while in it … and I’m not talking about just the cloth. Then Charles decided to be Charles and dared me to sing karaoke to get our bill paid.
“It’s for the bill?”
“Yep.”
I looked at Lev and said, “Sorry. You might need to cover your ears. I can get a little loud. Ask Benny.”
“Uh …”
I walked straight to the stage to take the next turn. Picked something to make Charles and Renee laugh and belted out a more than decent rendition of Aretha Franklin.
What you want, baby, I got it
What you need, do you know I got it?
All I'm askin' is for a little respect when you get home
(Just a little bit) Hey, baby
(Just a little bit) When you get home
(Just a little bit) Mister
(Just a little bit)
Etc. Etc. Etc.
I thought Lev was going to fall out of his chair. Especially after Benny said, “Hey! Aunt Gus is singing! She used to only do that in the shower! But usually it is Elvis!”
Yep, I won that round and it paid for our dinner. But none of us could afford to stay up any later – that adulting thing called work had us all by the short hairs – so we walked with them out to where they could catch a taxi and then went back up to our room. I had permission to send out congrats to some close friends because she said yes as long as I didn’t mention them by name. It’s the first thing I did after getting Benny to sleep.
Lev sat on the bed after changing and said, “Wow. And … they didn’t hate me. I guess.”
I tossed a pillow at his head. “Renee likes you but why you should care I don’t know.”
“’Cause … they could say something.”
I heard the tone and turned to look at him and then put my tablet aside. “If it matters, they both like you. Charles kept you talking about all the places you’ve been … and I didn’t know about some of them. Renee flat out said so. But even if they didn’t put their stamp of approval – which I don’t need – the more important factor is that
I like you. You introduced me to your family back in July, so I thought here’s a chance to introduce you to some of my friends. Did I make a mistake?”
“I don’t want you to think
you made a mistake.”
“Ah. That way is it? Need a little reassurance?”
“Need …” he coughed. “Er, wanna watch some tv?”
“Not especially. Wanna just go sit in there for a bit? Diego and Chan left that note that said they were taking a night off so they won’t be busting in the door.”
“Benny might.”
“Not as long as we aren’t too quiet.”
“Gus …”
I kissed him. “I won’t break. I haven’t got a clue if I’m going to do it right but I’m definitely not the breakable type.”
“Yeezus woman.”
Well, neither one of us broke but we did break up the party before we went too far. I am not winding up like Renee or risking Lev worrying about a repeat of his mother’s choices. Wherever this is going, we are going to get there with a modicum of commonsense.
[1] https://www.kualoa.com/