Boat by Michael Baughman

Author:Michael Baughman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arcade Publishing
Published: 2012-10-22T16:00:00+00:00

That was the day I called Boat from the mainland for the first time. I didn’t call to complain about my life, or life in general, and I didn’t call to learn anything. I needed to talk to Boat. I needed to talk about Hawaii—about sandy beaches and breaking waves, reef fish and soaring birds, warm weather in January.

Because of the five-hour time difference I called at three o’clock Eastern time, to be certain Boat would be out of bed on a Sunday morning.

In his rumbling voice, he answered after two rings:

“Boat here, who you?”

“Mike,” I said.

After a pause: “Boston Mike?”

“Can you hear me okay? It’s a long way. A long distance.”

“Hear you fine, bruddah!”

“How’s it, Boat?”

“Good, bruddah! Good to hear your voice! How’s it with you in that Boston?”

“Not so good. First off, tell me how warm it is there.”

“You okay? What’s wrong in Boston?”

“Nothing exactly wrong. But goddamn, it’s cold. I’m freezing my ass off. Today’s below zero.”

“Tell me what the hell is below zero?”

“What is it there? The temperature, I mean.”

“Temperature here is around eighty-four. ‘Hawaii Calls’ was on yesterday from the banyan down the Moana. That Webley Edwards announcer guy, he always says the temperature and yesterday was eighty-five. Water temperature seventy-eight. He always says that too.”

“I remember. The two things I miss listening to are ‘Hawaii Calls’ and Akuhead in the morning.”

“Akuhead’s the best! Number one!”

“But Christ, Boat, it’s ninety degrees colder here than it is there.”

“Tell me what the hell you still doing there then. You going to stay?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Probably not.”

“When you coming back then? What the hell you want to stay in that kukai place for? What the hell anybody want to stay in a place like that place for? They pupule? Hey, tell me something, bruddah.”

“Tell you what?”

“This call on the phone from way in Boston going cost you plenty I bet.”

“Don’t worry. It’s cheaper on Sunday. They give me spending money, the school does. I can afford it. I definitely want to talk a while.”

“Who gives the money?”

“The school. The university. Tell me some things now. You been surfing? Spearing? Canoeing?”

“Big North Shore waves this week. Makaha’s up good. Spearing is good right here at Waikiki. I take the tourists out in the canoes like always. I speared one big blue uhu the same place I took you. Not as big as that time, but big. Last week me and Blue ate lobsters in Laie.”

“I wish I was there.”

“Then how come you not? What the hell you do when it’s freezing outside?”

“Go to movies.”

“Pretty soon I’ll be in a movie,” Boat said.

“Really? What movie?”

“The Old Man and the Sea movie. They asked me to be in it. They pay me money.”

“Do you ever go to movies?”

“Not since small kid time. When I was small kid I liked the cowboys. I’m no small kid now. Why go to movies? Sometimes I take the movie stars out in the canoes. Sometimes I take the movie stars surfing. Mostly the man movie stars are five feet tall with arms like brooms.

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