What Are You Doing?

Sunday Morning our first cruise ship arrives arrives in port since Corona shut things down. As a Board Member of Destination Kona Coast, I will be there setting up our welcome station at the pier. The past 3 days I have been welcoming people at the Painted Church in Honaunau. I happily have done these things.

Let me tell you a true story.

2 decades ago, I was staying at a hotel awaiting to close on my farm purchase. One of the Managers at the hotel was on the board of above-mentioned D.K.C. he asked me if I was busy that weekend and I said no. He said to wear nice Aloha Wear and come with him to he pier. We were going to meet some people. I thought it might be the hotel owners as (a long story) met them in the 60’s in New Jersey and they more than likely knew my Grandmother well. It turns out that the airport was packed with a band, hula dancers, the mayor and so on. It was Air Canada’s first direct flight from Canada to Kona. When I asked what they wished me to do, I was asked to stand as people exited the secure area and say “Welcome to OUR island”. Nothing like being made a part of a community just weeks after arriving!

Then a while later I was again asked what I was doing and I said nothing. I was told to get into swim trunks and we went out on a Zodiac boat to greet passengers arriving by ship. The ship was the one Regis and Cathy Lee broadcast from as it went down the East Coast on it’s way here. It would soon cruise between all the islands. Anyway, we sat in the boat waving (like yo see on the old movies) and tossing lei flowers on the water welcoming guests. Since this was after 9-11, we had armed military on the wharf with machine guns. However, I guess that WE in the Zodic boat were the more welcoming sight.

So, when the coffee council I was a member of asked if I was busy on Saturday, of course I said yes!. They told me to be in jeans and long shirt and bring gloves. HUH? It seems it was their week to volunteer to walk along the highway and pick up trash (part of that ‘we will put up a sin along the highway about your group and you cal look like criminals thing :-).

I learned my lesson. Now if someone asks if I am busy I say yes, then ask why! Be Prepared in my motto now!