Whoa, January came and went. And now is the time for roses, balloons, teddy bears and chocolates from that special someone. The most important non-holiday, the Superbowl. I’m kidding! I’m talking about Valentine’s Day.
This year’s February is a leap year. That means there’s an extra day for us. An extra day to do chores, to catch up with sleep or to live life to the fullest. Whatever you do on that extra day, I hope you spend it wisely and safely.
Tell us what are going to do with that extra day. Share it at www.facebook.com/filamvoicemaui, we would all love to hear it. We might even include it in ours.
Back to the life of Angel …
Angel responds “My Lola (grandmother) used to tell me a banyan tree is like a family. Its core is the ancestors from generations past setting the solid foundation so that its offspring can grow, explore, find its own place to set its roots and set its own foundation for their offspring. This banyan tree is incredible.”
“Miss, I would like you to umay ka (come) with me,” a man told Angel.
A deep, deep cold chill ran down Angel’s spine. Flashes of thunder and lightning of horrific memories surge in her mind. Quickly she clinches onto Michael and runs behind him, peeking from through his armpit. With four rapid tugs on his shirt, she squeals and begins to tear. Desperately wanting to scream, she holds it in.
A dark-skinned man wearing a baseball cap stands in front of them. He stands probably five feet eleven inches. The angle that he so happens to be standing is in front of the nearest light, so all you can see is a silhouette of him. The outline of his body looks like David Bautista, the Filipino wrestling star, surely an intimidating monster. The man seems to get agitated by Angel’s reaction and starts to raise his voice and his pidgin (Hawai‘i’s English slang language) comes out. “Eh! Lady, try halika (come)! Fast kine,” as he signals for her to follow him. Now completely overcome with emotion, Angel begins to cry and her breath turns into a hard quiver. She belts out a whine and jumps up and down directly behind Michael pulling and tugging on his shirt. Her woman rage-strength kicks in and she nearly sends Michael tumbling to the ground in a near Ronda Rousey judo move. Michael struggles to find his balance. “Hindi! hindi! hindi! (No! No! No!)” she yells. Even angrier the man starts to yell back. “Ey f****a, I said try mekeni (come) real quick!” In an instant Angel pulls Michael so hard that he is sent tumbling to the ground. Shocked with how strong she is, sitting on the ground holding his knee, “What the heck?” Michael says. Now that Michael is on the ground Angel is standing directly in front of this animal of a man. She crosses her braso (arms) and before she is about to unleash her supersonic scream, the man says “Ey! Is that your sasakyan (car)?” as he points to the lugan (car), a Honda Civic parked halfway on the street and halfway on the sidewalk. “Coz if it is, can you move it because my mom is in a wheelchair, you’re f***ing blocking the walkway! You donno how fo’ park?”.
In a moment of embarrassment, she looks at him, looks at the car, looks at Michael in disbelief. Her words are lost in a sea of emotions and all she can do is crouch down in the back of her knight in shining armor, who is still sitting on the ground by the way, caressing his ego. She just stares at the man with her mouth open but no words come out. As Michael dusts himself off and gingerly rises to one knee, looks at his frozen friend, turns to the man and says, “No, that’s not our car.” The man throws his hands in the air and turns around while shouting profanity towards the car. He quickly approaches another couple who instantly jumps back from his aggression. His words now muffled in the background.
Angel still crouching down, still frozen with eyes and mouth wide open, tilts her head to look up to Michael. She stands and musters an awkward grin and grinds her teeth, while raising one eyebrow saying “oops” without actually saying it, she shrugs her shoulders, then swings her arms. Taking a moment to check himself that all limbs are still there, Michael spots a scrape on his elbow. Angel puts tissue on it. “Sow-wee” Angel says with her bottom lip pouting out. “Sheez, I didn’t know I was hanging out with She-Ra,” he says. Angel replies “Who is She-Ra?”
Michael: She is a superhero that had a lot of strength.
Angel shrugs.
Michael: She was around the time of He-Man.
Angel shrugs again.
Michael: She’s like Wonder Woman.
Angel: Like Darna? (A Filipina heroine.)
Michael shrugs.
Angel: I’m not strong.
Michael: What are you talking about? You threw me on the ground.
“Hmmmmmm, you’re just acting!” Angel giggles.
“No! You’re like freakishly strong,” as he re-enacts an over exaggerated UFC body slam.
Angel laughs and slaps him on the arm as she begins to walk away. Michael grins and rubs his arm. “Ouch.”
“I used to work in a nursing home once upon a time,” Angel revealed. “Some of the patients were bed ridden and needed lots of help to move around. I used to carry them from the wheelchair to their bed or vice versa. They were heavier than me. It was my job to help them do their daily tasks.”
They walk towards the Lahaina harbor. As they reach, they notice a group of young men hanging out near the restroom. One of them whistled to Angel as she walked past. They made a bunch of comments and hollering dog sounds. She glanced toward them and glanced back. Michael paid no attention. They sat there and talked looking out into the water with boats floating. The group of young men came and surrounded them with their bikes. Michael noticing their presence, looked at the one young man. He was about 20, tattoos on his face holding a cigarette in one hand. He seemed like the leader of the crowd since he was doing all the talking. “Yo, how you doing baby girl?” Angel just sat closer to Michael. The young man said “Hey, is that your man?” She looked at him, then at Michael. They asked Michael, “Hey, is she your girl?” Michael dodges eye contact and looks to Angel.
What to do, what to do? What is happening here?
Have you ever been to the Lahaina harbor? Maybe it was to go on a boat? Was it to go to Lāna‘i? Did you go fishing or snorkeling? Or was it for a 4th of July fireworks show? Find out and keep an eye out for my column every issue. I’m Dulce, helping you to master your Filipino Languages. Like always, let’s laugh, let’s makinig (listen), and Let’s Talk Pinoy! Hanggang sa muli! (Until next time!) Ingat! (Take care!)
Dulce Karen Butay was graduated from Maui High School and earned her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Maui Community College and her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Accounting, from the University of Hawai‘i—West O‘ahu. She is currently the Administrative Officer at the County of Maui, Department of Finance. Butay is a licensed Resident Producer of Life Insurance with World Financial Group and an Independent Consultant of Saladmaster. She is now part of the Travel Club of Saladmaster and won an all-expenses paid trip to Cancun, Mexico with the love of her life, Paul Manzano. Butay has traveled to Texas, the Philippines and Thailand as one of the delegates from Island Healthy Solutions, a Saladmaster dealer here on Maui.