Sometimes my maternal grandmother visits me,I’ll come awake gradually, know she’s sitting there,silent guardian at the foot of my bed, … More
Category: Parents and Children
Family Tree
I’m sleeping, I think; this has the vivid feeling of a dream.Before my house was rebuilt, a huge mango tree … More
No More Nice Things
Crayon and magic markers that never came off the walls;paint on the carpets and doors;knife and screwdriver carved furniture and … More
Land of English Only
I was born in a land of English speakers,where parents believed speaking Englishwas the key to success. My father was … More
Sugar or Salt?
We sat opposite each other, each stirring coffee in thick white cups, trying to cool it off. “Cream,” I said. “Cream … More
Dear Chris,
Thank you for your note letting me know you’d received the notice I sent. It’s been a long time since we … More
The Door Is Open
Alice was down on her knees scrubbing the kitchen floor when the doorbell rang. The kitchen floor always took a … More
Walking That Way
Sadness sets in counting the steps, not looking up, not looking forward. Making your way there watching your feet move, … More
The Hunt
Over the course of the pandemic, Carl had lost both his mother and his father. He’d donated most of their … More
Auld Lang Syne
He wasn’t a mean man. The lack of emotion that everyone saw in him, was just that. He no longer … More
The Family Recipe
I’m not sure where all he learned how to do it, but my father was a master cook. In fact … More
Blood
My father and I both love our steak rare.My mother has a hard time watching us eat it.My father jokes … More
I Am Leaving, I Am Leaving
When he awoke, he saw that someone had stolen his pants.He knew that someone would come during the nightto break … More
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
The five-night camp cost $25. I’d grown up at Pālama Settlement, currently took piano and swimming. For $5 a day, … More
Count Up
The first thing he doesn’t do is remember to start shooting. A nurse picks up the camera and assumes the … More
No Turning Back
He wasn’t the type who’d say, This is my old lady. He introduced my mom by her nickname only, never … More
Going Pro
By the time she was twelve, she’d risen to the top of the amateur circuit here in Hawai‘i. Her parents, … More
Laundry Lines
My mom calls out from the kitchen window, telling me to hurry and bring in the clothes drying on the … More
The Meaning of Family
You may have heard or read this morning’s news reportabout a man in China, kidnapped 24 years agoat the age … More
Not for Sale
In 1973, on the heels of him rocketing into the big name star echelon, Neil Young came to Hilo Town … More