Kaua'i Springs Bruce-ternal

Who would have thought that I would be rediscovering Bruce Springsteen in Kaua'i, so far from Americana or the streets of Philadelphia? There is something about Bruce that pumps you up and keeps your spirits high; it could be the four part-time jobs that Neil and I have make us feel a little closer to our blue-collar brethren all over the U.S.

Yesterday, we got paid. I can't tell you how happy the wad of cash Neil had in his hands made me feel. We took turns holding it. In fact, as Neil was driving us to our second jobs, he had the wad rolled up in his fist, pumping it to the music of Dancing in the Dark. We were laughing so hard and having so much fun. We were singing and shouting along with our boy from New Jersey, Bruce. I felt tempted to throw on a white Hanes t-shirt, blue jeans, some work boots and a bandana for my next job, but I don't think that would fit in with the business-casual environment of the newspaper.

I don't know if I mentioned it, but I get to be a "fill-in" freelance writer for one of the reporters at the newspaper who will be out of the office and off the island, finishing up her MFA degree for approximately two weeks. I am really excited about it and I hope I do a good job. I really like working for the newspaper even though the pay is not so great and the hours are slim.

Right now I am sitting at a nice oak table, at the Princeville Library, looking out the back window to the bright green lawn and tall pine trees; they are not the northeastern or southeastern pine trees, but if you took an artificial Christmas tree and hooked in the branches without fluffing them up, you'd have the trees that are outside the window. There is also some soft fern-looking tree and although there is sun on the lawn, there are gray clouds mixed with white and the blue sky in the background. Out of the east window of the library I can see dark gray skies, and the west and north, well I'd be spinning around in my chair like a top if you wanted to know what those windows held.

Last night we went out to a bar called Tahiti Nui (new-ee) and met up with some friends. There was a live band, part jam band and cover band, which we enjoyed greatly. At first I thought the vocalist was female because the sound was Janis Joplin but the vocalist was male. There was a good mix of people: There were tourists, local hippy whites, motorcycle type Hawaiians, motorcycle type whites, young, old, and local workers getting off their shifts. The bar is shaped like the letter "u" with the band stage in the curve of the "u", two walls hedging them in, and the front is open to the street with patio tables covered by umbrellas out in the front area. From what I hear, the Nui is a dive bar, and you should never, ever, eat their pizza.

I am also happy to report that Neil and I will not be dining alone on coconuts and granola bars for our fourth Thanksgiving together. Our friends, same ones we hung out with last night, have planned a Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday. One party is responsible for the greens, another the starch, and Neil and I are heading up the meat department. We are holding the dinner at the Haena beach park, and do you know how people have the pig roasts by burying the hog underground? Well…Neil and I thought, why not bury the bird and have a turkey roast? Neil found out the details of how to roast a pig, and all I really caught was that it involves some banana leaves, so, I'm not sure how it's going to turn out but I think it will be comical, and we hope delicious.

In case I do not write before Thanksgiving, I do wish everyone a happy thanksgiving day. I have to do some internet research now and then go pick up Neil around 3:00 p.m. and bring him to his next job; I have the weekend off.