Hawaii
NOT everyone would think it funny, but in this case all of the participants did. Sam Sanford, whose sense of humor could best be described as unusual, sent a gift to the hospital room of longtime pal Pat Dorian, who lost an arm in an auto accident a couple of weeks ago. The gift was a statue of the Venus de Milo inscribed, "Welcome to the club -- it could have been worse." Dorian nearly died laughing. (March 5, 1969) ... 1969: Pat Dorian finds that
it only hurts when you laughHOUSEGUESTING over the weekend with the Sam Pryors in Hana, Maui, was Mrs. H. Alexander Walker, mother of Amfac prexy Henry Walker. Decked out in bluejeans, long-sleeved red shirt and a Boy Scout hat, she took to horse and rode professionally along trials that she had ridden 50 years ago. (March 9, 1971) ... Communications Specific: Bobbye Hughes (Communications Pacific) got married to John McDermott (Fawcett-McDermott) at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel over the weekend and had a novel way of telling friends about it. She'd call their offices and leave a message that "Bobbye McDermott called." When they called back, it was "WHAT?" (March 6, 1973) ...
YESTERDAY I shook the hand of the future King of England. And while you may have already heard more about Prince Charles than you thought you'd ever want, such an occurrence doesn't happen many times in a lifetime, and it's going to be shared with you, like it or not ... The handshake and brief conversation took place at the Mokuleia Clubhouse yesterday following the polo match in which the Hawaii team defeated Mokuleia 8-4, but the club's newest member, Prince Charles of Great Britain, distinguished himself with good play throughout and a brilliant goal with just two minutes to go ... The Prince of Wales graciously met and talked with a couple of hundred guests of Polo Czar Fred Dailey after the match, and proved himself a man of Kissingerian diplomacy ... "Oh, you work for a newspaper," said Prince Charles in our direction. "Then I've got to be careful about what I say." ... With an assurance that came with lifelong practice, Prince Charles carried on small talk with all and sundry and seemed to have just said the perfect thing at every juncture. When Peter Donahoe introduced himself as an Irishman, for example, the Prince said, "I'm always happy to meet a friendly one." And when a Chinese woman was introduced, Donahoe quipped, "The Irish and the Chinese have a lot in common. The Chinese are rich and the Irish are poor." To which the prince smoothly answered, "But the Irish are rich in character." (March 4, 1974) ...
NOTHING if not direct. State Rep. Neil Abercrombie answered a couple of letters from ministers who'd written him favoring capital punishment: "What method of execution does your congregation favor -- crucifixion?" (March 8, 1977) ... Attorney Steve Quinn says it was exactly 11 minutes past midnight -- the leap-year "deadline" had just past -- when Tiare Richert proposed to Burger King honcho John Finney at L'Escargot Friday night and he said yes. (March 3, 1980) ...
THE Rolls-Royce that was hired to transport guests up to the Hawaii Loa Ridge party Sunday just couldn't take that steep climb and was retired in favor of a Cadillac after about 45 minutes. The view from the ridge is spectacular, as are the lot prices -- some going for as much as $625,000 ... And oh, was it windy at the party! Flowerpots filled with long-stemmed roses kept blowing over, and sandwiches were blown off the trays they were carried on. When the symphony musicians unpacked their Viennese music sheets, the wind carried them off, too, prompting violinist LaVar Krantz to yell, "Stop the music!" while guests scurried to retrieve them ... The wind also provided the most embarrassing moment for Discover Hawaii art director Elsa Carl. It lifted her skirt completely over her head -- more so than Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch" ... Quipped the good-natured Carl, "I only wish I'd worn prettier underwear." (March 4, 1981) ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com