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DURING the Jan. 28 hostage standoff situation on the Waianae Coast, I was one of the many residents stuck in traffic in the Maili-Nanakuli area for several hours. The long way home
to MakahaOn that day, I left Makaha about 1:30 p.m., stopped in Maili to chat with some friends, then left for the Kapolei Safeway. By the time I went around the bend into Nanakuli, I knew there was a problem. Traffic was moving really slowly.
More than an hour later, I decided to detour up Mohihi Street, come down Auyong Homestead Road and stop at the Nanakuli 7-11 for coffee and information. Someone told me there was an armed robber involved.
By the time I reached the Nanakuli Shopping Center, less than a half-mile away, another hour had gone by. I noticed cars making U-turns as if to give up and go home, but I was determined to plow away and do our shopping, because my wife was sick at home.
Being a deaf person, I was not helped by the radio so had no idea what was going on. When I asked someone in another car what was happening, I couldn't understand the person.
About 4 p.m., just as I reached the Tesoro gas station, a woman walking between the cars on Farrington Highway looked directly at me and said something. I rolled my window down and said, "Excuse me but I'm deaf. Will you come back and repeat what you said? Did you mention Kolekole Pass?"
"Yes, Kolekole is open for civilians," she enunciated. I thanked her and, since I was on the makai side of Farrington Highway, started inching my way mauka until I could drive into Nanakuli Shopping Center and make a detour to the Naval Magazine Lualualei.
By the time I got halfway up Lualualei Homestead Road, traffic was barely creeping along. A detour from Maili brought many other cars to the entrance gate of the naval station, thus causing a slowdown for those of us coming up the street from Nanakuli.
Hundreds of cars were making their way through Schofield and Kolekole Pass, heading home to the Waianae Coast at pau hana time. I don't think it took more than 45 or 50 minutes once I got into the gate at Lualualei, and later drove onto the H-2 Freeway heading into town.
I arrived at the Safeway at Salt Lake about 5:30 p.m. -- four hours after leaving Makaha Valley. I did my shopping, then headed to Costco right down the street.
I was done about 7 p.m. and started making my way back to Waianae. Several people I spoke with regarding the standoff gave me contradictory information, so I decided to keep my eyes open.
As I neared the Kunia-Ewa exits, I was hoping that the state Department of Transportation would have set up some kind of system to let motorists know whether we could get through, or if we could go to Kolekole Pass, or if we should stay away.
I saw nothing, so I decided to go to Kapolei Shopping Center and ask the manager on duty at Safeway for help, since my wife and I shop there.
There were many people milling around the center, so after I parked my minivan, I walked up to two guys sitting and eating, and asked about the crowd. They said the buses couldn't go to Waianae either.
I went into Safeway for kokua. The employees there weren't very patient and helpful, so I asked two ladies who worked at the Bank of Hawaii branch to help me. They called a radio station and found out I could go home through Kolekole Pass.
I thanked them profusely. Bank of Hawaii earned an A-plus in customer relations in my book, while Safeway earned an F-minus.
Outside, I asked the two men I originally spoke with (who I found out were named Monte and Angel from near Pokai Bay) if they wanted a ride to Waianae through Kolekole Pass. I could use the company and they could be my "buddy guards." They jumped at the opportunity, instead of possibly waiting all night for TheBus.
It was about 7:45 p.m. when we left Kapolei. It took us nearly an hour and a half to get to Waianae even after getting lost in Schofield.
SINCE I use braces and crutches for mobility, and my wife was sick at home, I asked Monte and Angel if they would go to Makaha Valley with me to help me off load my groceries, and then I would bring them back to Waianae. They agreed.
I took Monte and Angel home, and got back to Makaha Valley. I was finally able to sit down to dinner at 9:45 p.m., more than eight hours after leaving my house to shop for my "sweetie."
Despite all the frustrations of the day, it wasn't all that bad. I met two great guys, we had a blast driving home to Waianae, and I'm sure we will be friends in the future. And if there's anyone out there who still thinks we shouldn't build an alternate route for the Waianae Coast, I want to know who you are.
Art Frank is an activist for the handicapped.