My Kind of Town
The usual position
>> Makiki Heights
Cruz MacKenzie of the Star-Bulletin cruised past the address given to him by the grocery delivery boy who had called with a tip about the probable whereabouts of Sen. Donovan Matsuda-Yee-Dela Cruz- Bishop-Kamaka, the Democrats' best hope in next year's gubernatorial election. He'd been missing for three days, and today his car crashed off the Keeaumoku Overpass, the lone occupant being a young local woman who was stark naked, drunk and loaded on ice.From the road, only the roof was visible, but Cruz could tell it had an incredible view of the city below and the ocean. He made a mental note to check property records. Cruz parked in a wide spot in the road, walked back down 50 yards to the senator's hillside hideaway and arrived just as Star-Bulletin photographer Johnny B. Goo was walking up with his camera bag. Johnny B. Goo was the world's only Chinese Chuck Berry impersonator and was featured duck walking on the "Hawaiian Moving Company."
"You'll have to to be quick," Cruz said. "Once he knows it's media, I'll bet he slams the door. Might be a one-shot deal."
"Fine. But one thing, Cruz. Stand off to the side of the doorway."
>> Kailua
Grace Ah Sun couldn't remember the last time her husband had made love to her. Or if she had ever felt so much passion from him in their 28 years together. But as wonderful as that was, lying in his arms in the afterglow was even better."I forgot ..." he said.
And in her mind she finished the rest ... how good it can be.
"Me too." Maybe she was wrong earlier today when she thought that the growing sense of dread she was feeling had to do with her relationship with her husband. Maybe it was just a very bad day at work. Whatever, this was one of the loveliest moments in their marriage.
"Oh, before I forget, you got a call from somebody at Queen's, wanted you to call back."
"Queen's? What about?"
"Didn't say."
She kissed him softly, stood up.
"I'll call after I shower. You rest for a while."
A woman well loved, Grace thought, stepping into the shower, is a woman who will do anything for her man. She could lather off the stickiness of love, but not the happiness. She still tingled where her husband had touched her. It would last until she made that call.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be emailed at dchapman@midweek.com