My Kind of Town
>> All around town Christmas wishes
And so this was Christmas, when even grownups make wishes. Quinn Ah Sun, in a bed at Queen's with a gunshot wound in his thigh, had an old-fashioned wish: To be home, if not by Christmas, then New Year's Eve. Ah, but where would home be? Maybe at his cousin Lily's?
Lily Ah Sun had wishes aplenty, like the taste of Quinn's kisses, so warm and minty. She wished that the world would not look askance, if she and her cousin shared a close dance.
Her brother Lance, lying in a coma at Queen's, alas, could not wish a thing. Yet somehow in his darkness he heard a choir of angels sing. It was a truly miraculous moment -- he flinched and uttered a sound not cogent.
But his mother Grace, sitting there by his bed, knew God had answered the prayers that she'd said. Her baby would live to love again, even if it was with other men.
Her husband Sheets across the room, barely noticed, such was his gloom. He had one wish, for which he'd die, please let the secret of Waimanalo forever lie.
Sen. Donovan Matsuda-Yee-Dela Cruz-Bishop-Kamaka does not easily rhyme. But he still had a wish -- the senator did not want to do any time. The bowl of his pipe was packed with ice, he clicked his Bic and he puffed twice.
Sherlock Gomes was where he loved the most, at St. Philomena's receiving the host. And there on his knees as the chorus sang, he couldn't help thinking of Laurie Tang. He thought of the dinner at her house that lay ahead. Forgive me, Father, for imagining her bed.
Dr. Laurie Tang was not a woman torn. Not after feeling Donovan's scorn. He didn't call at all for three whole days, then just a quick one to say he's going away. And something happened when she met Sherlock. All she could think of was doing a liplock.
Rosalita Resurreccion just wished for her daughter, grateful for the presents Miss Lily had bought her. And grateful to raise Elizabeth in the land of the free. America was now, would always be their country. There was one personal wish in her head, to bring her late husband back from the dead. It was just a dream to see Jesus alive, but happily today his cousin Muhammed arrives.
Muhammed Resurreccion was not a Christian. And that is why he had this mission. Sitting in a van on Aiea Heights, he saw below where he'd take the fight. Ah, but Muhammed did have a wish: Many Americans swimming with fish.
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