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My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
A man in full
>> North Shore
The waves were down at Waimea and The Eddie had been called off, so after breakfast at Turtle Bay Meg Choy Primitivo invited Chookie Boy Kulolo to her home in Nuuanu. Her husband Victor was away on a hunting trip, and anyway he'd never sleep another night there. A TRO and a divorce suit would see to that.
Driving her Jag, Meg started to turn left out of Turtle Bay, but Chookie Boy asked if they could take the long way. "There's somebody I'd like you to meet," he said. That sounded sweet.
They were just passing Sunset Beach when Meg's cell phone rang. The caller identified himself at HPD Detective Sherlock Gomes, said he'd gotten her number from Jake Peepers, P.I., and wanted to ask a few questions about her husband and his hunting trip. She lowered the phone, whispered to Chookie Boy what was happening.
"Tell him Helemano Plantation, that's where I wanted to stop."
Helemano? Meg shrugged, smiled quizzically, and understood better when they parked and were approaching the restaurant. Chookie Boy waved to a young man with Down's Syndrome who was the greeter. "Hey, Teddy!"
"Oh my gosh!" the young man said. "Chookeeee!" Teddy had been trained to stay there by the door, and so he did, practically jumping up and down while Chookie and his lady friend covered the last few steps. And then Teddy and Chookie were embracing and laughing.
"Teddy, I want you to meet my friend Meg. And Meg, I'd like you to meet my big brother Teddy. He's my hero!"
Teddy beamed, shook Meg's hand, and somehow felt blessed.
Inside, they'd just ordered ice tea and Chookie was explaining that he got his name from Teddy, who had a hard time with his real name, Charles, and the nickname, Chuck.
"You said he's your hero," Meg said. "I'd think it was the other way around."
"Are you kidding? Look at him! He's so good at what he does, and he loves it. And considering the way he was born, he's accomplished so much. You know that book, 'A Man In Full.' That's Teddy. He is my hero."
There was more to Meg's surfer boy than good looks, ripped muscles and industrial-strength testosterone. There was a brain and a soul.
Gomes arrived then and Meg explained that, yes, Victor had packed up several guns for his hunting trip, including the ridiculous one he paid six figures for. The Blazer R-93, Gomes knew from Kona Weathers' research. He asked a few more questions, thanked her for her time.
"I want you to find Victor and that poor young woman he drugged," she said and shook his hand.
Gomes didn't feel blessed exactly, but he was inspired to call Lono Oka'aina and get directions to the Rockin' Pikake Ranch.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com