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My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
Holy backstage pass!
>> Blaisdell Arena
In what used to be the home team locker room when UH played basketball at the Blaisdell, the 14th Dalai Lama and the second Lama Jey Tsong Khapa received a few visitors after their public appearance.
Quinn Ah Sun was one of the lucky ones standing in line, having been invited when the young lama -- an 18-year-old native of Liliha who was returning to Hawaii for the first time since being discovered and sent to a Himalayan monastery 16 years earlier -- learned that one of the motorcycle cops providing his security detail from the airport was a faithful Buddhist and would be at the event.
Palms together, fingertips touching his nose, Quinn bowed, introduced his new bride Lily. Up close, they marveled at the translucency of his perfect brown skin and how his shaved head kind of glowed.
"I wonder," the young lama said, speaking softly, beckoning Quinn closer, "if perhaps you might show me how your motorcycle works?"
Another bow. "I'd be honored to serve you, your holiness." And then a big smile. "That BMW really is a beautiful machine, isn't it?"
The young lama returned the smile. "Perhaps even a ride?"
"It can be arranged."
The visitors filed out and the Dalai Lama and his retinue departed, leaving the young lama with his parents, Steve and Mayadharma Kharma, his older brother Joe and a buddy of his. There were plans the next day to visit the family home in Liliha, where a shrine would be dedicated at the spot where he realized his buddhahood. Joe was to spend the rest of the night catching up with his brother in the hotel suite donated to him. His mother had tears of joy in her eyes as she hugged her baby, so tall and handsome and, actually, beautiful in his serenity. She lost a son, the world gained a saint.
Sensing an important moment, the young lama asked his servants to step outside. "Your name is unusual," he said to Joe's friend when the three were alone. "Kamasami Khan. Would you by chance be related to ..."
"Kamasami Kong? No, but my mom won a disco dance contest when he was hosting 'The Moving Company' and named me for him."
"Actually, I was thinking of the great Khans of Mongolia."
"Them? Distantly, yes, but directly."
And in one of those lama moments, in a twinkling he divined why Joe had brought this friend. The third Dalai Lama tamed the ferocious Khans, who had for hundreds of years provided protection to the Dalai Lama and all of Tibet.
"You are in great danger this evening, your holiness," Khan said. "We have infiltrated Te-Wu, and they have a large presence here. Your driver may be with the Chinese. However, we also have forces able to serve you. But we must move quickly."
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Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek. His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin. He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com
