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My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
Buddha in the ’hood
» Liliha
HPD Detective Sherlock Gomes, partly playing a hunch, partly just fascinated, was in the crowd outside the small, woodframe home where the Kharma family lived, waiting for the arrival of the second Lama Jey Tsong Khapa, who in this very house 16 years ago at the age of 2 realized his Buddhahood.
And as expected -- that was the hunch -- Gomes spotted several people he'd seen the night before at the Blaisdell Arena during the young lama's introduction by the Dalai Lama. It was not surprising, of course, for devotees to be present whenever the young lama appeared. And always there were the simply curious, and people so bored with their own lives they'd show up and gawk at anything.
But some were surprising, like the nun in the gray habit -- with prematurely graying hair, too gray for her face. How many nuns had he seen like that?
Gomes, a good Catholic boy, blessed them for their service and sacrifice, for it wasn't an easy life to which they were called. But how curious to see this same nun attending both events for the young lama. Just ecumenical? Or drifting away from the church? Gomes was a member at St. Philomena, but stopped into various parishes during his travels around the island for a quick prayer and inspiration, and had never seen this particular nun. He'd introduce himself later.
Even more curious was the group of what appeared to be young Chinese men, very fit, but more than that, hard, and in every way. From Gomes' seat in the risers with Dr. Laurie Tang last night, he observed a half dozen of them move into action the moment the ceremony ended, some speaking into hands-free walkie-talkies. They were spread out through the arena, none seated together, but they moved together as if in well-rehearsed choreography.
At first glance for his educated and perceptive eye, they were a security detail. At second glance, and it was just because they moved quickly, perhaps they were somewhat less supportive of the two Tibetan Buddhist holy men. That, too, was part of his hunch, and now he saw three of those hard types.
Curious too that the group seemed to include a Chinese guy in his 30s, slightly older and more polished than the others, black hair slicked back and wearing a stylish business suit. Gomes had observed him last night, chatting with an older Caucasian couple, showing them to their seats, as if he were providing them. He sure didn't stick around to chat afterward.
Now here he was again, wearing another sharp suit, and headed straight to where a group of journalists were encamping just outside the Kharmas' lava rock wall. Gomes drifted in that direction.
And here came another guy. Last night he'd been introduced as the young lama's older brother Joe Kharma.
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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