Back on Oahu in the evening of Feb 4th. Hugh is gone somewhere, N. and A. are off to another function, i just want to chill and bond a bit with Lao Tang. We hadn't had a chance to talk about the "incident" and also just about him as a person. it is so hard since we don't speak the same language and if i ask somebody else to translate it automatically gets censored. i often heard, we can't ask this, it's not good, or i can't really explain what he just said... and since Hugh's not here, i find some help in a bottle. ho djio (drink alcohol), gem bei (bottom up), that's how it starts, but traditional people warm up and the conversation, still in mime and drawing and hand signals will go to wo tshiang wode djia (i miss my home) over wo tse tao (me too) to actually finally coming out to my sailing buddy and feeling relieved as he just shrugged, telling me that that's quiet common in china too, only that a lesbian couple finds a gay couple to have two pretent straight marriages. hey, my chinese is getting better!
I also ask him to tell me sailing terms in chinese, i figure that i can pick up the regular stuff from anyone, or in a class, but he's the sailing master. i'm very happy that we got to have this moment of sincerity together.
Feb 5th
I take the bus out to the north shore, i want to see Roz's boat. the ride is nice enough, 1.5 hrs on public transport are usually pretty educating... Roz is picking me up in Haleiwa and we drive out to what seems pretty nowhere where Brocade is parked next to a half constructed house. she's got two guys helping out and after taking some pictures i offered to help. what else would i do, i'm all the way out there. So i get to install some cleats for her sea anchor, we go and have coffee and a snack for lunch and buy some epoxy filler and silver paint at the hardware store. the rest of the day i fill in dents and
holes (including the two i accidently drilled in the wrong spot...)
it was interesting to talk to her about all the stuff that needs to be done, logistics, organizing... i hope i was able to give her some good input, i really want her project to succeed. And so do many other people, helpers everywhere, though she says there's nay-sayers and saboteurs as well...
i was amazed to find out that her shoes are actually screwed to the boat, and that the sandals she's wearing are from the lost and found box at the waikiki yacht club because when she arrived rowing to hawaii she was barefoot since the shoes stayed with the boat.
after packing up we went to the waimea beach to watch the sunset and then i got a ride back to ala wai with Ian who was flying back that evening.
Back at the boat i got to bond with Hugh a bit and hang out on the lanai a last time with Jimmy and Mike and Liz. tomorrow i'll be on a plane back to Sausalito. It's time.
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