My facebook memories today had a post when I was living with my uncle in Hawaii. It was after college and I didn't have much going on with work opportunities. So talking with my parents, we casually pitched the idea of maybe I should go work for my uncle. It was a joke at first until the conversation became more serious when we called him. About a week later, I was on a plane to Oahu.
One thing I hate is when my friends go on vacation to Oahu ask me where to go, what to do. I have to remind them I don't fucking know what to tell you. I was working 6 days of the week painting buildings and home repairs and my day off, I just wanted to stay home, drink some beers and chill the fuck out. One of my days off, I was just driving around the island with no aim in particular. I stopped by a strip club because I don't know, fuck it. I didn't even buy any lap dances or paid much attention. I was watching The Karate Kid one of the TVs. The Mama-san kept bugging me to meet some of the girls and I kept shrugging her off like an annoying fly.
He got mad at me because I was driving the work van, his wife saw it on her way home and got mad at him. He told me next time, please take the Jeep instead. That's also when I learned Oahu is a very small place.
But it was a good experience. My uncle was extremely meticulous about his work so I had to be too. I couldn't get away with cutting corners anywhere (figuratively and literally). Sometimes in my current home I look at things and think "If my uncle saw this and it was my work, he would kick my ass and not allow this." The annoying part of that is he would use stupid names for tools. He'd say shit like, "Joe, pass me the dumaflage." WHAT THE FUCK IS A DUMAFLAGE!? Eventually, I had to learn what he meant for any given tool.
I had a ton of respect for him because he left Oakland in the early 90s because at that time things were... less than okay, especially for a black man. Said DEUCES and moved to Hawaii with a very small plan. Started his own painting business, turned it into a full on general contracting business. Even built his own house in Waipahu.
He died a few years ago. I miss him. I miss my dad too.
Now I haz a sad.