Enter to Win
The letter was heavy.
Just the fact that it was a letter, on creamy stationary with a hibiscus bloom sealing the glue edge made her stare with wonder. She held it up in one hand and twirled it in the bright light of the entrance. It was an artifact, weighty correspondence from another time.
She had entered a contest a few months ago. She had noticed the ad in a café she often went to just down the street from the hospital she worked at.
For a few moments she had nothing to do but stand and read the local notices and missing pet queries posted on the community bulletin board in the entrance. She was held in pedestrian limbo for a few minutes because of the rain, the endless rain that fell during a Seattle winter as she waited for the sudden downpour to stop.
She was trying to be patient, but knew full well she might be late for work.
The hibiscus flower on the letterhead had caught her eye, layered beneath an ad for yard maintenance and a church potluck. She reached out and removed the thumbtack holding it to the wall.
It read:
'Experience Ohana, the culture of Aloha. Come to the Islands of Hawai'i, only a serious Malahini (visitor) need apply.
Each contestant must submit a 1000 word essay explaining why you have the spirit of ‘ko Hawai’i’ (belonging to Hawai'i). The winner will receive an all inclusive paid vacation in January for a week on Oahu and Hawaii, fully hosted by ‘Kanaka Maoli ’(Native Hawaiian) guides to live and breathe the ‘real’ culture of Aloha.
Experience Waikiki, Luau, North Shore Surfing, Volcano viewing, Mai Tai sunset sails and snorkeling with dolphins. Suntans and sand included.′
Thoughtfully, she rubbed the poster between two fingers and then she folded it and stuffed it into her purse. This was something that called to her, as she remembered something her grandmother had told her back in Oregon when she was a little girl.
There had been a black and white sketch in a fancy gold frame in the sitting room and one day and when Lani asked about it her grandmother had proudly explained that it was a copy of a sketch of Captain Charles Clerke, a senior officer for the famous 18th century explorer Captain Cook.
Clerke had taken over as Captain of The Endeavour, Cook’s ship, on its third and final voyage when Cook was killed by the Hawaiians. In 1779 Captain James Cook was killed by native Hawaiians after he had taken the ruling chief hostage to recover a stolen ship.
Of course, Cook’s discovery of the islands had brought disease and cultural clashes that had caused significant tension leading to the confrontation. The Hawaiians would have been happier left undiscovered.
Their family was descended from Captain Clerke. It was something to be proud of, her grandmother had said. But, history often had different interpretations with time and perspective, and Lani felt that a more sympathetic approach was more respectful.
Lani wrote that she would like to lay a wreath in memory and atonement for the past. She had written her essay and emailed it just before the deadline of October 31st.
She had tried to put it out of her mind since posting it, but the hope of tropical sunshine and sand between her toes was enough to keep her spirit up.
The night shifts were hard, not seeing the sun for days on end when she slept took it’s toll. The thought of waves crashing on an endless horizon was a lifeline through the long nights of a dark winter.
**************
Ashley, her roommate, was woken by screams coming from the living room. She came running, wielding the baseball bat she kept by her bed. She was quite sure that there was an intruder or at the very least, a big fat rat running through the apartment.
All she found was Lani, however, jumping up and down and clutching an envelope to her chest while she yelled ‘I won, I won’ at the top of her lungs.
Ashley stumbled into the kitchen to make coffee, relieved but cranky. She wasn’t sure what Lani could have won, she had never even seen a lottery ticket stub in the apartment.
Lani grabbed her in a very unexpected hug, forcing the air out of Ashley’s lungs. Ashley was forced to dance in quick circles that made her stomach ache before she stopped and crossed her arms in silent rebellion.
Lani was clutching a piece of paper that she shoved into Ashley’s face. Ashley, patience exhausted, pushed her back and grabbed the offending paper.
Reading quickly, she looked up with a shocked expression. She ignored the sharp stab of jealousy that knifed through her guts.
Ashley was excited that someone was going to get a holiday. She would at least get the apartment to herself for a week. That was a really shit poor consolation prize she thought.
Lani was so lucky and Ashley couldn’t bear to be such a selfish wench so she hugged Lani and whooped with joy for her roommate and best friend.
Who wouldn’t want to go on a totally free all-inclusive trip to Hawai'i?
****************
Christmas and New Years passed by in a happy blur of family, festivities and preparation. Lani barely noticed she had always disliked the holidays because she was so excited.
For once, she had something really amazing to look forward to. She had never gone anywhere on an airplane before. Never really gone anywhere that wasn’t a road trip. Travel required money, except for this trip.
She was suddenly grateful for the years of suffering she had endured at her local gym. Bathing suits had always been a dreaded effort, but suddenly a bikini was a necessary evil. So on her first day off she marched her wallet down to the ‘Beach Club’ at her local shopping mall.
She stepped out of her cubicle in the dressing room and turned in every direction in the long mirror. Not nearly as bad as she had imagined. She even posed to collect opinions from a few bored sales people in the store.
Two bikinis were clearly frontrunners and although she cringed at the sticker price, she painfully pulled out her credit card. Lani was going to make the most of her time in paradise.
She had read and researched Oahu and the big island of Hawaii endlessly. Her parents had bought her a sensible luggage set for Christmas and her sisters had chipped in to buy her a denim inspired halter neck pantsuit with a matching jacket. The outfit hugged her curves perfectly.
Her first designer outfit, it was perfectly formal with heels but comfortable enough for a beach bar with her new wedge sandals. She felt properly grown up for the first time.
The travel blogs had told her to pack light, so she splurged on a few sexy sundresses and a floppy beach hat. A manicure and pedicure, new hairstyle, highlights and a facial later, she felt physically prepared for adventure.
For someone who had never really spent that much time obsessing about her appearance, it was quite an immersive experience. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was someone to be noticed.
Ashley had invited her out for drinks the night before her flight.
They met in the little martini bar down the street from their apartment. It was a narrow space, filled with neon signs and high bar chairs covered in animal hides and western themed decor. A cozy neighborhood bar with a great vibe. The bartender, Jason, had a slick haircut that reminded Lani of Elvis in the 1970’s.
Jason had an athletic build and always had a tight t-shirt on. He loved trivia and would load it on the big video screen when the bar was quiet and they would compete for bragging rights.
They both had appetites for sports and American history trivia. She was fluent in musical anecdotes and he was a geographical savant. They liked to joke they could be the perfect irrelevant factoid team.
He had been very complimentary today. “Haircut looks great Lani, the bangs are very flattering.” He shook her up an espresso martini, her favorite. “A going away drink, perfectly balanced, with organic cacao notes to remember us by”.
He presented the martini with a flourish of whipped cream and garnished with crushed Starbucks coffee beans. He had a clean bar towel draped over his arm and twirled an imaginary handlebar moustache as he sashayed away with a coquettish glance over his shoulder.
Lani and Ashley both started laughing at his dramatics.
“You’re just realizing now that I might be swept away by a riptide to live out my life with a coconut on a deserted island. Or choose to weave baskets and live off grid in a cave and work as a midwife on a plantation.”
Lani winked at him. “Alas, I am still anchored here by student loans and a contract for another six months. But I will bring you back some cookies from the flight and a pineapple.”
She raised an eyebrow suggestively “and a box of macadamia nut chocolates as a wager for when I return to challenge you for the American Culture Cup”.
Jason had bragging rights this week as trivia champ. The trophy, a red Solo cup decorated with an American flag in black Jiffy marker, sat proudly on the bar mantel.
“I accept your challenge, we duel in a week” Jason promised. She raised her glass in a mock salute.
