Posted on: Sunday, May 15, 2005
A Mother's Day I'll probably never forget
By Ka'ohua Lucas
As the flight touched down in Honolulu, my shoulders and neck automatically stiffened.
I was home from a three-day trip to Hana, where we had conducted a curriculum workshop on Hawaiian fishponds.
It was Mother's Day, so I shouldn't be feeling tense at all. But I had left my two boys and husband at home for the entire weekend.
I prayed that the house was in relatively good shape. The dishes washed. Laundry folded and put away. Maybe even the floor swept. That shouldn't be too much to ask, especially on a special day such as this!
When I entered our driveway, my 'ohana greeted me. They helped lug two huge bins of teaching supplies to the carport.
My 11-year-old insisted that I enter our home from the kitchen area.
As I opened the door, a homemade banner was taped across the door jamb, obstructing my entry.
Scrawled in my eldest son's handwriting were the words: Happy Mother's Day.
"Break the tape, Mom!" my youngest chanted.
I busted through the banner, and on the dining-room table were a treasure trove of Mother's Day presents.
A recycled wine bottle artistically covered in pieces of masking tape and painted with brown shoe polish stood out on the table illuminated with a hand-made tissue-paper flower.
A vase laden with fresh gardenias — picked exclusively by my husband from our yard — permeated the air.
A tissue-wrapped present revealed a hand-stitched wall hanging expertly sewn by my 11-year-old.
And to my amazement, the entire house gleamed. It was as if a group of menehune had transformed the once-disheveled interior into a showcase home.
I was touched.
"Hey, babe!" my husband bubbled. "I didn't make any breakfast, but we can have your Mother's Day meal at Kenny's Restaurant. Got any money?"
At that moment the magic spell was broken.
"What did you ask?" I gagged.
"I asked if you had any money," he grinned, extending his hand in my direction.
"Eh, tightwad, you're supposed to be taking me out to breakfast!"
My husband confessed that he was low on funds but willing to withdraw a few dollars from the bank machine.
We made our way to Kenny's, and the entire family devoured their breakfast. When the chit arrived, my husband, once again, extended his hand.
"I need 40 bucks," he said. "I forgot to go to the bank machine. Don't worry. I'll pay you back."
I handed him two 20s.
While the boys and I were waiting for dad to pay the bill, they asked me if they could buy some candy for the movies.
I handed over $20, reminding them to "bring back the change."
On the way to our car, my husband stopped off at the bank machine and gave me two $20 bills. We drove to the movies and made our way to the ticket line. The 14-year-old offered to pick up the movie tickets, so I handed him two $20s.
Although I ended up in the red that day, it was one of the most touching Mother's days I have ever had.
Reach Ka'ohua Lucas at Family Matters, 'Ohana section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; fax 525-8055; or at ohana@honoluluadvertiser.com.
