May, 17, 2006 Shinsho Tei

May 17,2006. It is 10 PM, and Emi and I have just come back from Shinsho Tei, a local bar located in the Nu’uanu Square Shopping Center, a short walk from the Queen Emma Garden condo where we are staying. After our two hour stay this proximity is now a blessing more than a convenience. The last time I was at this establishment it was some 12 months ago right after my traumatic CPR hiking experience. I had told Emi that we should stop by just to have their wonderful pupu of fresh ahi sashimi if for nothing else. Walking in at 7:30, a party like atmosphere struck us full force. Sitting down at the almost full bar, the bartender/owner, Mel, seemed to recognize me from last year. He either has a real good memory or is just pretending to remember as a friendly gesture, but then everyone there was friendly. Within 15 minutes we were talking to Stan and his girlfriend to the left and Bobby who was sitting to the right of me. It was the friendliest group of people that I ever met, even more friendly than the mythical bar owned by Sam Malone in “Cheers“. Stan was a retired Honolulu fireman as his t-shirt stated in bold graphics. Bobby physically reminded me of John Goodman. He had retired at 50, but started a business and only recently retired for the second time. Mel, who proudly declared that he was Portugee, stated that he loved his job. In his words, “Where else can you party it up and still be running a business?” Accepted as one of the gang, the contest started to see who could buy more drinks for the other, and the drinks never stopped flowing, even for Emi.
Their humor was so typical of the island’s unique sense of humor. For example:
After Emi had two drinks Stan asks Emi, “So Emi, how do you feel?”
Emi replies, “I feel fine.”
“I know you’re fine. I asked how do you feel.”
After a few drinks a haole man with an Asian woman came in and replaced Stan and his girlfriend at the bar. They had to leave, because Izzie, Stan’s girlfriend, had drank too much, too fast. Mel the owner obviously knows the newly arrived couple, for his first words to the man were, “Ehh, no haoles until past 10 PM.” So much da kine loco humaa.
To my delight the pupu was still sashimi, but later on pork rinds and tako was brought out. When questioned, Mel reluctantly admitted that the pork rinds were indeed pork rinds, but it was OK to eat because it was “pauk” not really pork. “Pauk OK, not like pork.” he said with some unknown logic at work.
Along with the drinking, it was a karaoke bar, two wireless mike being passed around with each song. Stan and Bobby had great voices. After they found out that we were from San Francisco and had been married for 30 years, Stan and Bobby made it a point to sing, of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”. Stan also sang the Hospital song, a song that talks of love at first sight. It is a local song that I’ve heard before, but didn’t know where. It is a very pretty song, and both Emi and I enjoyed the gesture. But it was better when Stan sang Hawaiian songs. Yes, I said Hawaiian songs. They have Hawaiian karaoke songs here. About time I say. This is Hawaii after all. It was so fun. And no I did not sing. I was to sing “Desperado” with Stan, but he left before the song came up.
Bobby had lost his wife about two years ago, and six months later he had a heart attack. Of course, his doctors told him to change his not so healthy life style, but in his words, “If I stayed home I’d be bored to death. What’s life all about anyway? Isn’t it to be as happy as possible. My friends are here. I have a good time here, and if I die I’ll be with my wife.“ What could I say except to agree with him and take another large sip of my drink.
So you kno wat? Like Iz sez, “Sheez, Hawaii, wot a place.”