Travel Reference
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“So Slim, tell us what it's like working here at Keehi?” I asked him, pulling out one of my
own cigarettes. He immediately offered to light it, saying “Is OK, but da new owner's wife,
she trouble man.”
“Oh, you mean Carole?” I volunteered.
“Yeah das her, she mean man, she full o' shit man.”
“Well, we have been given work here in the yard, and we were just wondering about the
people who work here. I think Mr. Anderton is a nice guy.”
“Very good guy dat man; he a good hauole,” confirmed Slim as he threw his butt into the
water. “Hey you guys, I gotta go. Aloha twin bruddas,” He gave a funny, little hand sig-
nal with his thumb and little pinkie finger which we learned later is the universal Hawaiian
greeting or shaka.
Gavin and I made our way across the already busy, noisy boatyard in search of John Ander-
ton. I felt uncomfortable in my spotless, new blue T-shirt and starchy, new baseball cap
with the Keehi Lagoon Boatyard insignia embroidered boldly across the front. Some of the
older hands at the yard smirked knowingly; others were friendlier and waved with polite
smiles.
We were peering into the dark depths of a huge, rusty, iron workshop, trying to make out
where John Anderton was, when a familiar voice boomed out behind us, “Looking for me?”
“Oh, there you are Mr. Anderton; we're reporting for duty.”
“Call me John, you guys. What do you know about demolition?”
Before we could answer he said quickly, “Ask Gray in there for some crow bars, hammers,
screw drivers, and tools of destruction and meet me at the work dock in fifteen minutes.”
He turned and smartly walked off.
We made enquiries and soon found Gray, a chubby, bearded sailor also from California,
humming away as he prepared a boat for painting. I went up to him, “Hi Gray, I'm Jonath-
an, and this is my brother, Gavin. We just started work here this morning.”
“Oh, the twins; yeah, I heard about you guys, just got in yesterday I think, huh?”
“Yes, and we're already working! So much for the laid-back cruising life.”
“Ah well, what can I do for you?” he asked, a jovial beam spread across his bearded face.
We told him what John Anderton had requested and Gray went off to the tool shed nearby,
beckoning us to follow.
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