Fall

Fall is finally here, at least it feels that way today!

Last night was round two with the pod of Poppers. We clustered like bumblebees and stripped the ball from each other at times. From the sidelines, Cappy noted that it was a “kick and run” kind of game. You can generally see “kick and run” soccer games on Saturday mornings in the suburbs—you’ll see 4’ players in pink jerseys running between hockey sized goal posts. When I think of it, what were they thinking in the early 70’s? I recall playing soccer in 2nd and 3rd grade using regular sized fields and goal posts. No wonder we clustered and never scored any goals, the field was way too big!

So anyway, though I actually managed to stay on the field for most of the game, it’s never fun to lose to a crap team. I noticed that many women on my team, as well as the opposing team, are soccer moms—not in the sense that they support their soccer playing kids, but they’re actually moms gone wild on the field. This amazes me. i know i mentioned the soccer moms before. For some reason I have this weird idea in my head that once you’ve given birth, things like soccer are out of the question. Clearly, I’ve got to sort my life out.

Tonight I’m hanging out with my friend Bob. I first met Bob in Seoul, in an internet café near the Kyobo bookstore. I was grounding out cigarettes in the coffee ground-wet napkin ashtray, and Bob was busy working on the legal aspects of our friend Sang-Woon’s new nightclub idea. Months later, Bob and I took the overnight ferry from Pusan to Shimonoseki, Japan to renew our Korean visas. On the ferry, I remember staying up all night playing hwatu (go stop card game) with all the chain-smoking harmonis. In Seoul, we hung out on the roof of our yeogwan eating melon popsicles, and talking about travels in S.E. Asia. I had to keep reminding him that the Canadian woman down the hall was called “Bardee” and not “Barney.” It’s funny, the little details you remember about people.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to Christmas and New Years in Kona and Hilo this year. We’re looking forward to plate lunch picnics at Lilioulakalani park, snorkeling, running around with the niece and nephew, Hapuna beach, a flume ride, and Itsu’s ice shave.

Is it December yet?