The Tattoo

by Chris Mckinney

  After we clocked in, my father and I, along with the rest of the crew, jumped into the company trucks and drove to Kunia, where Hayashi Contracting was building new housing. We drove past the pineapple fields and entered a large dirt tract which held over a dozen skeleton houses. These incompleted homes were different from Koa’s. The wooden beams were pale and new, and the metal clamps which held the beams together were bright and shiny.The beams were being roofed with red Spanish shingles. It occurred to me that Koa had spent his weekdays building houses which would inevitably turn out better than the one he’d been building on his weekends. My father pulled the truck to the side of one of these houses. “You ready, boy?” he asked.

  Little did I know, “boy” was to be my name for the rest of the day. Johnny, the fifty-something-year-old Filipino foreman called me “boy.” Kamaka, the Hawaiian who always wore a thick, leather weightlifting belt to work, called me “boy.” Even Mark Sanchez, the skinny, twenty-year-old Portagee called me “boy.” At Club Mirage there had been times when customers would call me “sir.”

  On the way home with my father, with my body broken down from all of the carrying I’d done, I stared at him until he looked back. When his eyes finally reached mine, I said, “You tell dat Mark if he eva call me boy again, I going break his fuckin’ ass.”

  My father smiled. “Yeah, I rememba when I started afta I got back from Nam. Da fuckas used to call me ‘boy’ too.”

  “What you did?”

  “I ate ‘um. I had one wife an’ kid. I wasn’t about fo’ get fired.”

  “What about Koa? Did they call him ‘boy’ too?”

  “Yeah, sometimes.”

  I leaned my head against the window and sighed.

  Five days later, while Claudia and I were spending the Saturday afternoon together quietly reading in our room, Kahala called. “Hey Ken,” she said, “what are you doing today?”

  Claudia looked over the page of her book at me. I think she was still a little pissed about the argument we’d had the week before concerning Koa and Kahala. “Cruising with Claudia.”

  “Hey, guess who I heard from? Cheryl. You remember Cheryl, yeah?”

  Cheryl. The Ahuimanu girl who got away. I immediately wondered what she was up to. “Yup. How could I forget?”

  “Listen, she’s visiting her parents today, and she wants to have dinner. You should see, Ken. She’s a lawyer. I told her you were back on this side, and suggested that we all go out together.”

  “What about Koa?”

  “I haven’t seen him for the last couple of days. His parents have the kids tonight. C’mon, Ken. It’ll be fun.”

  I put my hand on the speaker and tugged on Claudia’s leg. “You wanna go out to dinner tonight with Kahala and her friend Cheryl?”

  “Sure.”

  I put my mouth back by the speaker.“Where’d you have in mind?”

  We ended up meeting at Flamingo’s, a restaurant very similiar to Sizzler’s. With its salad buffet and affordable steak dinners, it was one of the most upscale restaurants on the Windward side. Kahala and Cheryl had beat us there, and when Claude and I walked up to the booth, both stood up and threw hugs at me. After I introduced Cheryl to Claudia, we all sat down. Cheryl and Kahala sat on one side of the booth, Claude and I sat on the other. Cheryl had picked up a few pounds from high school, probably from all the reading she had to do in law school. That’s the scary thing about reading too much, your mind hardens, but your body turns to jello. I switched my eyes to Kahala. Despite having three kids, she was still thin and her body was hard.

  “So, what have you been up to, Cheryl?” I asked.

  Before Cheryl could answer, Kahala spoke up. “You should see Ken, Cheryl, she’s an attorney for Johnson, Marcus, and Yamasaki. She makes the big bucks.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Cheryl said. “But I guess I’m doing o.k.”

  “Where did you go to school?” Claudia asked.

  “Oh, for undergrad, I went away to the University of Washington.” She looked at Kahala. “Kahala was supposed to come with me. But anyway, I majored in English up there, and came back home for law school. I just finished my clerkship with Judge Murdock a few months ago, and was offered a job by Johnson, Marcus, and Yamasaki. Civil litigation.”

  “So what are you doing back on this side with the dregs?” I asked. Before she could answer, a waitress came and asked us if we were ready to order. Kahala and I ordered Bud Lites, Claudia ordered a Diet Coke, and Cheryl ordered a glass of Chardonnay. After the waitress left, Cheryl looked back at me. “Are you kidding? You guys are great. I’m just sorry that I didn’t have the time to visit this side more often.”

  “She’s very busy,” Kahala said. “I haven’t seen her in ages. But we still talk on the phone sometimes.”

  “That’s great,” Claudia said. “I don’t even know what happened to most of the people I went to high school with.”

  “She went to Punahou,” I said. “Snob, rich haole central.”

  Claude gave me an evil look. Cheryl reached over the table and put her hand on Claudia’s arm. “Poor child. I know some of those Punahou people from the Outrigger Canoe Club. Haoles worshipping the legend of Duke Kahanamoku, then driving away in their B.M.W.’s. It’s not a pretty sight.”

  “So, hob-nobbing in a private club now, ah?” I said.

  “Tell them how many hours you work,” Kahala said.

  The waitress came back with our drinks. Cheryl looked at Kahala. “Yeah, I’m busy. Sometimes I’ll do seventy-something hours. But anyway,” she looked back at me, “I can never stay too far away from the Windward side. Remember, it’s God’s country. I wanna buy a house and raise kids here.”

  I almost spit out a mouthful of beer. “What?”

  Claudia nudged me in the ribs. “See, I told you it was beautiful here. And you were trying to change my mind.”

  I laughed. “So what do you think, Kahala? How beautiful is it here?”

  Claudia elbowed my ribs again, only this time harder. Kahala looked up at me. “It’s a fuckin’ hellhole.”

  We all sat quiet for several seconds. Cheryl cleared her throat. “So what about you guys?” she asked. “I hear you’re expecting.”

  Claudia smiled. “Actually, I don’t know what to expect.”

  Another waitress came to our table and asked if we were ready to order dinner. Everyone grabbed for their menus. “Maybe a few more minutes,” I said. Then I looked at Cheryl. “So what about you? Are you going to be married with children anytime soon?”

  “Are you kidding? After you broke my heart in high school? Kahala didn’t tell you? I’m a lesbian.”

  I hid my head under the menu, then heard giggling. Claudia playfully slapped me on the back of the head. “You idiot. She was joking.”

  I looked up. “You men,” Cheryl said, “think that our lives revolve around you. This isn’t a Ken-centric solar system.”

  They all laughed. I looked at each of them and suddenly realized that I was surrounded by three beautiful and intelligent women. Instead of feeling proud, I was feeling a bit out-gunned. I looked at Cheryl. “I thought it was a Ken-centric solar system.” I put my arm around Claudia. “That’s what she keeps telling me.”

  Claudia slapped the top of my head several times. Kahala and Cheryl laughed.“All right, enough already,” I said. “We better order before the waitress kicks us out.”

  After Cheryl, despite my protests, paid for dinner, we all walked together to our cars. Kahala, Claudia, and I watched as Cheryl drove off in her Lexus. “You should see her apartment in town,” Kahala said. “It’s awesome.”

  I looked at Claudia and she smiled. We both knew what was going on. Kahala was seeing what could’ve been if she hadn’t married. Also, as two people who had lived in a nice condo, the idea wasn’t as magical to us as it was to Kahala. “Well, we better get going,” I said.

  Claudia kissed Kahala on the cheek. I did the same. Kahala waved and took a few steps back. I grabbed her ar
m and pulled her toward me just in time.

  “Jesus, watch where you’re going!” I said. The blaring horn of a speeding low rider truck filled my ears. “That car full of kids almost fuckin’ ran you over.”

  Kahala looked over her shoulder as the car tore through the parking lot. Then she looked back at me and tears dripped down her eyes. I didn’t know what to say. Just then, Claudia gently pushed me away and hugged her. “You all right, honey?”

  Kahala cried in Claude’s arms and it pissed me off. I wasn’t pissed at Kahala, but angry at whatever made her cry. I looked through the parking lot to see if the low rider was still around. When I turned back to Kahala and Claude, Kahala peeled herself away from Claude and looked at me. “I’m sorry. This is so fuckin’ dumb. It’s not like my problems have anything to do with you guys.”

  Claudia grabbed Kahala by the shoulders.“You tell me what you need, dear, and we’ll see if we can help.”

  “Don’t,” Kahala said, “don’t get me going. It’s too embarrassing. Not that my situation is too embarrassing, but the fact that I have to jump on any charity from you guys is too embarrassing. You guys, I need money.”

  Her green eyes focused hard on mine. They shined with an amazing amount of sudden stoicism and power. I looked away.

  “Of course,” Claudia said, “How much do you need? We know you’re not working and that fuckin’, no-good husband of yours is out frying someplace.”

  “I need about two hundred.”

  Claudia took her checkbook out of her purse. She called me over so that she could write the check on my back. Before she started writing, I turned around. “Wait a minute. Don’t write the check.” I pulled out my wallet, pulled out two hundred dollars, and looked at Kahala. “I don’t want Koa to know where this money is coming from.”

  Claudia was about to say something, but I gave her a hard look. She shrugged and put her checkbook back in her purse. Kahala kissed me on the cheek and whispered, “Good thinking.” She kissed Claudia then walked away.

  While driving, I was purposely brooding in the Pathfinder. Finally Claudia spoke. “What?”

  “I don’t feel good about this.”

  “What’s wrong with you? She’s your friend, she needs help.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Of course it is. And she needs more than just two hundred dollars.”

  I looked at her. “Don’t write any checks to her.”

  “I didn’t mean money. She needs our support so that she can finally leave Koa.”

  I sighed. “Don’t meddle.”

  “What are you afraid of? Koa? C’mon Ken, I know you’re not afraid of anybody. Violence is your second nature.”

  “How would you know? You’ve never seen me violent.”

  “I’ve heard.”

  “From who?” Then it came to me: her mother.

  “From you.”

  I looked at the speedometer. I was going way too fast.“Okay, listen. This has nothing to do with fear. It has to do with friendship and respect. If Koa and Kahala asked me for anything, I’d give it to them, no questions asked. But Koa would never take money from me, and if he knew about this, he’d be hurt and insulted. It’s like I’m cleaning up his mess or something. Or it’s like I’m taking pity on him. Can’t you understand that?”

  “Codes, it’s all personal codes with you. I’m talking about someone’s life, and all you can give me is some goddamn macho code to justify why we shouldn’t help a friend in serious need. Not only a friend, but her children, too.”

  “You don’t have to worry too much about the kids,” I said. “Uncle James and Aunty Kanani will always make sure that they’re taken care of.”

  Claudia didn’t respond. She ignored me for the rest of the ride. As we drove by Chinaman’s Hat, I could barely see the island in the dead of night.

  When we got home, Claudia walked past my father without saying a word and slammed our bedroom door. When I walked in, my father smiled. “What’s the problem?” he asked.

  “Ah, I don’t know. Looks like I’m couching it tonight.”

  “Son, dis is my house, and dat’s your room. You shouldn’t be sleeping on da couch.”

  “C’mon, Dad. You must know how it is.”

  He sighed.“Not really, bradda. Dat swordtail of yours is not like your madda was. Your madda grew up hard, so she neva need any kine. But your girl, she kinda spoiled, ah? Her madda probably gave her whateva she wanted from little kid time. Das da problem wit’ swordtails. Some of dem need pump, gravel, wata filta, and live food. Sometimes dey even need plastic plants and dose ceramic castles in dea tanks.”

  “Mom wasn’t a swordtail?”

  “Yeah, she was one swordtail, but da kine you find in da riva. She was strong, rough, not like da aquarium kine.”

  But she died, I thought, as my father continued talking about Claudia. But she died.

  The next day Koa called and asked if I wanted to surf. Since Claudia was still ignoring me, I decided to go. Before I left the house, however, I noticed that the katana was out of its glass case. Then I heard the sound. It was that “chain gang” sound, the sound of a prisoner striking stone with a giant sledge hammer. It was coming from outside, behind the house. After I put my surfboard on the roof of the Pathfinder, I walked to the backyard to see what was going on. My father was standing in front of a stack of large, thick bricks, while Claudia stood by him with the unsheathed katana in her hand. My father saw me and smiled. “Come Ken, I showing Claudia someting.”

  I walked and stopped beside him. “Claudia,” he said, “try again.”

  Claude lifted the sword over her head and swung down on the brick. The blade hit the stone and small pieces of brick popped into the air. My father smiled. “Look at da blade.”

  I walked to Claude and inspected the blade with her.There wasn’t the slightest blemish on the shiny metal. “I hit the brick like five times,” Claude said. “And still, there’s nothing.”

  My father gently took the sword from Claudia. “Yup, our ancestas really knew how to make swords. You see dis katana? Da guy who made ‘um neva just hamma and sharpen da blade one time. He heated, hammered, and folded. Heated, hammered, and folded. Da guy probably folded da ting ova hundred times, each time pressing da metal togetta, making ‘um stronga and stronga. When he finally sharpened ‘um, da sword was so strong dat even stone cannot ding da blade. Nothing can. You see, no matta what you do to da sword, da ting always going stay sharp and shiny.”

  “How come you didn’t show me this before?” I asked, wondering why he was showing Claudia instead.

  “Neva need.”

  Claudia was still staring at the blade. Without giving warning, she grabbed the katana from my father and swung down on the brick again. The brick cracked in half and my father laughed. Claude inspected the blade again. I looked, too. There was nothing there. “Where you going?” my father asked.

  “Surfing.”

  Claudia looked at me. I turned to my father. “Probably only for a couple of hours. I feel like I need to get out in the water.” I looked at Claude. “You wanna go to the beach?”

  “Who else is going?” she asked.

  “I’m supposed to pick up Koa and his brother Ikaika.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “No worry about us, Ken,” my father said. “I can entertain her.”

  I shrugged and looked at Claudia once more. She gave the sword to my father and walked into the house.

  When I picked up Koa and Ikaika, they put their boards on the roof and threw a cooler in the back. “I bought couple cases beer,” Koa said.

  Both of them cracked open two cans of Miller Lite and offered me a cold one. I shook my head. “C’mon, bradda,” Koa said. “Jus’ have one fo’ da road. Where we goin’ anyway? Sandys?”

  “Fuck Sandys,” Ikaika said. “We go town.”

  I looked in my mirror at Ikaika. He was a lot bigger than he had been in high school. Though he wasn’t nearly as big as his older br
other, he still easily exceeded two hundred pounds. His clean-shaven face was framed by a head of curly black hair. It reminded me of Freddie’s hair. “What Freddie stay up to?” I asked.

  “Cruisin’,” Kaika answered. “I tink he went town fo’ business.”

  “What you was doin’ last night?” Koa asked. “I call your house but your fadda said you and Claudia went dinna or someting.”

  “Yeah, we went dinna. Why, what you guys did?”

  “I was hangin’ with Freddie,” Kaika said.

  “I was looking fo’ my fuckin’ wife,” Koa said. “She was out till late. When she came home, she told me she went out dinna wit’ Cheryl.You rememba Cheryl, Ken? Ho, she wanted fo’ jump your bones.”

  “Wanted your hot beef injection,” Kaika said.

  “Wanted fo’ ride your boloney-pony,” Koa said.

  “Wanted fo’ take old one-eye to da opt... opt... What you call one eye docta?” Kaika asked.

  Koa turned around and slapped Kaika on the side of the head. “Shut da fuck up arready. I tol’ you you should’ve finished high school, you dumb motha-fucka.”

  “No slap me,” Kaika said.

  “Shut da fuck up,” Koa said, pointing his finger at his brother. Then he turned back to me. “Fuck, you rememba da movie The Godfadda? Fuckin’ Kaika back dea is like our Fredo.” He turned back around to face Ikaika. “No make me haff to send you fishing wit’ Ken ova hea.”

  Koa and Ikaika got into a slapping war. I laughed and said, “Both you guys, shut da fuck up arready.”

  “Yeah, Kaika,” Koa said.“Befo’ Ken send you to da pig farm.”

  I turned to Koa. “Hey, nuff arready.”

  Koa put up both of his hands and smiled. “O.k., o.k. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, fuckin’ Kahala. She tryin’ fo’ tell me she went dinna wit’ Cheryl. Fuck, we neva see Cheryl fo’ yeas. I heard she one lawya or someting. Big shot. Like she would all of a sudden want to have dinna wit’ Kahala.”