Polynesian Cultural Center - Yay or nay?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. In 1977, they were selling a T-shirt on campus that said

"I go school just for eat lunch, talk story, fuss aroun'."

I was tempted to buy it and wear it around my graduate school department back home, where they took themselves entirely too seriously and had no sense of humor. But I didn't do it, precisely because they had no sense of humor.

At a party, I met a couple who had come to Hawaii when the man got a fellowship to do grad work in astronomy. The woman found a job at the Honolulu public library and was at the circulation desk one day when a very elderly Asian man came carrying a piece of paper with the name of a recording of traditional Chinese music. She looked up the title and told the Asian man, "I'm sorry, but that record has been checked out."

"Eh?"

She thought he was deaf, so she repeated louder. He still didn't understand. Communication was not happening. Slower and louder didn't help.

Finally, one of the local librarians helped her out. "Da kine no mo' heah."

The Asian man nodded sadly and walked away.