Beginning on November 1, 2024, which is the date of my mother’s first letter from her Hawaii trip 84 years ago, I am serializing day by day, the book, Cecilia King’s Extraordinary Senior Trip, which you can obtain from Amazon in either Kindle or paperback.

I hope you enjoy the upcoming nine-months in Hawaii 1940-41. You can order the entire book from Amazon in either paperback or Kindle format, click here.

Honolulu Saturday, March 22, 1941

Saturday –

Just finished my morning exercises (with a stiff neck as result) and have to go to Mrs. Smiths to collect some clothes and – oh woe – begin paying her.

Last night I felt so spiffy wearing my new blue & white outfit (with the red sash) for the first time – it looked really cute -- & the low heeled blue pumps. I’m certainly enjoying these shoes – they’re just wonderful! We went to Lau Yee Chai for dinner except that we had already eaten except Bob. With that marvelous new orchestra, the place was packed and jammed – dining room, terrace and both dance floors. No floor show – but the orchestra itself – all very young – is a comedy – then there was the “fun dance” done by three of the band, with pages of music as fans, and trousers rolled up to their knees. Sounds silly & it was – but still unusually good entertainment for Honolulu. The Young dancing crowd will dry up & blow away with this for competition, but, of course, there are still the ever present MOB of Orientals prancing around under one’s nose – sweat bee fashion, that don’t penetrate the Young because of higher cover charge & American food only.

I got myself into an awful jam yesterday – then A. Susan made me so mad I was practically hysterical when Uncle Ed simmered me down. Bob, having come in a half hour or hour late every time we’ve had a date & then been asleep all night made me so mad Tues. that when he left I told him I didn’t care whether he came Friday or not – he could do as he wished & it was absolutely immaterial to me. So he hadn’t called yea or nay yesterday aft, when Max & Hand called & wanted to come get me & take me out to Sch. To spend the night – so I very untactfully put them off until 6:30. Then made the mistake of asking A. Susan what to do about the whole mess. She gave me no good advice – then turned to Uncle Ed & said, “When I was a girl I didn’t bawl a man out because he was five minutes late, and I wasn’t pretty but I had a darn good time & plenty of dates.” Then, thank goodness, she left for a tea or something & I had a chance to talk to Uncle Ed. He doesn’t like the way Bob acts & thinks he’s “twisting me around his finger” and he likes Max very much. Aunt Susan thinks Bob is always right and quite the thing, but has no use for Max because he’s too honest and sincere. Now I ask you – what’s a gal to do?

Well – anyhoo – Bob called & we settled on a time (he was 20 minutes late but I smiled & said good evening sweetly when I wanted to slap his silly ears) – then I called Max to say I couldn’t go to Schofield, and Max was so mad then that he said “Well – bye” & that’s all. Someday I’m going to give up the whole fort and let a little steam off my mind telling people what I really think of them – It’ll be strong & black with no sweetening. Give them a chance to unlace my ego a bit, too.

Oh well – its all settled now, so don’t bother about it – guess I shouldn’t have even mentioned it & I won’t even remember a month from now, but the whole “bizness” had me a little upset yesterday.

Thursday night had a date with Max & we didn’t do much of anything – just talked and rode & ate. The 13th bachelors are getting up a party for a Kemoo dinner & their ice skating at the Wahiawa rink afterward. Sounds like lots of fun. Max is going to give me a few lessons in ice skating beforehand, though, so I won’t be the jester of the evening & have black & blue memories afterward.

Guess I’d better get dressed & go to Armida’s -- & drop this in the mail enroute.

Summer has really CAME now – its like an Ark. August today. Given your spring is well underway by now.
I’m going to church with Bob tomorrow morning if, by some very strange miracle, he happens to get here on time & in time to get there early enough. Paper &time are up so I gotta go. –

Love, Cecilia