22
Chicken Katsu
Plate lunch
Hawai‘i’s cultural melting pot on a plate.
Done.
So done with this conversation.
Uncle Kahana’s may not be lying, but he’s not telling me the whole truth.
I started drawing circles with my finger on the tabletop while Uncle Kahana droned on about the fabulous lu’au he was throwing Christmas Day.
“Maybe I’ll bring leftovers to you guys the day after Christmas. Liz likes her poi a little sour.”
I moved my finger around and around, like suns, like bubbles, circles and spirals, rising—
“I know Liz loves those haupia cakes with the—”
—growing as they rise, air too thin, around and around—
Hard bump. Uncle Kahana’s hand on my shoulder.
“Eh, Z-boy! Where are you?”
“Huh?”
“That’s it. I’m getting some kaukau into you.”
Uncle Kahana stood up, grabbed a ne
