At the bus terminal, Hilo

 

His mind went from Cardinals (my cap) to cardinal directions to telescopes to baseball stadiums. Not a baseball fan but likes bird teams. He also likes stars and the Hollywood walk of fame. Wants to study architecture and engineering but most of Hawaii is water, so it’s hard. Finds out I was an English prof. He was an English major, from California, got an award for journalism (for his clear writing). Not many people here are well educated, he tells me. Lots of English majors in Volcano, I tell him. He turns up nose. The point isn’t for English majors to talk to each other. Lots of scientists, too, I say. Nose wrinkles and he’s off to stand in line for the Pahoa bus. 

 

—Hilo bus terminal