Friday 5 for October 2 - Stories

DISASTERS MAKE GOOD STORIES

1. Which of your stories have you probably told the greatest number of times to the most people?

Disasters in my life or in Hawaii make for good stories in hindsight. I often tell friends about the big earthquakes I survived through my life in Hawaii.

The first one was the most exciting since I was a teenager caught in a big crowd at a public place during a school performance. We were in the audience and suddenly the building rolled and shook violently for what seemed to be an eternity.

Just like in a disaster movie, we all went into a panic and ran like idiots for the nearest door which of course was jammed with people. Meanwhile the plaster from the ceiling fell on us and on the floor as younger, elementary age kids got trampled on and separated. Fortunately after the shaking stopped, there were no serious injuries, but a lot of rattled nerves... and millions of dollars of damage to the entire island.

This all occurred on April 26, 1973 at 10:26 AM in Honokaa, on the Big Island of Hawaii. There is more to tell in the story, but that was the main highlight. The quake measured 6.25 on the Richter scale after all was tallied and done.

Two other major earthquakes that I was unfortunate enough to be caught in occurred during Thanksgiving 1975 at 7.25 magnitude and the 6.7 magnitude temblor on October 15, 2006.

Scary plane rides are also in my story arsenol.... Back in the 1980s I was on a Mid Pacific Air YS-11 turboprop night flight from Honolulu to Hilo... we flew into bad weather with rain, thunder, lightning and wind... that old turboprop shook us around in the violent sky, flashes of lightning coming into the window as the twin Rolls Royce turboprops strained to keep us aloft while the crew slowly descended in the angry clouds to our destination. Upon landing I wanted to kiss the ground.

In 2004 I was on an Aloha Airlines flight that had to abort its landing. The photo above is from another 737-200 Aloha Airlines flight that I was on.

In 1975 and 1976 I got into near deadly car accidents but escaped in the nick of time!

So there.. I just referred to several stories of which the earthquake ones are told the most often.


2. What’s a story someone else often tells about you, much to your chagrin?

I haven't heard too many stories about me told by other people which is a good thing in my book. If there are, I'd rather not hear them.


3. What oft-told story from a chapter in your life seems to be remembered differently by different people who were there?


Probably the different experiences of 9-11-2001 from different people, even here in Hawaii.


4. What are some of the details, without retelling the whole story, of a story you’ve told often but never to your parents?

Some stories are best untold.


5. What song would be an appropriate soundtrack to the story of your most embarrassing moment?

Song? "Here's Where the Story Ends" by The Sundays.

Have a wonderful Friday 5 weekend folks.