It was 90 degrees on Thursday, more like August than May. The spring flowers were largely gone, while the dog-roses flourished in the heat. Green spears of day lilies have shot up from the lush foliage; they\u2019ll soon be here.<\/p>\n
The cowboy owned the fountain, so I walked toward the boathouse, not without trepidation. The caricaturist was setting up. And no sign of the chameleon. I might have set up in the shade of the maple, but I saw a place to the left of the staircase, under a bush for shade, and along the main path to the boat rental, water fountain and restrooms. I\u2019ve played this stage many times over the years.<\/p>\n
A young couple, both of them short and overweight, tossed in a pair of Susan B\u2019s. They were from Maine. We had not chatted long before I had leis around their necks and we were hula-ing at the Hukilau. There was something sweet and childlike about them, I thought they might be newlyweds. After the dance, the young man put a folding dollar in the case too.<\/p>\n
Three cyclists stopped near me in the shade. They were from Argentina. \u201cHave you got time for a hula today?\u201d Only one of them spoke English. Straddling her bike, she watched, a little bored, as her mother and sister danced to \u201cThe Hukilau Song.\u201d When they returned their leis and rode away, she tossed a dollar in my case.<\/p>\n
A young woman walked briskly by and floated a fiver my way. \u201cThanks a lot,\u201d I said, happy to have shed the curse of the chameleon.<\/p>\n
An old man shuffled past, accompanied by a young man, as I was singing \u201cHonolulu Baby.\u201d The young man held back to listen. \u201cDo you know this song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNever heard it before. But I love the way you sing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s from a Laurel and Hardy movie, \u2018Sons of the Desert.\u2019 Ever hear of Laurel and Hardy?\u201d<\/p>\n
He thought for a moment. His eyes darted down the path, to where the old man had slowly made his way. \u201cI think I have,\u201d he said, \u201cGotta go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another young man sauntered by, took a dollar out of his wallet, and set up for a selfie of himself and me. \u201cSnapchat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The old man\u2019s aid walked back to me and gave me a buck. \u201cWhat was that movie? King of the Desert?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSons of the Desert.\u201d<\/p>\n
I ended the set with a lovely hula by a Lebanese woman living in Cambridge, who kicked in another fiver to bring my take to a respectable $17.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"