I was bike riding with my dear friend last week out on the south side of Maui. It was a beautiful day with magnificent views of Maui, Kahoolawe, the Pacific Ocean, and even the peaks of the Big Island of Hawaii poking through the clouds. We put the bikes in the car and headed back. On the way, we passed one of my favorite coffee shops on Maui- Grandma’s Coffee in Keokea. It’s been closed since March, but I noticed the front door open. “Let’s Stop for a cappuccino”. We pulled in to a parking area and there was an older man painting some shelving next to us.
As I started to get out, he shouted: “Go on. Leave. Why are you stopping?”
Surprised, I said “We are going to Grandma’s”
“It’s closed. Everything is closed. Why do you think it is open?” he growled.
“Because the door is open.” I answered.
“No, it’s closed. Go on. Get out of here.” He said loudly.
I thought for a microsecond, and formed my response. I planned to ask this grumpy man if he was the owner of Grandma’s, and then point out I was a loyal 20-year customer, and that I had actually helped the barista fix the espresso machine last year. Even if he wasn’t the owner, I was intent on wading through his hostility in an attempt to arrive at civility.
Just as I was opening my mouth to speak, my friend sitting beside me said in a rather loud voice “Hey, why are you being so hostile?” It was at that point that my strategy suddenly evaporated and I put the car into reverse, and began backing out. The painter looked at us with surprise. I put the car into drive and began to move forward onto the road.
It was then that my friend yelled to him “We are very peaceful people.”
