“I don’t think I can make it!” as Jennings squats as low as possible to make it under the bamboo pole “I’ve almost got it!” bending her body in bizarre movements and squishing her face in an attempt to improve her efforts.
Jennings’ hot pink Keds make it under the bar first, followed by her matching shorts with large yellow printed orchids. Jennings raises her hands above her head in triumph and does a dance as if she has just won a marathon.
She claps her hands to get everyone’s attention “Whose going to beat me?”
Maggie giggles “I think that I can!” Maggie bends over and easily makes it under the bar with little effort.
Next Grant follows in a very dramatic stretch and movement as Maggie laughs behind him.
“I think that I can get it!” exclaims Harriet “I’m going to try something different.”
Standing behind her, Emma raises her eyebrows in concern of what that might mean.
Harriet bends down and grabs her toes. She slowing moves backward keeping her head very low and makes it under the bar.
“Why are you moving backwards?” asks Maggie.
“Because I get nervous if I look forward and see the bar. I mess up. If I don’t see the bar, I don’t worry about it as much” confidently explains Harriet.
Maggie nods her head in agreement as if Harriet’s logic is rational.
Next Emma starts to crawl in a crab position but loses her balance and lands flat on the grass. She stands up wiping the dirt off her capris.
Jennings dances up to the bar in her own spectacle of a boogie. The group chuckles behind her in line. Jennings attempts to do the splits but is still two feet from the ground when she realizes that she is stuck in a position. Grant and Harriet come to her rescue and help Jennings stand back up. She decides on another method of success. She sticks one leg and leans her entire body in the opposite direction. She leans her head towards the ground as low as she can go and missing the bar by about a foot. Again she stands up and does her victory dance.
Maggie crawls under the bar on her hands and feet and makes it clearly through. Grant’s turn is next. He leans way back as if in almost a back bend and makes it completely under the bar.
Harriet moves her legs into a split position and almost makes it as she edges her way through but loses her balance at the last moment and tips over slamming the ground in mock frustration.
It is now down to Grant, Jennings and Maggie. Jennings does an impromptu tap dance and she moves herself closer to the bar. She wiggles like a snake and stretching her face in compliance as she gently moves under the bar. However, she doesn’t quite make it. She falls on her backside in defeat. Grant helps her up and she gives him a huge bear hug as a thank you.
Maggie again bends a little and clearly makes it through. Grant not wanting to lose makes every possible adjustment to make his body more limber. But unfortunately leaning all the way back on his ankles with his knees stretched out in front of him, loses his balance and the battle. Maggie giggles in delight and wins the prized hula grass skirt.
Tiki decorations of various faces and sizes border the backyard with a dried grass hut from which the beverages are served. Multi-colored lanterns handing from the trees, long bamboo torches solidly placed in the ground, along with a few surfboards borrowed from members of the corps, and fake palm trees surround the back yard. At the party store, Jane was able to locate plastic replicas of coconuts to drink from. As each person enters the quarters, Katie and Ashley place silk leis of multicolored flowers around the necks of the visitors.
On the picnic tables are a scattering of shells and glass bowls that contain sand and small sea treasures of fake pearls and other interesting sea shells. There are a few extra green and tan grass skirts with a number of straw hats for the men to wear too.
Grant picks at the chunks of pineapple and other fruits within the shell of the whole pineapple are on display as appetizers as he speaks to Jane across the table from him “This is a great party! You did a wonderful job of planning it!”
Live music starts with instruments that Jennings has brought back from her recent trip to the Hawaiian Islands to the enjoyment of everyone. Harriet starts to do her own version of a hula dance. Jennings sees her and decides to give her a little help. “Emma! Jane! Mrs. Dashing! Come on, we need to help this girl! You too April if you want to!”
April raises her eyebrows as if hula is beneath her but Jane grabs her arm and pulls her into the line of entertainment.
Jennings begins by providing a little instruction “The Kaholo dance step is two steps to each side and then back again while swaying the hips with an outstretched arm in the direction of where you are going.” The girls practice this and seem to do all right.
Jennigns continues after some success, “The Ami which is the circle motion of the hips while turning in a circle stepping with the right foot around the left foot is a little more difficult but looks very graceful if it is done well”. The girls try this and seem to be able to handle moving in a circular motion.
“Next” begins Jennings “is the Uwehe which is stomping in place then flipping heels up as the knees are bent swaying the hips side to side”.
“Now it is time to had the hand motions” as Jennings demonstrates for them “Soft hula hands down in the shape of a female body representing a woman. Then moving your arms into a triangle position to represent a shack tells a story”. The ladies mimic her motions.
“Now raise your right arm which is positioned straight above your head as a ballet dancer and slowly moving your left arm across you body to represent Hawaii” finishes Jennings as she nods to the ensemble to start playing their accompaniment.
Emma and Jane do all right picking up the smooth rhythmic movement. April is something else. She awkwardly moves in the opposite direction with a better description of her stepping would be stomping instead. Harriet stares at Jennings trying to get every move correct and is a second or two behind Jennings’ motions. Mrs. Dashing is lost in another world as she closes her eyes and participates in the memory of dancing lessons on her last anniversary trip with her husband. It is a sweet memory for her.
In her enthusiasm, April accidently stomps on Emma’s foot and apologizes as Emma grabs her foot and says “that’s all right, don’t worry about it”. Jane glides and sways gracefully with the music. After the song ends, Jane announces “The challenges are now going to start!”
“Well, I’ve accomplished another thing on my bucket list. I can now hula” announces April as Grant smirks to the side and sarcastically whispers to Emma “I would say that was more of a war dance”.
Knightly carries a plate of hor d’eouvres to everyone at the party. He offers one to Jane converses with her in a friendly conversation. Grant notices and leans over to Emma. “I heard that Jane likes someone from the Netherfield corps” trying to pry any information she might have heard about Allen Dixon from her.
“Really? What makes you say that?” asks Emma curious to hear that Jane had been interested in anyone outside of Crestwood.
“Well, things were being said about her and Allen Dixon. Do you know him?” asks Grant.
“No, I don’t think so. However, I think Jane has mentioned being friends with him a couple of times” explains Emma curious to why he is mentioning them.
“She talks about him?” asks Grant a little disturbed with this new information “Did you see her picture with him in the War Cry?”
“Yes. The picture seems to be everywhere. It is a good photo of the kids and leaders. I can see why it is used so much. Everyone is so photogenic” replies Emma “I think that we can borrow the photo for some PR for area command”.
Grant is not happy hearing of this possibility. “Why would you want to use that photo when it is being used so much by others? Can’t you come up with a better local photo?”
“Yes, but VBS isn’t until the summer. I will need to get some information out about it before then and it is a really good photo. Why re-invent the wheel?” nonchalantly remarks Emma “Do you think she likes Allen Dixon?”
“I think that is a possibility” snidely remarks Grant disappointed that Jane has mentioned his name to Emma.
“They do seem like they would be such a cute couple together. They are both very attractive people” honestly observes Emma “But if I remember right, I think that he is attached and engaged to someone else”.
Grant is a little perturbed “I heard she moved up here to be closer to him since he lives in Bristol.”
“Really? I hadn’t heard that. Jane certainly doesn’t give me the impression she moved up here in hopes of being near anybody except her aunts” sincerely replies Emma “but you never know. Perhaps he is a former boyfriend and she hasn’t quite got over him yet.”
“Does Jane talk about how she has dated before?” asks Grant wondering if his name was ever mentioned.
“Oh no, she is a very private person. I would really be surprised if she has dated much at all. She is very choosy about most things. I think if she ever dated anyone he would have to be pretty close to perfect for her” chats Emma with a note of sincerity “But she might have talked to April though. They seem to becoming close friends too. But April probably spends the entire time talking about her and Elton when there is a chance to speak confidentially with each other”.
Grant considers her statement for a moment relieved that Jane hasn’t discussed their previous relationship with her but disappointed at the same time that Jane isn’t mentioning him at all.
“Did you hear Jane got a package in the mail the other day?” asks Grant “I hear it was from her secret admirer”.
“Really? How romantic! Do you think it was from Allen Dixon?” asks Emma.
“It might have been. I heard that it was an expensive carved hand painted jewelry box with her favorite song that plays inside. The engraved inscription read “Let your love be like the misty rains, coming softly, but flooding the river” it is suppose to be from a Malagasy proverb” explains Grant.
“That is interesting. Jane is so quiet, I’m not surprised to hear that she has a secret admirer” explains Emma “I think that I’d like one especially if he sent me a music box like that. Does she know who sent it?”
“Not as far as I know” explains Grant in a tone of disappointment “You can never know what Jane is thinking for sure though.”
Knightly walks over to them with a plate of tasty goodies. “Would you like one?”
“Sounds wonderful!” as Emma places a couple of them on her plate “Are you going to participate in the hula challenge?”
“Depends on what it involves” replies Knightly not sure if he will be very comfortable with the games Jennings has planned for the day.
“I’ll be your cheerleader” offers Emma patting him on the back and leaving Grant sitting on the bench by himself.
“All the men grab your hula hoops!” shouts Jennings handing pink, yellow, orange, blue, green and purple speckled hula hoops to Grant, Knightly, Robert, Mr. Woodhouse, and Mr. Weston. Elton tries to decline, but April pushes into the line to receive his hula hoop as well.
Jennings starts the Beach Boys music, “Surfing USA” as the twist and turn in an attempt to keep the hula hoop afloat. Mr. Woodhouse actually does a pretty good job. Mr. Weston’s exaggerated movements move a few to tears. Intently concentrating on the rhythmic and balanced movement, Knightly keeps the hoop floating in a circular motion around his hips. Grant raises his hands above his head to show off his skill. Robert is rather klutzy as the hoop falls multiple times to the ground, but he proves his stamina by picking it up again and trying to keep is going. In the end, the judges choose Knightly as the best hula hooper and he receives a bobble head hula dancer as his award.
Robert grabs some punch and finds a seat next to Harriet. “This is great stuff! I wish that I knew what was in it. I’d made some at home!”
“It is really good. I watched Alice make it this morning. She uses Sprite, pineapple juice, orange juice, strawberry soda, a can of tangerines, and guava juice. I like all the tropical flavors mixed together!” replies Harriet.
“How have you been? It’s been a long time. I don’t think that we’ve run into each other since the retreat. I tried calling a few times, but evidently you were kind-of too busy. I’ve been busy too with work” explains Robert not wanting to push the issue of her silence but wanting to know if he has unwittingly done something to upset her.
“Yes, I’ve been busy. It seems like there is always something to do at the Outpost. I haven’t been there on Fridays to help with the street ministry because I am spending most of my week-ends at Emma’s house” honestly replies Harriet but not letting him know that she suspects Emma invites her to stay so often so that she won’t have the opportunity of seeing Robert.
“Well, hopefully we won’t be missing each other so much in the future. I like hanging out. I always seem to have a lot of fun with you” shyly replies Robert.
“I do too. I think that some of the best times I’ve had so far have been when we are together” giggles Harriet at some of the memories.
Knightly walks over and takes a seat next to Harriet “I brought an extra punch over in case anyone wants one. I’m parched and this is good stuff” as Knightly throws his head back as he leans with his back against the picnic table crossing his legs at the knees in the afternoon sun. “Are you having a good time Robert?” asks Knightly glad to see Robert again.
“I’m having a great time! It’s so nice to be with everyone again after such a long time” looking directly at Harriet while he speaks.
I’m glad you were able to work it out with your job schedule to come. You need to come around more often” replies Knightly “We need to plan a few more adventures”.
“That sounds wonderful to me!” exclaims Harriet “We need to do something again.”
“Maybe we could go out on the Weston’s boat and have a picnic on Memorial Day at Highfield Park on the lake” suggests Knightly.
“Let’s do it!” replies Harriet very excited about the possibility of spending more times with her friends.
“Now we need to divide up into two teams. Jane, Grant, Katie, Elton and April, Mr. Woodhouse and Mrs. Dashing can be on team number one. Ashley, Robert, Harriet, Jane, Knightly, Henry and Ann on team two” explains Jennings as the members move to each side.
“I have two large suitcases of various types of tourist gear. It is a relay race. You must put on the entire outfit as fast as you can, then remove all the items and return to your team to tag the next person in line” carefully instructs Jennings so everyone can understand the rules.
“What if it doesn’t fit?” asks Elton.
“Well just do the best that you can” replies Jennings “Are you ready? Get set. Go!”
Jane and Emma run as fast as they can against each other. Emma places the oversized sunglasses on as her last piece and quickly takes off everything else. Jane places the scuba equipment on as her last item and then shuffles back in line.
Grant and Knightly race to the suitcases packed with gear. Grant puts a pair of flippers on first while Knightly chooses a pair of binoculars to place around his neck.
Next follows Harriet and April running competitively towards their designated team suitcase. April grabs the kimono which she places over her body but on backwards. Harriet chooses to put on the surfer wetsuit of stretching but clingy material.
After they reach their home team at about the same time, they tag Mr. Weston and Mr. Woodhouse who shuffle quickly to each of their suitcases patiently waiting for them. Mr. Weston grabs all three canvas bags and slings them over each shoulder. On the other hand, Mr. Woodhouse grabs the baseball cap places it on his head putting it under the large straw hat. They scuttle back to their teams and tag the next in line.
Ashley and Katie run as fast as they can both wanting to be the first to finish. Ashley puts the lotion quickly on her arms, and Katie puts the white zinc oxide on her nose first.
Elton and Robert move as quickly as they can in flip flops and cowboy boots to the suitcases. Elton ties the sarong around his waist as Robert tries to make the Hawaiian shirt that is three sizes too small fit his arms.
They rush bag to tag Ann Weston and Mrs. Dashing. The each put on all of the items as fast as they can. Ann chooses to open the umbrella as her last item while Mrs. Dashing places the plastic red Hibiscus in her hair. As they take all of the items off, they run as fast as possible back to their corresponding team running neck and neck. Mrs. Dashing almost slips but keeps on going. Anne rotates her arms on her sides to give her more energy and power as fast as she can. But both reach their teams at the same time and the race is declared a tie!
Dinner consists of kabobs on the BBQ, hamburgers and hotdogs with cocktail shrimp on the side. After finishing their delicious supper, this is followed by a generous helping of pineapple upside down cake made by Ann Weston with scrumptious Huapia a type of sweet coconut pudding in cut squares by Alice Hammer.
The day concludes with a gift of an engraved crystal picture frame presented by Mrs. Dashing to Elton and April for their engagement.
“Can I give you a ride home? I see that you came with your dad but he seems busy talking with Mr. Weston at the moment” asks Knightly to Emma.
“Yes, thank you for the offer. I’m getting tired and I have a lot to do tomorrow” replies Emma genuinely grateful for Knightly’s offer.
Emma takes her place in the passenger seat next to Knightly. He starts some of his favorite music which he has organized as a play set on his IPOD which blares through the speaker system in the car.
“I think that might be a little loud” suggests Emma speaking very loudly over the lyrics.
“I’m sorry. I was singing while I was driving to the music on the way here and I was a bit carried away by it” answers Knightly as Emma imagines him singing to himself.
“When do you have to be back at DHQ?” inquires Emma hoping that he has some free time.
“I don’t have to be back until Monday so I thought of hanging around tonight and heading back after church tomorrow” replies Knightly.
“Would you like to stay in the guest room?” offers Emma.
“Thanks but I’m already staying at the Weston’s house” replies Knightly “but thank you for offering a place to stay. I might need a rain check.”
“Isn’t it crowded with Grant there too?” asks Emma.
“He is using the other guest room and actually the first time that I’ve seen him today was at the party. Ann said he keeps himself very busy and so they don’t even see him too much” replies Knightly wondering if Emma knows where Grant is spending his time.
“I only see him at the corps for the most part. Sometimes I run into him while out shopping with Jane or he unexpectedly shows up at singing company rehearsal. He’s been doing that a lot lately” remarks Emma not realizing the reality of that statement until just now but decides to think about the reason for that later.
“What do you think of Grant?” asks Knightly.
“He seems really nice. He is always talking and we have a good time chatting together. He seems to know so much about everything” replies Emma acknowledging that sometimes she would prefer less information in a conversation.
“Are you interested in him?” curiously asks Knightly with a motive other than just curiosity.
“I don’t know. He doesn’t seem to mind being around me. He certainly doesn’t like Jane and Harriet hasn’t noticed him yet as far as I can tell” as Emma makes this statement she suddenly is inspired that Grant might be a good match for Harriet.
“I don’t think that you are quite right about his feelings towards Jane” remarks Knightly.
“You don’t know what you are talking about. He doesn’t talk to her when we’re together and he seems more interested in knowing about some other guy she dated in the past. He thinks she is still interested in this other guy” replies Emma.
“I would be careful Emma. Some things are not always as they appear to be. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. I think Grant has an agenda and I don’t want you to be caught up in it” sincerely replies Knightly.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Grant doesn’t like Jane. He is available and I think that there will soon be opportunities coming his way” Emma states in reference to her recent revelation of adding Harriet to the mix.
Knightly suspects her feelings for Grant. Emma’s statement especially in regards to her last comment seems to confirm this. “Well, just be careful. I’m not sure he is a very direct kind-of person” advises Knightly not believing that Grant is not interested in Jane but fearing what Emma’s feelings might be.
As he drives up to Emma’s house, Emma impulsively leans over and kisses him on the cheek “It’s going to be all right.”
