Tsai-ko Autobiography: Mrs. A-House
Name: (withheld) Bonafide
Tsai-ko
High School: Kaimuki
Tsai-ko Lunch Size: N/A
Tsai-ko caricature: first row, 3rd from right
Other: Mr. A-House bio
From the Warrior Beat blog November 1,
2007:
ST's Intro:
Technology can be a wonderful
thing.
I've lived in the same house since 1984, but it was only through the
blog that I met my neighbor, A-House.
From the blog I've met his wonderful family. What's amazing is I've had
more typed conversations with A-House than in-person talks. And as kind
and gracious as A-House has been, Mrs. A-House is even more wonderful.
Meet Mrs. A-House:
Kapahulu is a small community
nestled among Kaimuki, Diamond Head and Waikiki. This is where I grew
up and enjoyed what I consider to be the simple pleasures of childhood.
I am the middle of three siblings, with an older sister and younger
brother, born to a hard-working carpenter dad and a loving but strict
homemaker/seamstress mom. Our Saturdays were spent at the Kapahulu
Theater (since torn down), which featured the Bugs Bunny Kids Club.
Kids were admitted for a nickel, and you could buy popcorn and jujube
(hard jelly candy) for pennies. After consuming the popcorn, we would
tear the side panels out of the box and make goggles to wear as we sang
our hearts out and watched the featured cartoons and movies.
I was a tomboy and enjoyed getting down and dirty, playing a pick-up
game of football on the quiet street in front of our house. My Dad
occasionally would join us and toss the ball around with us. His
memorable "trick play" was to call a huddle to give us what the other
team thought were the signals to score on the next down. Instead, he
would whisper to us..."take a rest...jus' take a rest." We would burst
out laughing as we broke the huddle. He also taught me how to throw a
tight spiral, and each time I watch CB pass his way into UH football
history, I think of my Dad.
I graduated from Kaimuki High School and Honolulu Business College with
a secretarial decree. I took the civil service test and was hired in
1964 as a clerk-typist at what was then called the U.S. Dept. of State,
Office of the Special Passport Representative. The staff consisted of
the Special Agent-in-Charge, her assistant and me. I was the entire
processing unit of one person. I typed passport books on a Royal
passport writer. Thankfully, the State Dept. was able to timely
implement incredible technology so critical to keep abreast of the
needs of the traveling public. I retired last year as a senior examiner
after 42 very gratifying years of service.
How did I meet A-House? I had been working for five years before we
formally met at a small family reunion dinner in 1969. A-House and I
often laugh about how long he hesitated (2 weeks) before asking me out
on a date. Things began looking up, however, when he took me to the
Iolani carnival, and we got drenched by rain on the ferris wheel ride.
He took me to his apartment to change his wet shirt, and when he
removed his shirt to reveal his chiseled biceps...hmm...that my friends
was probably what fueled the fire and the train of love began chugging
along at a much faster clip. The rest they say, is history. We
announced our engagement six months after we met and were married eight
months later in March of 1970.
Most of our spare weekends were spent at UH football games. We attended
almost every game at the old termite palace on King Street and have had
football season tickets every year since 1975. We are blessed, truly
blessed, to have two awesome kids, Midori7 and MasaBoy. I give thanks
each morning for who I am and what I have...my health and my family.
One last thing. The warmth and genuine friendliness with which A-House,
Midori7 and I were greeted this past Saturday at the homecoming
Tsaikogate will remain one of my most cherished memories. We were
meeting most of you for the first time, but we immediately felt we
belonged to the Tsaiko ohana. Mahalo to BG, Kazz, Bulla, James, Wreck,
Homey, WassupDoc, and Tracy. I was thrilled to pieces and felt like I
was walking into a Hollywood bash when coming face to face with all of
these celebrated Tsaiko bloggers previously named, in addition to
LizKauai, Mr/Mrs Peaches, D1Shima and Juliet, Al and Midori1, Steve M
and Mr/Mrs LongtimeUHfans, uhfan808 and of course, Jason. Sorry we
missed Mr/Mrs Addahknowjoe, LK and Craig Stutzman. The A-House family
are hoping that we will have a second chance at the next Tsaikogate to
meet Craig. He is, and always will be, one of our favorite UH players.
A huge MAHALO! to our guru/mentor/leader ST for inviting me to share my
bio. I shall continue to lurk/post on the blog as we continue to
support our beloved team on their quest to be the best ever. GO FOR
BROKE WARRIORS! Warmest Aloha from Mrs A-House....