I felt bad for her losing her father at a young age. It was not the same as actually having her father die, like me, but in some ways it must have been worse. Even when my parents were gone, I always knew that they had loved me and were waiting for me in Heaven, but how must she have felt. Children tend to blame themselves in that sort of situation. She must have questioned her father's love of her and her own self worth. During that conversation, I wanted to hug her, but we were driving. I settled for a brief pat on her shoulder.

I grew up on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, since my uncle taught there. From a young age, I would run around the campus, bugging the professors and chatting up the students. It was also a bit like a small town. There were always rumors going around and you could not get away with anything. Still, since getting to know her family, and her home town, I have become more aware of what it is like to grow up in a truly small town.

The docks were a great site for photos. I took at least half a roll of one of the old men carving. His face was so interesting. I find that the older people get, the more interesting they get, both physically and socially. I ended up chat with the old man a bit. He assumed we were a couple, and I did not bother to dissuade him. I found that I was flattered by his assumption. It was probably the first glimmer of the love which was to grow between us, though I did not recognize it as such until much later.

She asked me to tell some of my travel stories, and I obliged her. I told her of my favorite trip of all, to a small island off of the coast of Scotland. Islands have always fascinated me, since they are so different, all around the world. I always considered myself to be an island boy. I stayed in a room above a public house on the island. There was a pub, a small general store, an old stone church, a tiny one room school house, a couple dozen houses and little else, except rocks and sheep.

One the island, I expected the locals to be closed mouthed and unaccepting of an outsider, but I learned that it was not so. They invited me into their hearts and homes. They were so proud of their beautiful little island, but they also asked questions about my home. Upon learning that I had also grown up on an island, they declared me one of them. I spent a great two weeks being a part of their community.

As we drove, I listened to her stories of her family and herself. I told her about my parents' deaths, and being raised by my uncle and his wife. It was hard on my sister and I adjusting to their deaths and moving to a new home, so far away from everything and everyone we knew. I empathized with her losing her father and with her fear of being somewhere so different from where she had grown up. 

The view was beyond belief. I could see why it was her favorite spot and since then it has become one of my favorite spots. I shot over four rolls of film that evening and could have taken twice as many. I was a bit in the zone, and barely heard her question, but managed to answer. "I completely understand. It is fantastic. After I got my shots, but kicked off my shoes and joined her on the hood of the truck. "Well, I'm not Sammy, but I am happy to be here with you. Thank you Alice. It's been a wonderful day."

As the last few rays of the sun disappeared, and I shot a few last few shots from the hood of her truck. It was a perfect moment, and for once I set my camera down, and just enjoyed the moment. If did not think about the two and a half hours of driving that were still before us. i realized that with her help, in one day, I already had enough rolls shot for nearly an eighth of my book.