Hoʻokena Grocery
While working as a Lease Inspector for Kamehameha Schools in Kona, I frequently would stop by the Higashi Store in Keokea South Kona. The store was a KS lease. Iʻd buy a soda or ice cream and just hang out in front of the store for a few minutes. On day there was a lot of traffic speeding by the Store on Rout 11. The State Highway that around the South side of the island. I began to think as to how much my island had changed in the last few years and while some things had improved, a bunch of good things were being lost. The idea of this song came too me. It took about a week to get the words together. I ended up changing the name of the store to Hoʻokena Grocery because it rhymed better.
I was sitting on the front steps of the Hookena Grocery
Watching all the cars as they went along their way
Wondering where they’re going
All in such a hurry
Thinking maybe I should be getting on my way
I remember when things went a lot more slowly
When people stopped talked as they went along their way
When folks really listened to the words in your answer
When they asked you the question How are you today.
Times I know they really are a changing
I know they just can’t stay the way they were
But if we could just hold on to a few things
Those things that give a sense of worth
I stood up and looked down that busy Highway
When an old man came walking up to me
He smiled and said Where do you think they’re going
Those people in them cars all in such a hurry
I smiled and shrugged my shoulders oh so slightly
He laughed and said a funny thing that day
Said Wonder if they know they’re on an island
And that they’ll end up right back here but coming from the other way
Times I know they really are a changing
I know they just can’t stay the way they were
But life can be like driving on an island
You could end up right back where you were.
You could end up right back where you were.