Every now and then we get a letter to The Garden Island that’s a little different. This one from Marie DeKnikker is one of them. It’s one of those stories not just with a happy ending, but with a happy
Every now and then we get a letter to The Garden Island that’s a little different. This one from Marie DeKnikker is one of them. It’s one of those stories not just with a happy ending, but with a happy beginning and happy middle, too. Can’t have too much of a good thing.
The typed story arrived with this note:
“I wanted to make mention of the kindness shown to us upon our visit to Kauai from Nov. 15-22.”
Marie and husband Al traveled here with family to celebrate their 62nd anniversary.
It’s a story we’ll share here, in a slightly abbreviated form, from the Cambridge, Idaho woman who also submitted it to her local newspaper.
Spoiler alert: She found Kauai a wonderful place. Her only concerns were it seemed almost no one observed the speed limit, and the road to Waimea Canyon was in need of repair.
Otherwise, it was a trip, Marie said, she and her husband will never forget.
Read on, as Marie counts the number of “favors” (Favors 1 and 2 happened before she arrived) she and her family encountered while on island.
• “Al, Marie, Bob and Jennie had a layover in San Francisco, making them late getting to Kauai. They were greeted with leis. Favor 3.”
• “The next morning, Marie was up and at the grocery store before it opened. The Foodland store asked Marie for her telephone number so she could get discounts. Favor 4.”
• “Traveling in a rental car, a tire blew out. Getting to an area where the tire could be changed, five young men and women came on a run to the DeKnikkers’ rescue. Now, this brought tears to Marie’s eyes … Favor 5.”
• “Taking the car back to the Alamo rental, the gal told Al and Marie to take an intermediate-sized car at no extra charge. Favor 6.”
• “Traveling to the Coffee Company, Jennie and Marie were picking up orchids that weren’t too badly wilted, when out of nowhere came two Hawaiian men offering them freshly picked orchids! Marie and Jennie were speechless. Favor 7.”
• “To make sure that Marie could get home with her dermatology cream, she asked a druggist at Longs drugstore to write a note. He did without hesitation. Favor 8.”
• “Upon getting ready to leave, Marie accidentally left her camera in the bathroom. An honest person turned it in. Favor 9.”
• “Marie lost her boarding pass, which had Albert worried. The computer brought a new one right up. Favor 10.”
• “A lady was celebrating her 100th birthday. Marie told her that she was a hugger and the woman said that she was a kisser and planted one on Marie’s cheek. Favor 11.”
• “After an all-night plane flight plane flight to Boise, Al and Marie bid her brother and wife good-bye. A woman from Eagle, Idaho offered to take pictures of the group. Favor 12.”
With all the favors, Marie and Al returned home thankful — and most happy, too.
Marie, in neat handwriting, added this note:
“Favor 13. Highway workers stopped traffic to let me cross the highway! Awesome!”
Yes it is. Favors are like that.
