Patty Clark was the cutie living next to Augie She used to babysit. And Paul Crawford used to throw rocks with his feet. He was good at it. He would pick up a rock with his toes and fling it at you while you were talking to him. And Jimmy Rucker " Rocka " lived across Sadowski and Freddy Carry"s house. Freddy used to get on our case and Rocka and me used to stone his fathers 57 Edsell . Rocka and me used to watch wrestling together every day and the wrestle. But most of the time it ended up in a fist fight. We used to bomb Jimmie Ha’s store with rocks to antagonize him. Sorry for that Jimmie. We was kids then. Freddy was bigger and older than us but I got him once in a fight. He had a choke hold on me and I was really choking. I picked him up and slamed his back on the corner of his house. He had to let go and I could swing again. Nobody ever lost or won because tomorrow we did it all over again. Freddy followed me up a pine tree in Empty Lot one time and I climbed out on a limb bout 20 or 30 feet high. I dropped down into the thick carpet of leaves and Freddy dropped down to follow me but he landed his foot on a beer bottle and got majer cut on his foot. On day we was inside the old High Tide Reastaurnt when it was abandoned and Freddy wen punch the front window. Da glass wen broke and cut his arm. He had plenty stitches from dat one. We was freinds but Freddy was a jerk. I neva feel sorry fo him. Wen I wen trade him my bb gun for his bicycle he wen shoot me in da back wen I leave wit da bike. Dat was Freddy…Paul…
We used to uncap the soda bottles at Silva Store’s Coke cooler outside the store and with a straw slurp out the soda. MG and me used to climb and sit in the tree across Silva’s Store and shoot Migitos with our sling shots. One day Mr. Silva came out and told us if he saw any more birds falling out of the tree he would cal the cops. We stopped that day. We saw his point. We was kids, but sorry again…Paul…
E Paul u was dea wen Freddy wen jump at EL from da iron wood tree afata he wen make one homemade parachute? I rememmber Norman myself and I tink Herb and maybe Stan S. Well he wen jump of course da parachute neva do nothing and Freddy wen go tru da trees til he hit bottom. Good ting da branches wen break his fall if not he probaby “make”. Tink he wen broke his leg and arm as all. I tink Mr. Gandall wen yeah at us and we all wen get scared and run away. Was around 1958-59. Remba “Rocka” every time he like wrestle. He wen come ova my yard one time wit you an Norman. First ting he wen challenge me to wrestle. I neva like cause I thought he was small ( sucken guy was unreal strong) boy was i wrong. I turned my back to him an he wen jump on me and rear choke on me. We used to call um da sleeper hold cause if you no give up u going nigh nigh! I finally wen jump up as high as I could and land on him and he wen gasp and let go. I rememba I wanted to beef wit him rite dea cause at first i told him I no like wrestle but he neva listen. Afta i wen cooldown and everyting was cool. He jus like to roll. Was one tough bugga and neva take crap from anybody. But EBR guys was all la dat so whats new. Everybody same ting eh. Nobody wen like come down da road and make trouble wit us cause dat wasn’t too smart. We took care of each other no madda what we all did to each other. Remba wen I heard from da Kendalls dat u was asked to leave Damian High School I came ova your house and told u u gotta come ova my house. U wen follow me home and I told you u gotta start boxing more cause wen u go Campbell dey tink u haole and going like scrap wit u, mob u la dat. i was concerned for u but u neva care. U said if dey like scrap u said I scrap back. Den I told u, Paul i stay at Kam. Cannot back u up. U told me dat I told u no madda what if u scap back weada u lose or not dey gotta respect u. Jus go all out. I agreed and told u jus put on da gloves already. Crazy funny eh now dat we can look back.
Cleigh
Hozit Bradda Cleigh. Rememba you and me box every day for years. At Damien when da teacher Brother Murphy wen hit me in da face, I wen flip an show him some left hand dat wen lan him on his back two rows over. Neva mean to do dat but you know me. My Father asked me why I was home early from school. I told him I wen hit da teacher. Wen we went to da principles office next day he wen ask da teacher if he hit me first. He said yes. My dad said OK come on boy lets go home. Remeba your cousin Russell? You guys stitting on da couch in Mike Kendall’s house and Russell told u guys he goin jump out and scare me? You guys knew what I would do but u let him go. You even said “I knew that would happen”. I am truely sorry Russell for the black eye. Wen we was young we was hair trigga, took some time for us to mellow out and find discipline. Now we more civilized. May time heal all wounds. By da way I was talking to Cal tonight. Remebering some old times. Good to talk story, more easy den to type story. Cal wen bring up Dave and John Brown. I rememba John mostly. Kevin Palmatin came up alot. Last time I saw Kevin was at Aunty O’s farewell. Las time I saw u to bra.I was rude but neva mean to be. I jus had to go and neva like go without saying Aloha. I neva see u fo soo many years and neva know wen I going see you again. ALOHA…Paul…
Eh. I like ask one question. You know the road across north road going into Makule Road. The name Kimopelekane. Y dat name? Jimmy da Fireman? Whats the origin if you know? Stay real close to da fire station. Wen we was kids neva need to know street names just need to know were your freinds lived. Now days get so much trafic lights you get time to browse. I see this sign and wonder. In fact I still don’t know the name of the first road after the canal going into Ewa Beach Road. In fact I no remember seeing the sing Ewa Beach Road. I know my way home…Paul…
Paul, I’ll ask my Mom. If anybody know would be her. She lived there longer then us. In fact you can ask her yourself if you like. You know she get plenty of Aloha for you. Oh yeah , I never thought you were rude at My Aunty O funeral. My kids commented how you and MG shared stories that they heard from me but maybe from another perspective (kinda toned my verision down a bit). It was precious and yes we were blessed to have lived were we did when we did. Yeah my cousin Russel poor thing him. You gave him black eye, I went split his lip teaching him how to box. Oh well, I was trying to help him be protected at Cambell. His Grandmother, my auntie Imo was incensed with me. I tried to let her know I didn’t do this on purpose but she wouldn’t have it.They were born and raised on the Mainland so what you think going happen when they go school hea? Besides we was boys, as what we do and we do it cause we from EB Road. It was what it was.You know Paul, your talk story means alot to me so… no stop. Get misty eyed sometimes. Reminds me that we lived a life people only heard stories about. But we was dea!
Cleigh
Eh Cleigh. I stay laughing so hard my eyes get tears. We was kina mean guys dat time. I neva wack Russell cause I was mean. He wen just come out of nowhere and I wen react. I really liked Russell. But you right, he had a lot to learn. Da Road was a little different dat time. We had our own ways. Like we was some kine primitive people living outside da realm of society. Da bus neva even recognize us. We was jus a bunch of paniolo living at the end of a long road to nowhere. But to us it was everything and home. In dos days who would have thought you would get anywhere going throgh all da cane fields and keawes all da way from Ewa. No steet lights all da way in. Wen rain had da big pool deep water by what is now Soda Creek. Wata so deep came in your car floor. Dey wen name dat area KoloWaka. Poor haole translation of Soda Water. I used to bypass dat section stormy days by going behind Ewa Mill and had one road go from Ewa to jus outside Barbers Point. I rememba one night I wen rush da road about 9 oclock in one storm. Da grass was about 4 foot tall but da gate by Ewa was open so I wen chance um. No can turn around but was hoping da last gate was open. Only one car can fit on dat mud road, but I wen go. I wen plow da grass all da way and neva hit da fence and neva drop over da road into da field. I was hoping da gate on da uta end was open cause I neva like back up dat mile in da mud and grass. Was really dark. But da gate was open and I wen just go out and back to Fort Weaver and go home. So mch guys was stuck by da deep water, neva had no traffic Ewa Beach side of da flooded part. I neva see dat problem nowdays, I think det wen fix um somehow. By da wa what happened to Billy Wise? I neva see him since school time. I think his mom used to take me by Damienn on da way to Kam School sometimes. I think his Dad was firedepartment with my Dad. They lived by Mitziatsu side around der. Rememba wen hard rain in front of Tanaka Store had deep wata. We used to rush um though der with da car to see if we goin sink. Goin down Makule Road like you was in one riva. Sand bags out side Tanaka Store and Silva’s store. Tanaka’s Store long gone but Silva’s Store still got to put sand bags now and then. Eh wen I dig in my back yard, I stll come up with sand and sandcrabs.High tide I think da water is about 2 or 3 feel below my groud. No mo mongoose in my yard for years. No more cane spyders either. Nowdays only sand crabs now and then. Before da pathway beside your house was about 5 feet above da tide, da sand was 5 feet below your wall. Nowdays your wall is under da sand. But still small kid time da water high tide and good swell wen wash down da path. Kinda same nowdays. Just da sand wen cover up more of da beach. Ocean seems kina same place, but sand is really deeper now…Paul…
Paul! I saw Billy Wise in 08 at my 40th Class Reunion. He is remarried and retired from the fire dept. I think he either lives in town or on the mainland. His dad was with HFD stationed in EB where we used to have meetings for Ewa Beach Surf Club (EBSC). He lived on Pohakupuna Road, his family moved there in 59 from Palama. Billy and I went to Kapalama Elementary together and later Kamehameha. His mom and my mom were classmates at Roosevelt. Yeah the back cane roads was how we got around faster even to the west side. The rain storms were cool cause would flood FT. Weaver Rd. and we neva need go school. Play all day in flooded EB Park, Ewa beach Elementary, even make boats to use in ths area flooded in Panoke and Nauka yard. Remember playing rough take football at the park or EB El. Use our paipo boards for skim board too. I remember Guy Kamaka on his surfboard being towed by a car driven by Nelson Kang and Kenny Kohler down our road were the water was high. Good fun times. Auwe! Aia ihea i keia la! Where went thse days!
Aloha Ke Akua ame Ahui hou kakou!
Paul! Just for locational reason and so you have a picture too, Billy lived next to Mike Quinlan going into Ewa Beach Estates. Small kine memory recall.
Cleigh
Ye Cleigh. I remember Mike too. Ewa Beach Estates was by Mitziatsues side right. Between da fire station and Hau Bush. My Dad knew Billy Wise Dad from da fire department. Dey worked together…Paul…
Waaaazzzzuuupp Paul! Long time no see. Man, some of these names that are mentioned in this website is amazing. I remember 99% of all of them. Nice to hear so much history from the Eaton's. Ewa Beach and Ewa was the place to grow up then, so much fun. When I drive around those old places again it's kinda sad cause people not taking care of their properties like our parents and we did. Had to dig weeds before you go surf. I'm hoping some day that we all can get together again in Ewa Beach somewhere and drink some Primo Beer, eat, talk story, and go surf. After all we are all close to, or already in our 60's. Some of us no stay already. Anyway, stay well and hope to see you soon. Aloha to all. Mike Nii
Hozit Mike. Eh u neva going fine da real old style Primo beer no moa. And stuff da Li Hing Mui in da Lemon. Sit on da beach, drink Primo and snack on da ogo ln da blankit around your feet. Nowdays appriciate more what we had but we had it. Lucky we was dea before civilization came along. Dey say times change and tings get beta. Well, whoeva wen say dat neva see da times we wen see… Aloha Paul…
Howzit Cleigh & Harry, just picked up what you folks was saying. My mada was born in one tent in Watertown in 1917 & my TuTu wahine was also born there in 1897. They got displaced from there by the military and ended up in Maunalaha Valley in Makiki. From all in my ohana i was the only one who knew all these things , I used to ask my Tutu all kind questions. Harry if your auntie still alive ask her if she know the Boner family from Watertown. Aloha T.P.
Paul! Just got news today that Kevin Johns passed at his house on Tuesday. He had been really sick for awhile. Seen him maybe a year ago or more and he looked really aged. Was on a cane and being taken care of at home both he and his mom. His mom outlived him. So with His brother Rick and kevi gone there is only his sister and mom left. His mom and da were teachers at Cambell. Give you more details when I get um. Nate moody called me late this a.m.
Ke Akua Pu!
Cleigh
Paul! Just got news today that Kevin Johns passed at his house on Tuesday. He had been really sick for awhile. Seen him maybe a year ago or more and he looked really aged. Was on a cane and being taken care of at home both he and his mom. His mom outlived him. So with His brother Rick and kevi gone there is only his sister and mom left. His mom and da were teachers at Cambell. Give you more details when I get um. Nate moody called me late this a.m.
Ke Akua Pu!
Cleigh
Hey Cleigh. That's sad news about Kevin. I just saw some photos of him from about 1 month ago at his dad's birthday party. I was surprised at how old Kevin looked in the photo. Dick Johns just turned 93 and still getting around. As is Kevin's mom, Marie Johns, who I think is 91 now. Sharon Johns, a year younger than me, is living on Maui as well. Kevin's daughter, Chelsia and Ex-wife Sheri still on Maui too, I'm pretty sure. This will be very tough on all his family. RIP to an Ewa Beach legend.
That’s tough about Kevin, going to Rick’s service at Punch Bowl in '63 was the very first of any of our young friends to pass away, none of us are here for very long, seems like only yesterday I was gojng to Waipahu for the first day, how 50 years have raced by over night
Last time I saw Kevin was wen he and Syd Walsh visited me at my shop about 12 years ago. He brought up your name alot Cleigh. I remember surfing with him at Empty Lot and Shark Country like it was yesterday. One more light gone dim in Ewa Beach but one new star shining down on us. Our path’s may have gone different ways but our hearts are still one. One day we’ll surf together again, till then Aloha Kevin. Keiki O Ka Aina I Ka Pono, Ewa Beach Ea…Paul…
Howzit Cleigh, sorry to hear about Kevin Johns. We were good friends growing up. Good surfer too, had a very smooth style. I didn't even know he was sick. Lost contact with him after he graduated. As we are all of that age now, I was kinda currious what his illness was? Have to try and stay in the best condition as possible and thank God for every blessed day. Like I said to Paul S, hope we can all get together soon for one big party. My best to you and your family. Aloha, Mike Nii
Howzit Mike. Sid Walsh wrote me back yesterday after I read Cleigh's info asked what happened. Kevin was his brother-in-law when he was married to Sharon, and he's still close to the family. Kevin died in the morning on November 4th. An autopsy will determine cause of death. I guess it takes a while to get results. The family all flying in from different parts now. He'll be cremated, but I understand the service will probably not take place until after the 1st of the new year. I always admired Kevin. He took a couple of us young guys surfing on Maui when we went to visit back when I was in 9th grade, then brought us back to hang out in his Makawao house. That seemed super cool back then. Saw more of him much later when I dated Sharon Johns; we used to visit her family in Maui pretty often back then, and he stayed at our Tantalus house when he'd come to Honolulu. He had 2 daughters with his Ex, Sheri; Candice living on Oahu, and Chelsea in the mainland somewhere.
Yeah Mike, an Ewa Beach reunion whould be really great. Were not getting any younger! Aloha, Mike B