MO-SYOL
Mar 01 '09
The Bottom Line I wonder where he is now?
It happened in Ka`u, on the island of Hawai`i, shortly after 9-11, when I was so broke I had to sell off my Cherokee, and my little Honda 450 motorcycle (or my feet) became my only transportation.
I was out by Hawai`i Ocean View Estates, and pulled off the highway onto one of those side-loops that leads to yet another real-estate office in the middle of nowhere.
There was a car parked there with two women and a little boy, maybe five years old.
We chatted. The little boy just sat there. It was weird. How often do you see a five year old who just sits and stares? The women noticed that I noticed. "He has autism. He dosen't talk."
OK.
I noticed he started glancing over at my bike. I glanced at him, and tried to look like a cool biker type (not easy when you are a very uncool grandma type).
"You have to wear the helmet, gloves, and jacket to ride it," I told him.
He looked straight at me. His eyes went to my helmet.
He was like a little rag doll as we dressed him. His arms were soft, and his head wobbled. But his eyes were fixed on the bike.
Reaching up the sleeve, I pulled his hand out the cuff and slipped my gauntlets on him. His tiny hands closed the palms, and the long empty leather fingers bent backwards. We set the helmet on his narrow shoulders, his whole face looking out over the chinbar, which rested on his chest.
Then we sat him on the bike.
He straightened up and grabbed the left grip - the one he could reach.
He leaned over the tank and pushed his chin forward, lining up with the headlamp. The helmet slipped down and covered his eyes.
And we heard a word. "MO-SYOL!!!" His left hand moved on the grip as if he were trying to twist it.
And that was it.
He returned to that solitary world only he could enter. We took the jacket, helmet, and gloves off a floppy little doll.
His mom, aunty, and I exchanged hugs, and I was on my way.
He's a teenager by now, I suppose. I hope he is well, and that he someday is able to ride a mo-syol.
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Epinions.com ID:
hularider
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Member: Leilehua Yuen
Location: Hilo, Hawaii, USA
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
HulaRider is an author, artist, and educator who specializes in Hawaiian culture and arts.
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