Grandfather II - 5. Chapter 5

“Akela, come here, I thought I saw someone standing just east of the pier. Look there, something moved again.”

“Billy, he’s calling my name.” Akela took off.

Moe came and stood by me. “What is it?”

“There’s someone there. Akela went to see who it is.”

“It looks like whoever it is doesn’t want to come.”

“Liko, go and help Akela.”

I watched as there was a lot of talking. I couldn’t understand as they were talking in their language. Akela started to walk toward they boat, Liko stayed behind. “Billy, that is Kana he’s hurt, he’s afraid of coming to the boat.”

“Akela, you know we’ll take care of him. Do you want me to go and talk to him?”

“Would you?”

“Yes, let’s go.” I forgot no shoes on, “Ouch, I forgot no shoes.”

“Here use mine.”

“Kana, my name is Billy. Will you let me help you? You’ll be safe on the boat. Come, I have food for you.” I went and took him by his arms. I then saw he couldn’t walk, his feet were bleeding. “Akela, help him on my back”

I carried him to the boat, “Sit here” I pulled up the gangway. “Akela, in my office there is a white box with a red sign on it, bring it to me.” “Kana, let’s get these dirty clothes off of you.”

“Billy, is this the box?”

“Yes, now get me a bucket of warm water and a wash cloth. Ok Kana, I’m going to wash your feet to see where all of the blood is coming from. Akela, there is a white stool in my closet, place it in my shower.”

As I poured the water over Kana’s black feet, I noticed the blood was coming from what appeared to be whip marks. The left foot was okay, but the right foot was really beaten. Someone used a whip on that foot. I got the bleeding to stop, but now I had to get him in the shower. “If you put your arm around my shoulders, do you think you could walk on your good foot?”

“I’ll try”

Actually he did petty well considering. I led him to my cabin and shower. “Sit on the stool. I’ll wash you the first time then you are on your own.” Akela laughed. It took me four washings to get the dirt out of his hair. I ran a fine tooth comb through his clean hair, the comb was clean as well. Once the hair was clean, I began to wash his back. Once the layer of dirt was removed, I saw red stripes of a beating. It looked like a whip or belt was used. Some were very red and some were bleeding. I carefully washed his back, rinsing it well. “Do you think you can stand up by holding on these rails?” He tried and on the second attempt he made it. I noticed his buttocks were also striped, as I washed him, the madder I got. There was no reason a person could ever deserve such a beating. .

“Sit down while I wash your front.” I soaped up his arms and chest. “Shut your eyes.” I then washed his face. Sooner or later I knew there was a part of anatomy that would need to be washed. I decided to do that last. I washed his feet, legs and thighs.“Can you stand up again?” He did and I washed his genitals. He was as natural as God intended him to be, so I pushed back the skin and washed that as well. When I was finished, I looked at him, a 24 year old boy with tears in his eyes. I started to dry him, it was as if he became aware, he took the towel and dried himself.

“Akela, get the scissors, comb and rubber band from he office.” I applied antiseptic cream to the open wounds, the more serious ones I covered with gauze and tape. Still in the bathroom, I trimmed his hair, braided it and tied it off with the rubber band. “Akela, get me a sarong.” He stood up and Akela wrapped a sarong around him. “You now look like one of my island boys. Come and I’ll fix some food for you.”

He leaned on Akela as he hobbled to the galley. I now needed a shower. Taking a quick shower, Liko brought me a clean sarong. Walking into the galley, “Kana, when did you eat last?”

“Three days ago”

“Ok, I want you to eat slowly. If you eat fast, you’ll throw everything back up. Akela, I want you to count to five between spoonfuls.” I set a bowl of chicken soup before him. I could see he wanted to gulp it all down.

I watched Akela holding his hand. “now” and he took a spoonful of soup. It took him about an hour to get all of the soup down, but it stayed down.

I placed a dish of pasta and meatballs before him. “Billy, do you have more of that?”

“Yes, do you and Liko want some?” Need I ask. I fixed them both a plate. I looked at Kana, at last I got a smile. “Akela, set Kana up in Cabin 2. Make sure he brushes his teeth. Leave the dishes and I’ll wash them tomorrow morning.”

About three hours later, Moe came to awakened me, “Billy. there are a couple of men on shore yelling.” Akela heard as well. I got up, wrapped a sarong around myself and headed for the deck, I was followed by Akela. “Go and put on a sarong.”

Walking on the deck, “Are you the owner?”

“Yes, what do you want?” I noticed that the lines were in and the boat was moving very slowly.

“We’re looking for a lost farm hand?”

“Why look here?”

“He told one of the other hands he was from here and heading back here.”

“We have only been here three days and haven’t seen anyone.” Now Akelo and Liko came and stood next to me.

“That tall boy next to you looks like him.”

“You are mistaken, these boys are my sons. They have been with me for the last two weeks. If you think he came here, check the northern side. It’s my understanding there are boys who live there.”

“You won’t let us aboard.”

“Not unless you can swim” that was when Captain Malone started the engines. The men ran to jump on the boat. They didn’t recognize that the boat was away from the dock. They landed in the water. They yelled for help, but I knew they could stand up where they were. “Let’s go back to bed”

I started off with Akela in my bed but when I woke up, all three were in my bed.

Wakening up, “What are all three of you doing in my bed?”

“We had bad dreams.”

I’m not sure I believe them, “Ok, let’s get shower and dressed. We are at Big Island.”

I started the coffee, while the boys showered and dressed. As soon as Akela was done, I showered and dressed.

Akela sent the coffee up. I took some frozen pancakes that I had bought in California and as soon as they were ready I sent them up. Lastly, I sent up orange juice and then I went up on deck. I had a coffee, I wasn’t really hungry. Akela set one before me, “Eat”

I went and got my first aid kit, “Kana, come here and sit down.” I put more antiseptic on his wounds, replaced the bandages and checked his foot. “Kana, would you be more comfortable with a shirt? I have some that would fit you.” I went and got one of my t-shirts, he put it on and smiled. He was wearing my sandals.