Vintage Hollyday

This is my favorite vintage Hawaiian dress. I bought it one week before my trip at an estate sale for $5. I was so excited about it that my friend Peg suggested I wear it to work, the Friday before we left, in anticipation of the trip. Mr. Jones shut that idea right down (I believe he used the words 'god awful'). It was fine. I knew I'd be wearing my dress in paradise, in a few short days.

So imagine my absolute joy when we checked into our Kona hotel, the second of three places we'd stay on the island, and they were installing new (that's new, folks, not vintage, and by installing I mean they were laying glue and rolling it across the floor) carpet that matched my favorite dress almost exactly.

My eyes widened, my mouth dropped, and my heart leaped from my chest. I could vaguely hear Mr. Jones muttering "Oh my god, Klein. This is it, isn't it. Your dream has come true". He knew he was in for a lot of picture taking in that lobby.

There was the Hawaiian boat to pose with...

...and the paintings. Other hotel guests did double takes, and a Japanese couple tried to tell me, in very broken English, that I matched the carpet. "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know". This went on for some time.

I was still giddy after a dozen photos. Mr. Jones' interest was waning. "Why are we doing this, again?" he asked. "FOR THE GRANDCHILDREN," I snarled.
"Ohhhhkkayyy".

And though the sites we saw and the people we met were the true highlight of the Big Island, it's not often that you match the carpet of your new favorite hotel, in your very favorite holiday outfit.

Or is it?