Van

Van. "I'm getting a Van."  Van. "I'm getting a van when I get back out to Hawaii." Van. Welzie's been talking about vans since Malibu. Or even before that. Who knows, I think I was supposed to get one too.
Airport. Headcold. Hot. Hawaii. I know it before I actually see it. Van. I can sense it's sketchiness from across the airport.
Welzie pulls up. Van. I silently hope there's no one tied up in the back.
I don't ask about the registration or safety. The gas gauge reads empty. I don't ask about that either.
Should have.
 The Van starts stuttering close to Mililani.
We start doing verbal diagnostics.
"Did you feel that?" Welzie.
"Uhh yeah... you're running on empty."
"The gas gauge reads half full..?"
"Yeah it's going backwards.."
The vans dead, now I'm pushing it back from the airport. Nicks still sitting in the drivers seat steering, only now powered by shaper on foot instead of the Ford engine that came with the van.
"Dude get out and push!"
"I gotta steer!"
We're traveling uphill now.
"Dude! Get out and push!!"
He's out now... kind of pushing. Steering seems to be his priority.
The van comes to a rest, we can't push it uphill any further.
I go foraging to the nearest gas station.
"Can I help you?" Cute gas station attendant.
"Gas cans?" I'm sweating and breathing hard. She smiles.
"Right there in the back."
Fumbling around for cash in my pocket, she has to ask.
"Run out of gas?"
"Yep."
"Bummer."
I think about launching into the sob story about coming back from the airport. She doesn't care.
"Freestyle." I correct her.
...
While I was gone, Nick's figured out the hazards. No cops yet. Sweet.
As soon as the gas is in the tank, the van starts.
We get out while the getting's good.
Gas stop.
Poke stop.
Blank stop.
Shop stop.
Wave check.
Should have surfed.
We end up in the water at Keiki. Bodysurf session with no waves. Freestyle bath.
Van camping looms as the sky turns dark. I dork out on my planer as Welzie plans our next move.
Headlamps. Van. Camping. Mosquitoes.
Phone call.
 Beautiful house, Beautiful people. We wake up to pancakes. Viva la freestyle.
-Carl