Friends, Lovers or Brothers?

Dear Shawn,

When I go to Honolulu, there is a wall that separates the beach from the bar and restaurant at the Surfrider hotel. It’s under a huge Banyan tree and a few palms. I like to sit here and watch the sun rise and set. I awoke about an hour before the sunrise and made a Kona coffee with a shot of Bailey’s and went to this wall. When I arrived, I was the only soul in sight. That didn’t last very long. I ignored the others and sipped on my wonderful coffee drink.

Soon, two young men approached and sat near me on another part of the wall. They were young and handsome, made me think of you. The younger, thinner man wore a Cuban-like hat. The taller man with curly hair looked serious. I pretty much ignored them, like the rest of the life forms walking on two legs, until an older woman came walking up the beach. She wore a swim suit with a black, flowing top and was obviously old enough to be their mother. She took a seat next to the hatted man. The serious man with curls pretty much ignored her as he looked out to sea. So I played a new game, "Friends, Brothers or Lovers?”

The man in curls broke down and spoke to her. She was lively and fresh, for it being so early. Soon, they were joined by a taller man of the same age as the woman, clearly her husband. He also went to the side of the man with the hat, again, furthering my assumption that he was their son. So, was the taller man in curls a sibling, as well? There didn’t seem to be much warmth, however, he did converse with the father more than with the mother. If they were brothers, he was much more reserved. If friends, obviously not as close. If lovers, who knows? Not me.

Finally, another couple joined the party. The woman was a chunky woman of Asian descent, in her twenties and cute. She was with a young man about the same age as the other two. He was slender and tall and wore a strange shirt that seemed to have come right out of the 80s, with squares and circles of pastel hues. A camera was passed to the man in the hat for a photo of the couple, so I thought they may have been romantically inclined, but soon, I could hear the slender man speak and he sounded very effeminate. The came continued...only, friends, siblings or lovers?

The two young men eventually set off together, walking along the beach, side by side. I looked to see if they held hands or anything. I saw nothing but an occasional glance by the curly man at the man in the hat, who had now taken his shirt off. The younger couple didn’t seem to act like they were romantically inclined, as they sat on the wall with a few feet separating them. The older man had wandered off, only to return with coffee and danish for those who remained. I do love to people watch and try to figure things out.

I never got the full story on this little group. The young men didn’t seem to resemble one another as brothers, and other than the occasional glance by the man in curls to the man in the hat, there were no signs of a romantic nature. But then again, I don't look like my brother! It appears that in the game of “Friends, brothers or lovers,” there was no winner.