How my '73 BMW Saved TheM@'s Life - Twice

As I'm sure you all remember from my post "On the Road Again.....", I've recently acquired a 1973 BMW 2002 (which is still, unfortunately, yet to be named).

When Matt decided to come out to visit, he got a lot of advice from several people he works with.  In fact, Thanh, who has spent a lot of time here on the Big Island, even sent a list of things to do while Matt was here.

At the top of the list: Don't go to the Hilo side of the island or else some local will try and beat the crap out of you.  <---I'm paraphrasing that part a bit, for various reasons.  Since I can see Hilo from my yurt, Matt was obviously out of luck.  I'd heard stories about locals taking issues with people, and trying to pick fights and such, but in my time here so far, I'd never had anyone be even remotely antagonistic towards me.  So I told Matt he had nothing to worry about.

When Matt arrived, we sat down for dinner with Kaleo and Kalewa, and after dinner Matt pulled out the list.  Upon reading the first item, with a bit of a chuckle, Kaleo got very serious and said that it was true, we would probably have someone try and start something with us.  I laughe it off, and said that I'd been here all this time, and I've never had any troubles.  

"You will," she said.

Well, whether I thought she was right or not, I was convinced that she'd jinxed us.

A couple of days later, Matt and I went to the liquor store, to pick up some beer.  On our way out we passed a local guy on his way in.  Walking up to the car, there was a lifted truck with four guys in it (waiting for the guy we just passed at the door).  One guy was leaning out the back window.

"Hey!" he hollars, looking right at me.

I'm thinking, "Crap, here it is....."

"Yeah?" I say back, as now I'm standing in front of the guy, putting the keys in the door lock of my car, trying to figure out if I'll have time to set the beer down without breaking it if the guy (and his three friends) jump out of the truck in a hurry.

"Nice car, man."

HA!  I start wondering what I was all worked up about, and they guy and I start talking a bit.  As I'm told, with a new paint job and some new rims, I'd have a "sweet ride."  Matt and I laughed about it on the way home.

Later in the week we were at the grocery store, stocking up (on beer again, I'm sure) and getting out of the car in the parking lot, these two big guys, clearly into the alcohol already themselves, were walking out.

One of the guys said something to me.  First thing through my mind was that last time it turned into nothing, but that these guys are drunk and rowdy, and NOW we're going to have that confrontation everyone's so worried about.

Once I got past the intoxicated slur, and switched my ear back to Hawai'ian Accent Mode, I realized that the guy was not angry at all, but was asking me if I was selling my car.  Weird way to start a conversation, sure, but hey, given the circumstances, I'll take it.

Anyway, that was it.  Which leaves me to choose between three possible conclusions:

1) The Hilo side of the island has a bad image based upon the way things were in the past, rather than how they are now.  I mean, reputations have to come from somewhere, right?  But in my time here I haven't seen anyone fighting anyone.  People here now are just the same as people anywhere else, and as long as you don't act like a jerk to anyone, they won't act like a jerk to you. (mostly, but that applies to anywhere)

2) We just got lucky, and I've continued to be lucky, and sooner or later I'm going to have to deal with an irate local for no logical reason.

3) My car is just cool enough, but still just crappy enough, that everyone digs it, and by association, me (at least enough to not pick a fight with me).

I'm going with #3 with a smattering of #1 mixed in.