He was passing on the perfectly proportioned ‘Penny’s Papaya Passion.’  What looked like an old man brunch is a culinary work of art, but you would not know it from the plain menu.  As a matter of fact, it was Kona Rick’s suggestion that gave the dish its name.

   Kona sipped pure Kona coffee from the perch overlooking Kealakekua Bay in the distance.  In fact, a look down and to the right reveals the trees that yield this berry brew.  He’s secretly researching the carrot cake recipe-convinced that the item is on the tip of his tongue.  (Kona had connections to some big carrot cake fanciers from the East Coast.  For years they have been after the complete recipe to offset the high cost of shipping from Kona.)

   By the way, Big Jake the owner is not suspicious of Kona’s motives.

   “I’ll take the Cobb Salad, and a little more…” with a smile and a wiggle of the coffee cup.”

   This is the kind of place where secret negotiations go on in public.  There’s no frou frou fancy drinks here, no posse, no dogs in purses.  Your agent WON’T call my people.  Quite often the locals and the tourists entertain big time coffee buyers, and international ‘persons of interest’ without a clue.

   There’s a rumor that a very larger Sumo Wrestler type guarded the backroom one time in ’99 as negotiations involving a zebra and a helicopter.  The animal and the helicopter came in on a ship late one evening to Kawaihae harbor.  The coffee was hauled out that same day in a bunch of suitcase and duffle bags.  Other packages were shipped out over the following weeks.  The leader of a small island republic really liked that same coffee that I was drinking today.

   This brew is a salt of the earth specialty that much of the world has not experienced …yet.  Anyway, as Alyssa brought the famous Cobb creation, and the clear view became ever-so-foggy due to the vog, our hero felt the caffeine kicking in, just as his vision seemed to gain focus.

   “This is gonna be a great day…”

TO BE CONTINUED

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