Our engagement at The Merry Monarch was a twelve week contract with a two week option. We were there only a few weeks when the club owner told us he would definitely exercise the option. Everything about the job was good except the seven nights a week. It is extremely hard to appear fresh and enthusiastic every single night. We tried hard to keep our spirits up and most times were successful but it was a battle. We looked hard for a break in the monotony. I’m not sure how it was communicated to me, I guess by mail but I learned my brothers ship would be coming into Pearl Harbor on its way to Viet Nam. He was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. When a carrier would come in to Pearl the streets of Waikiki were white with sailors and the club would be packed, even before we started playing every night. It was fun to meet these guys. Tommy had told me that when they first came in they would stop at Ford Island to load bombs etc and replacement troops would board there. I cooked up an outing with all the guys to meet the ship at Ford Island. We rented the agents car and was there watching when that big sucker sailed in and stopped. That was exciting to see it dock. The noise, the sheer size, the planes it was overwhelming. It was a temporary stop so they just put out a small gang plank. Tommy met us and took us aboard. That would be unheard of today for security reasons. We followed him through a maze of passageways and stairs til we arrived at his office. We were sitting shooting the bull when we started feeling vibrations and many different sounds. Suddenly he Said oh crap we’re starting to get underway I’ve got to get you all out of here”. We literally ran back the way we had come and barely hit the ground before they moved the gang plank and started moving. We stood and watched as the tugs moved them over to Pearl Harbor then went home. Tommy told us he would see us at the club that night. Now that brings us to another story. That night he and six or eight of his buddies showed up at the club and stayed until we got off. Then we all walked to our apartment complex. Upon entering the complex through the back gate we had a direct view of the pool and gathered around the pool was about 15 of my female impersonator buddies. That created some real excitement among the sailors. They thought they had struck gold with all the women there. I started trying to explain to them they weren’t really girls and then they turned all red neck on me and wanted to fight them. I thought which is worse an orgy or a fight. I finally got them calmed down and we sat down by the pool, away from the other group and had a nice visit. We talked til about daylight when they caught a ride back to base and I went to bed. One of his buddies was actually stationed at pearl. Later on he arranged a tour of Pearl Harbor for us that was great. We went on a very nice boat, he said it was the admirals barge. We were out several hours. We toured the Arizona memorial and several other historical sites with a navy tour guide. It was very nice.
One night in the crowd we recognized two girls we had known in Yakima. They had become airline stewardess and were in town for a couple of days. They saw our name on the Marquis and came to see us. They weren’t like girlfriends or anything just people we knew.
Long about this time I got a letter from my mother and she was one unhappy mama. She let me know in no uncertain terms she was not pleased to learn, from Susan, that we weren’t married. All this time we had lied to her, my brothers, my sisters and everyone else about being married. I placed a call to her and tried to explain but that didn’t work. I’m glad I was thousands of miles away while she had time to calm down. The only time I ever saw her more upset was a few years earlier when she found out I had an older, married girlfriend with a child, from Wewoka when I was 17years old. Come on mama I’m a rock and roller that’s what we do. I’m kidding I’m kidding. I know I caused her lots of grief and for that I’m truly sorry. I wish I could make it up to her.
When you’re a tourist in Hawaii ,there for just a couple weeks, there’s LOTS of things you don’t see. After being there a few weeks we kinda saw the under belly. One of the first things we saw was they really don’t like white people. They love the tourist money but the tourist not so much. Same with military. I saw lots of examples where they didn’t treat military people very well. I overheard lots of talk from the local people how they didn’t like Kanakas, their word for whites. They said the word as a slur kinda like the southern people used to say the n word. I’ve told you about our experience with the police. The security people at the club were Samoans. Big guys really big guys. They loved the opportunity to bully service men. One night a sailor in civilian clothes was standing at the end of the bar drinking. He would step out into the aisle to look out into the crowd. Scoping out women I guess. Sometimes the security guys would pass thru leading people to their seats. They would shove him aside. I had talked to him earlier. He was a really nice guy with a big smile and having a great time drinking and listening to the music. Some one said he was a Navy Seal but I never pay any attention to that. I’ve learned when there is alcohol around everyone is a seal. Well finally they shoved him one too many times. This dude came unwound and opened a can of whoop ass on this big Samoan in a New York minute. Of course some more big guys came running and after a few minutes they had him on the floor. They took him outside , the cops were there but thank goodness so was the shore patrol. Of course I had to put my two cents in. I eased over to the shore patrol and told my story. How they had shoved him around all night until he got enough of it. He told me they would try and get the cops to turn him over to them and they would take him back to base. He said it was very common for service people to get mistreated in Honolulu. I waited and watched he was taken out of the cop car and turned over tho the Shore Patrol. The guy looked over and smiled at me and I headed back inside where I got a dirty look from the Samoan security guy. I didn’t like him any way so what the heck.
Next a trip to Hanama Bay and more fun on the Islands
Allen Crawford's story blog 