the visitors

While we have our share of plaid bermuda shorts, dark knee socks in sandals, and camera-slings to decorate our drives, the really interesting tourists are the ones in stealth mode.

Wearing normal clothes and eating at a normal restaurant, the people around me seem to get it that Hawaii is just another place with life as usual. Until last night, when the illusion was burst by a young woman looking at a menu and asking, "Would it be too weird for me to order pork in Hawaii?"

Huh?

Let's draw some conclusions, and please add any other possibilities that come to mind:

• Hawaii doesn't seem to have pigs (it does), so pork must be imported (it is)
• The woman was Jewish and was escaping a kosher life on this vacation
• Pigs aren't indigenous to Hawaii (are they?) so she thinks she should have a taro pizza
• Hawaii is special in such a mysterious way that one must eat accordingly

You tell me!