"I built this place from nothing," he said as he slid the glass of water across the bar in front of me. "My whole life became this place, and now retirement is coming, and I've got no one to take it over. It will die with me."
I sip the water and can't help but notice that, although it's water, there's something different about it. "How's that water, not like other water, right?"
"Right," I agreed. "I just can't put my finger on what it is."
"That water is filtered through thousands, maybe millions of years of volcanic rock until it sits in that cup right in front of you," he said. "It's not going through pipes, moss-covered aqueducts; it's straight from the gods, through the 'āina, to you."
"Man," I shook my head.
"This is exactly the kind of free-flowing water our ancestors drank," he said. "Battles were fought over this kind of water. You've had the water, now is when you have the poi, laulau, and pipikaula."
He slid the delicacies in front of me, each in its own bowl. It was vibrant and alive with the flavor that evoked memories and emotions. Each sip of water thereafter only serves to heighten the experience of the food to the point where it is otherworldly. "Aia ke ola i ka wai," I said. "In the water, there is life."
After the meal, I left my money on the counter and told the owner to keep the change. "This is on the house," he said, pushing my money back to me. "Everyone's first experience here is on the house."
"How do you make money then?" I asked.
"Word gets out," he smiled.
I walked to my car, which was parked facing the street. As I got in, I looked back at the establishment, and it was gone. In its place was Waiola shaved ice. What? How the hell? Waiola shaved ice had always been here, and I swear the Water Bar was on Kapahulu next to the Pizza Hut. That's where the front door I walked into, how the hell did I get to Waiola shave ice?
What's strange is, I feel renewed for some reason. I don't feel bogged down or listless. My car is parked across the street, and walking to it didn't make me feel winded. I don't have brain fog like I usually do. Later on, at home, my stream of shishi was a lot stronger when I went to the bathroom, and for no reason whatsoever, I got a boner. My face was still the same, I was still the same age, same wrinkles, thinning hair everywhere, but something was definitely different.
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