A Night on the Town

A Night on the Town, Hilo-Style
Monday Musings by Melinda M.

The opera? No.
The theater? No.
The art gallery opening? Nope.

If those were what I wanted in a night out, I wouldn’t be in Hilo. That’s not to say those wouldn’t be nice every so often but…what our family did for a night out still had the sounds, drama, beauty and even celebrity of all of those things. This past Saturday, we went to the State Track & Field Championships at Keaau H.S.!

There we heard the musical sounds of the starting gun’s pop, the crowd’s cheers, the athletes’ cries and the percussion of fat raindrops as they drenched us before we had the chance to open our umbrellas.

We saw the drama of boys pole vaulting at 13, then 14, then 15 and a half feet and of runners pushing themselves faster than they thought possible. We saw disappointment play out when some athletes were stricken by leg cramps and had to drag themselves across the finish line. We saw relief and agony in the many close finishes at the finish line.

This athlete had been in the lead until a leg cramp felled him.

Over the course of two and a half hours, we saw the beauty of rainbows, ominous clouds, flickering rain under halogen lamps, long strides propelling runners and people supporting their schools, their children and our community.

And, yes, there was even a celebrity. Bretman Rock, a senior from Campbell High School, showed he’s got athletic talent in addition to the artistic talent that has made him a “vlogging sensation.” No one over the age of 30 probably knew who he was or why he is famous but the squeals of the teen and preteens in attendance attested to his fame.

One of many star-struck fans with Bretman Rock

State athletic championships are not often held on Hawaii Island, or maybe they are but I hadn’t noticed! What a great opportunity to see this level of talent plus our friends’ kids compete in a sport other than soccer!

So yes, our family’s “night out” was to a local sporting event where we didn’t even have a kid participating. But it was a great night of entertainment, enjoyed with friends. I couldn’t of had a better Saturday night… well, maybe without the drenching!