We had just gotten back on the road after going to the gas station to fill up our tank when we heard a strange noise. At the first intersection as we stopped for the red light, the car in front of us honked his horn. The fellow stuck his hand out the window and pointed down at our van. Art was about to get out of our minivan when the driver jumped out of his car and pulled out a safety cone that was lodged in our wheel well. What a shock! I can't imagine how that happened. We totally didn't see that orange cone or hear it.
I've written about the shaka sign before but for those who don't know, this is what I got from Wikipedia.
The shaka sign, sometimes known as "hang loose", is a gesture of friendly intent often associated with Hawaii and surf culture. It consists of extending the thumb and smallest finger while holding the three middle fingers curled, and gesturing in salutation while presenting the front or back of the hand; the hand may be rotated back and forth for emphasis. While the shaka sign has spread internationally from its Hawaiian cultural roots to surf culture and beyond, the hand gesture also bears a variety of meaning in different contexts and regions of the world.
I write this because we passed by that same spot the other day and was surprised to see that orange cone is still there on the sidewalk.
We're going to have to go back and return it to the gas station, I'm afraid.
I thought it was rather cute to see a video of our son in Maryland teaching his sons how to do the "shaka" sign.
Now they'll be ready for their trip to Hawaii whenever that can happen again.
POSTSCRIPT:
Art went for his early morning Christmas run and went to the intersection to pick up that cone and return it to the gas station. I wonder if they even knew it was missing.
Haha--too funny & too nice. Kay, I'm making the shaka sign right now in your direction but it's not because of an orange traffic cone!
ReplyDeleteI never knew this originated in Hawaii! Sending you one from my laptop. :-)
ReplyDeleteNice of Art to return the cone. That must have made a racket stuck under your car.
ReplyDeleteSince we can't hug anymore, the shaka sign should catch on everywhere as a greeting. Just sent you one.
That's a funny story since it ended well.
ReplyDeleteI once saw a car going down an interstate with a nozzle stuck in the gas fuel opening and ten feet of hose trailing behind it. They were going fast so I just flashed my lights a few times but they never stopped and soon disappeared out of my view. Things happen.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were alerted and great of Art to return the cone.
ReplyDeletewow helpful strangers...
ReplyDeleteOkaaay....that cone looks a tad smaller than highway construction cones. What a nice local to "de-cone" your car. Possibly not true, but I'd heard the shaka sign started when a sugar cane worker lost some fingers, or was that a surfer losing fingers to a shark? It's a nice way to share Aloha without sharing covid! Stay safe, avoid covid and cones! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI know that sign as 'hang loose" but as a friendly sign I guess it can mean "thank you" too. Any way it's cool that people were so willing to help you.
ReplyDeleteit's good you returned the cone, they are expensive to buy!! i did not know the "shaka" sign!!!
ReplyDeleteI ran over a bag of garbage on the freeway once and got some stuff stuck under there. No fun, and quite embarrassing. Glad the cone got returned and wasn't too damaged. I know that sign!
ReplyDeleteI once let the bus cut into the moving lane, and was so pleasantly surprised that the digital sign on the back of the bus which usually reads "all passengers must wear masks to ride" changed to the shaka sign and then "mahalo!"
ReplyDeleteI liked that so much that I make more effort to show courtesy to the bus. More times than not, I get the shaka and mahalo that makes me feel good.
Oh wow! That is just so cool. Art says he's seen that too and really enjoys it. That is a lot of aloha.
DeleteI don’t know what that meant before the post
ReplyDeleteHappy New year folks! This post proves you can make anything interesting
ReplyDeleteThere's always something to bring about a little stress. Shaka. I see that here and I didn't know what it was.
ReplyDeleteI never knew about Shaka. Good work with returninng the cone.
ReplyDeleteI knew about the shaka sign, but I didn't know about the cone.
ReplyDeleteI have been familiar with the shaka sign but never knew it had that name -- we just used it and knew what it meant.
ReplyDelete