My uncle Al, yeah he's my favorite Uncle, as we share the same birthday Oct.7th. He's quite a character too I might add.
Over the years my mom would tell us stories of when we use to live with grandpa and grandma Mataalii, and all the uncles and aunts in Laie, So Uncle Al knew me before I knew him.
I first met Uncle Al ...when my dad brought him home from the airport. I knew nothing about him other than he was my uncle … we both shared the same birth date (Oct 7th). And after I met him, he was left handed as well. Let see I was about age 15... so that would make it about 1968...I might be wrong .. please correct me if I am. Al was the second of the five uncle that would come from Hawaii and stay with us … until they found jobs, save some money and then proceeded with moving out on their own. I think Al's first job was with Harvey Aluminum in Torrance on Western Blvd. I remember when Al brought home his first car... A yellow 56 Ford I think it was a station wagon or panel truck. He got me to help him wash his car and wax it too. He taught me, he schooled me in the Uncle Al's way of washing, polishing, and waxing cars. One thing I have to admit is my Uncles took pride in their cars. Al was pretty particular about how, when and where to wash and wax his car. The weather had to be just right ...too late in the day when the sun is hot will cause water spots … too late in the afternoon with the on set of the evening dew and the wax won't set up properly, and you'll get a dull finish not that high glossy shine. And his favorite ...you always wax the windows...so the water beads up and runs off when it rains thus better vision. Auntie Linda, Uncle Al's first wife... she was my favorite Aunt ... she was fun to be around.... about six months later Al traded in his 56 Ford for a 58 Ford 2 door Fairlane, 2 tone brown. And he put on the back of it “Sons of Hawaii” … later I did the same with my first car a 53 Kaiser M38A1 Army jeep that I bought from my best friend Marvin Danielson when he went into the Army.
Auntie Linda would volunteer to take me to the church for MIA or Mutual, and let me drive Uncle Al's car. of course she would say take the long way around ...which meant just drive around for awhile until it was time for MIA to start. And that's how I learned to drive.
One last tid bit about our dear Uncle Al … for all of us who knew Al back then … Al had his own way to say things... which we all imitated …. “Aye you want me tune you up !!! oh what !!!” another one is …. if you asked Al what he thought if something was good or bad... and if he thought it was no good he would say “junk dat” … but his most famous one was “Aye you like one slap” soon a whole new generation of Mataalii kids were going around repeating all Uncle Al's sayings …. my mom would here us imitating Uncle Al … and say to hey where did learn that from … we would say Uncle Al...
And she would say that AL !!!!!
I was sad when Al and Linda moved out to a place of their own …and soon later Michelle was born … and yeah Michelle I knew you when you were a baby...all us kids wanted to help take care or watch baby Michelle because she was Uncle Al's daughter.... I later gave my first daughter that name too because you were my Uncle Al's daughter and Al is my favorite Uncle …hence Maeva Michelle Aegataulupe Mataalii …
The Maeva, Tahnee and Morgan names are for another story...
I have been lucky enough to have worked with Uncle Al at McStarlite Co. Al and I worked under the tutelage of my dad Henry Sr. Uncle Al supported me and I him. as we ran the Press department. I have a lot of respect for Al, he and I worked well together to make the company successful. I could always count on Al to take care of business. He and I have long since retired from the shop... talking to him the other day, as we were recalling those special moments we shared back then...under the watchful eye of Henry Sr... we both admitted we miss those days .. working with the guys but mostly we miss Henry Sr...
As always we would see Al at the family events .. as he too took his place in our lives as one of the Uncles and Aunts that have enriched all of our lives... I love my Uncles and Aunts... each one of them has touched my life in their own special way. By giving of themselves to us as they continue to serve this wonderful Mataalii family of ours. Too all my Uncles, Aunts and cousins …. I love you all …. But you Uncle Al … you have a special place in my heart … Thank you for being my Uncle …. love Henry jr ….
Over the years my mom would tell us stories of when we use to live with grandpa and grandma Mataalii, and all the uncles and aunts in Laie, So Uncle Al knew me before I knew him.
I first met Uncle Al ...when my dad brought him home from the airport. I knew nothing about him other than he was my uncle … we both shared the same birth date (Oct 7th). And after I met him, he was left handed as well. Let see I was about age 15... so that would make it about 1968...I might be wrong .. please correct me if I am. Al was the second of the five uncle that would come from Hawaii and stay with us … until they found jobs, save some money and then proceeded with moving out on their own. I think Al's first job was with Harvey Aluminum in Torrance on Western Blvd. I remember when Al brought home his first car... A yellow 56 Ford I think it was a station wagon or panel truck. He got me to help him wash his car and wax it too. He taught me, he schooled me in the Uncle Al's way of washing, polishing, and waxing cars. One thing I have to admit is my Uncles took pride in their cars. Al was pretty particular about how, when and where to wash and wax his car. The weather had to be just right ...too late in the day when the sun is hot will cause water spots … too late in the afternoon with the on set of the evening dew and the wax won't set up properly, and you'll get a dull finish not that high glossy shine. And his favorite ...you always wax the windows...so the water beads up and runs off when it rains thus better vision. Auntie Linda, Uncle Al's first wife... she was my favorite Aunt ... she was fun to be around.... about six months later Al traded in his 56 Ford for a 58 Ford 2 door Fairlane, 2 tone brown. And he put on the back of it “Sons of Hawaii” … later I did the same with my first car a 53 Kaiser M38A1 Army jeep that I bought from my best friend Marvin Danielson when he went into the Army.
Auntie Linda would volunteer to take me to the church for MIA or Mutual, and let me drive Uncle Al's car. of course she would say take the long way around ...which meant just drive around for awhile until it was time for MIA to start. And that's how I learned to drive.
One last tid bit about our dear Uncle Al … for all of us who knew Al back then … Al had his own way to say things... which we all imitated …. “Aye you want me tune you up !!! oh what !!!” another one is …. if you asked Al what he thought if something was good or bad... and if he thought it was no good he would say “junk dat” … but his most famous one was “Aye you like one slap” soon a whole new generation of Mataalii kids were going around repeating all Uncle Al's sayings …. my mom would here us imitating Uncle Al … and say to hey where did learn that from … we would say Uncle Al...
And she would say that AL !!!!!
I was sad when Al and Linda moved out to a place of their own …and soon later Michelle was born … and yeah Michelle I knew you when you were a baby...all us kids wanted to help take care or watch baby Michelle because she was Uncle Al's daughter.... I later gave my first daughter that name too because you were my Uncle Al's daughter and Al is my favorite Uncle …hence Maeva Michelle Aegataulupe Mataalii …
The Maeva, Tahnee and Morgan names are for another story...
I have been lucky enough to have worked with Uncle Al at McStarlite Co. Al and I worked under the tutelage of my dad Henry Sr. Uncle Al supported me and I him. as we ran the Press department. I have a lot of respect for Al, he and I worked well together to make the company successful. I could always count on Al to take care of business. He and I have long since retired from the shop... talking to him the other day, as we were recalling those special moments we shared back then...under the watchful eye of Henry Sr... we both admitted we miss those days .. working with the guys but mostly we miss Henry Sr...
As always we would see Al at the family events .. as he too took his place in our lives as one of the Uncles and Aunts that have enriched all of our lives... I love my Uncles and Aunts... each one of them has touched my life in their own special way. By giving of themselves to us as they continue to serve this wonderful Mataalii family of ours. Too all my Uncles, Aunts and cousins …. I love you all …. But you Uncle Al … you have a special place in my heart … Thank you for being my Uncle …. love Henry jr ….
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