Uncle Bill Tapia passed away at 103 years old. I got to meet him when he was approaching 99, he’d just bought a house and joked that he was on a 30 year mortgage. He was teaching at the Kalama Days of Discovery, a festival that acknowledges and celebrates the connection between Kalama, Washington and the Hawaiian islands.
I’d gone to take photos. Uncle Bill was hanging out between sessions in a little lounge room in the community center, I went in to introduce myself and to explain that I was taking photos for the festival organizers. He sized me up, looked at my camera, and said, “Where’s your ukulele?!”
It’s right here, Uncle Bill. It was an honor.
Awww. Great story, Pam!