On days when the spring breeze blows from the south, the sea of Kamakura looks brighter than usual. Maybe it's because the splashing waves make the light shine more. Or maybe due to the windsurfers who were waiting for the southerly wind to set up their colorful sails.
16 years ago, I visited Maui, Hawaii with my wife. At that time, brightly colored sails were gliding beautifully in the cove near Lahaina on the west side of the island. Surrounded by an indescribably transparent atmosphere, I felt like this place was the paradise on earth.
As I was driving along Lahaina's coastal road, I noticed a colonial-style green building with an American flag hanging diagonally. When I stopped the car and looked up at the sign, it said "Cheeseburger In Paradise". "It must have been a coincidence," I thought as I entered the burger shop.
Bestselling author and singer Jimmy Buffett had a song called "Cheeseburger In Paradise." It's a laid-back country song with a West Coast or Florida feel that was a hit in the 1970s. A carnivorous sailor who tried to become a vegetarian but couldn't make it, sings, "I'm a cheeseburger in paradise!" It's pathetic to hear such a throwaway phrase, but I can empathize with it.
A paradise on earth, topped with exceptional Muenster cheese, medium-rare meat, and onion slices...When I opened the door, the hall staff, as lively as cheerleaders, smiled. She showed me a mag with sparkling LED lights and offered me the No. 1 cocktail, the Mai Tai, but I couldn't drink it at the time.
When I ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail, I was intrigued by the curt look she gave me. I'm not a vegetarian. Of course, I ordered a barbecue bacon cheeseburger, and didn't forget to order fries and Heinz "57" ketchup. The staff with a bright smile brought out a tray with a thick burger on it.
We sat by the window overlooking the blue ocean. "Sometimes, pods of whales come offshore," the kind staff told me. Then——. I will always remember the elderly man who taught me how to play the ukulele under the banyan tree in a nearby park, and the young man at the fruit shop who carefully picked out a sweet pineapple for us.
On August 8, 2023, We were shocked to hear about the wildfires on Maui. The city of Lahaina that I saw in the news footage had no trace of what it once was. The "Cheeseburger in Paradise" area near the sea is also almost completely burnt down. I prayed that these gentle and kind people were able to evacuate safely.
The shop's last social media post on August 12th included a message expressing gratitude and asking for support. "From our hearts, to yours, Mahalo for the great care and outpouring of love at this terrible time. Our family feels less alone, knowing that so many of you are with us......"
Even today, the burger shop's Instagram still retains a record of its past hospitality. For the time when the earthly paradise will surely be revived someday.