Part 2 of "Al
Harrington Talks Story"
Week Parade.
Hawaii: Tell us what you've done since 10:30 yesterday morning.
Harrington: I had an interview with a couple of new reservations employees. After that, I went down to the Waikiki Convention Center Authority, and I was there till about 1:30 p.m. at a meeting of the Governor's task force committee. I came back here and met with my sales force, for about an hour and a half. Then I came in here to study some music till about 3:30. I took a nap, got up at 5:00, got ready to be on stage by 5:45. The show ended at 7:30. I came in here and interviewed another new employee, and then rested for about half an hour. And then was on stage again by 9:00.
Hawaii: Keep going. That's only 9:00 p.m.
Harrington: (Laughs). The show ended at 11:30. I had a meeting with my showroom staff, at which we went over the numbers, sales technique, our drink sales, record sales, picture sales. We dismissed the meeting by 1:00 a.m. I think I came in here and went over my schedule for today. And then I was home, kissed my wife hello. (Laughs) We talked story little bit about the kids and then we were in bed about 2:15 and then I was up again at 6:30. I did a briefing from 7:15 for Mary Charles Travel at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Diamond Head Tours at the Ala Moana Hotel, the Hale Koa Hotel, the Beachcomber Hotel for MTI Tours, then Great Kono Tours at the Ala Moana. About 9:15 I went to Harry's Music Store to pick up a cable for my guitar, (laughs).
Hawaii: Your're almost there, you're almost there.
Harrington: And picked up some records. I got involved in looking at some new music. Then I looked at the clock, it was a quarter after 10:00, and I said to myself, Ron Jacobs is going to be down at my office.
Hawaii: Now, how typical is that, 20 hours work, four hours sleep? Does this go on day after day?
Harrington: Yeah, it kinda goes on. If it's not one thing, it's another.
Hawaii: And how old are you?
Harrington: I am now 54 years old.
Hawaii: What are your recollections, before coming from Samoa to Hawaii, 51 years ago when you were three years old?
Harrington: I can only remember my "hanabuta" nose running down in the village of Mapusaga where I was raised by my grandfather and my grandmother. My grandmother was a strict disciplinarian with all the kids all over the place. We all had duties by the time we were three years old. I had to clean the banana patches with my cousins. By then, my mother was already working in Honolulu as a nurse and she sent for me. So I came over with my aunt.
Hawaii: Could you speak English yet?
Harrington: No, I could not. Well, at three years old, you could hardly speak anything, right? (Laughs), I wasn't a precocious child.
Hawaii: Tell us about Lela Suapaia Harrington.
Harrington: My mother? Well, she's a special woman. She's really a hard worker. She worked as a nurse and then brought us over here. But she's still a mother. She's still trying to tell me what to do, you know? So as long as she's still telling me what to do, I know she's okay. She's living up in St. Louis Heights in a house up there. It's paid for, and she's happy.
Hawaii: What kind of influence did your stepfather, Roy Milbur Harrington, have on you?
Harrington: Fantastic influence. He's a very gentle man. Very gentle. The thing that I remember most about him was that he was a reader. And I guess as a son, I tried to imitate him. Even when I didn't know how to read, I would look at the book like I was reading, you know? And then gradually I myself became a reader.