In Maui

kids call their “elders” aunt, and uncle.

I wasn’t used to that. I was in Kula checking the mail.
I was walking back to the house, a soccer ball dropped into our yard. I kept hearing UNKLE! UNKLE!.

where I come from “uncle” means I give up so I didn’t pay much attention.
Then I realized that were calling me to throw their ball back.

That was the first time I was called uncle over there.