Who’s Your Daddy

His sweet dream comes with a nightmare

Who is Ben’s father? Was it, Victor Fausse, the man who sired him? Was it, Granddad Arch Logan, the man who pushed and hugged Ben until Arch’s untimely death? Could it be Dirk Decoursey and his partner Ed Jura, the couple whose strength taught Ben the difference between gentle and weak? The optimistic Ben wanted his granddad Arch’s genetic gifts to trump Victor Fausse’s heftier contribution. Ben’s same hopeful attitude wished the nurture from Granddad Logan, Dirk and Ed could fix Victor’s nature. But that positivity could easily dim most days. Now, in his early thirties, Ben works in a field he loves, lives in paradise and what he might lack in personal charm is made up for by a face and body that attracts all the women he could want – he just doesn’t want them too close or for too long. Could the arm’s length posture and short attention span be the result of daddy issues?

The island of Moloka’i figures into Who’s Your Daddy? Ben leaves his home to live and work as a nurse practitioner in Honolulu, O’ahu, Hawaii. Because of Ben’s medial background I thought there was a logical tie in to Moloka’i and did some research in order to include it in the book.

I’ve been fortunate to visit the Hawaiian Islands twice.  Both visits included O’ahu, Maui, Kaua’i and Hawaii. However, there is a fifth island. An island that is without the fancy hotels or even a Starbucks that island is Moloka’i. If you are not familiar, Moloka’i is one of two former leper colonies in the United States. The other is in Carville, Louisiana. If you are ever between Baton Rouge and New Orleans there is a museum at the Carville Hospital renamed the National Hansen’s Disease Museum you might visit. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a story worth knowing about.  

While both are witness to the best of humanity, both places Catholic clergy went to serve knowing that they were doomed to contract the disease now called Hansen’s Disease. Moloka’i is has the more tragic story just because it has been around longer Since 1866, but really way before that, albeit unofficially.   

Moloka’i became the quarantine island officially in 1866 but prior to that, the island was used to isolate islanders from Hawaii’s population.

Leprosy/Hansen’s Disease cannot be cured outright, but can be arrested which also makes it non communicable.  When the last of the Hansen’s Disease patients on the island pass away, the island is doomed to be developed just as the other Hawaiian islands are currently.