I flew to Hawaii to expedite the unloading of a barge load of lumber/beams in 1972. Met the barge at the port area, got it tied up and fired up the onboard pedestal crane and began removing hatch covers. A big Cadillac pulled up on the dock honking the horn, and 4 huge brown guys too well dressed to be lonshoremen, got out. giving me the hand across the throat signal, shut er down. I went down to talk to them...they informed me in funny English, You stop now, boy...longshore union job. Foolishly I replied, where the hell are they then? We are paying 400 bucks an hour sitting at this dock. Hateful glares...you stop now. I got the message. I walked to the Harbormasters office, complained and was told for safety reasons the best thing to do was fly back to the mainland. I smarted off, ah Hawaiian hospitality. He said no, those are Samoan tough boys, go home, don't get sideways with them.
