The Papa sat framed against a tropical postcard background of the white sand and sparkling shallows of Waikiki. He was on R'n'R from the Atoll and wore a pair of cut off marine dungarees, frayed and oversized, a khaki light poplin naval aviators jacket, sandals, a mesh type ships cap and a flower behind his ear. He was truly the Dean of beach boys.
Florsheim, one of the local kanakas and so named because he occasionally wore shoes, looked at the Papa with admiration. 52 years old and still giving the Wahine's what he called Papa Nui's surfboard cure for misery. It just couldn't get any better than that.
He also noticed the Papa's manner, a mixture of relaxation and insolence, sitting back his arms folded behind his head with his cap tilted at a jaunty angle. Florsheim studied the cap. Like mos' stuff the Papa owned it was da kine, he thought. Bruddah what a cap! he whistled out loud. The Papa looked up. Florsheim said, "Hey Papa, where you find such da kine cap? Mo' bettah dan anythin' I seen"
"Florsheim ol' buddy", the Papa replied, "This here is my Original Ships Cap, its the new cap of choice for the Battalion." He reached deep into his musette bag and pulled out a HBT frog spotted beauty, a cap of class, embroidered with the Papa's mantle in a golden yellow thread the colour of the Hawaiian sunlight. He tossed it towards Florsheim who caught it, his mouth was agape, lost for words. Florsheim recovered, looked at the cap and with his big hands curved the brim to his liking before perching it atop of his dark locks. "Aloha Papa, shaka brah, Aloha and Mahalo", said Florsheim gratefully.
And so to all Battalion men out there, those that are veterans and those that are new the Papa once again introduces a new product. The new cap of the season, The Papa Nui Original Ships Cap. Painstakingly developed to be the best mesh cap on the market, the Papa joins forces with his great friends at the John Lofgren Clothing Factory Japan to bring to you a solid and weighty 9 oz HBT twill adjustable cap with reinforced twill tape trim and double fold sweatband. Adorning this masterpiece and taking pride of place of the foreheads of a thousand men is the Papa's mantle emblazoning the crown, a patch that declares to all the pride of the Beach Battalion! So come winter or summer, sleet or sun always remember the Papa has you covered. The Original Ships cap comes with two patch options, the Frogspot matching or the Olive drab HBT contrast, so choose the colour of your patch. All caps are fully adjustable to fit and are available through the Papa.
Papa Nui products are renown for quality assuredness, a detail that the Papa insists on, each cap is manufactured in the finest Japanese factories using the best skilled labor available and all under the watchful eye of John Lofgren, who ensures an integrity befitting the Papa's reputation. All Papa Nui products are of a limited quantity so first in best dressed. All wholesale enquiries are welcome with generous concessions in order to spread the Papa's message. Be the first retailer in your region to take up the fight and back the attack as the Papa launches his assault on mediocrity.
Aloha from the PAPA!
