“Do be careful here in Hawaii. It’s a very tricky place.”—Lila Mavisham
Vog over Hawaii features the rollicking adventures of a trade show rep, a disgraced sumo wrestler, an unlucky British tourist, art thieves, a mind-reading kahuna, and a renegade giant snake.
Herman visits Oahu for the first time to attend an expo. He’s from frigid Minnesota, and can’t wait to get a glimpse of the tropical sun. But just when he arrives, the sun disappears in a thick blanket of vog—volcanic fog—that covers the island.
A cabbie tells Herman that vog is a rare phenomenon and warns him to be careful. Maybe it’s a sign that Hawaii has other tricks in store for him.
And indeed, tricks are soon in play for Herman. His watch is stolen, he loses his wallet, and his fiancée ditches him. He falls for a lei greeter, Sally, who’s hiding out in Hawaii until she can save up money to go back to the mainland.
But Herman has a jealous rival, Nobozumi, who’s smitten with Sally too. He confronts Herman at the trade show and challenges him to fight for his love.
Herman and Sally take off on a wild chase around Oahu on a scooter, with Nobozumi’s limo in hot pursuit. Everyone ends up on the North Shore, where a judge on a surfboard appears just in time to sort out all the complications.
It may not be an idyllic trip, but Herman gets a glimpse of Hawaii that many tourists don’t ever see—the tricky side.
