Learning to surf - Part 2
I came to Lahaina for 2 months in September of this year. I'm still here as I write this and the trip has lengthened into three and a half months. I will fly home to Aspen, my wife, my daughter and my dog and my life and job and friends December 17th with a pocket full of cash and my bicycle and my SURFBOARD as my checked luggage. I'm staying with Danny, rent free at his girlfriends house on Front Street. On the correct side of Front Street. The ocean is the back yard.
Oh, by the way, did I mention that Danny is not a surfer? My old friend Bruce came and stayed with us in Aspen a couple winters ago and brought his friend Robin.
Robin is his friend from his days living in Hawaii and Robin still lives in Hawaii. Robin was born and raised in Hawaii. Robin is upper body buffed out from a life in the water. Robin is dark skinned and carries some gnarly abdominal scars. Robin is burly and tattooed. Robin is not native Hawaiian, even though you probably thought he was with a name like 'Robin'. He's some kind of crazy ethnic mix as is often the case here. When Bruce and Robin came to Aspen, they were quite bundled up even after a day on the slopes. It seems that you get cold easily after you spend a bunch of time here. Even at night in the house, you couldn't see much of them what with all the clothes. I didn't give it a second thought at the time.
When I called Robin to tell him I was here in Hawaii, we planned to get together. I drove Danny's '69 Corvette Stingray down to Kehei. Robin lives in Kehei, maybe twenty miles south of Lahaina but a world or two away. If you blindfolded me and dropped me off in almost any neighborhood or mall (of which there are plenty) in Kehei, I would guess maybe somewhere in California only because of the vegetation and ocean. If you deposited me inside one of the suburban houses, looking out a window, I'd be geographically stumped to large general areas. It could be Florida. Hell, it could be Aurora or Highlands Ranch on Colorado's burgeoning Front Range. Anyway, it's brand new suburb land. I was recently assured that my attempt to find the 'old' part of town, thus something maybe interesting, was fruitless only because there is no such place. But, Robin's perfectly immaculate, split leveled, two car garaged, unobtrusively painted house has appreciated immensely in three years. I can appreciate that.
I had this ill gotten, subconscious image of Robin as kind of slight of build. Probably because he is such a nice guy and I only saw him in ski clothes before that day. Whoa, I bet there is some crazy phycology in that. As I slowly nosed the growling 'Vette into Robin's neighborhood, I saw one bad ass looking local in what the directions appeared to tell me was Robins' driveway. Oh great, I thought, it's going to be Corvette talk time with one of Robin's neighbors or worse, maybe this is Robin's never-been-off-the-island-and-damn-proud-of-it-cause-if-you're-not- proud-of-that-you-might-have-to-admit-that-you-have-never-been-anywhere
brother that he forgot to tell me about. Haoles? Duh, take one look at him. He hates all Haoles.
I reconfirmed my scribbled directions and actively avoided making eye contact with this man. Between me and my Corvette, we comprised everything you could see in any direction that didn't belong here. That was the driveway. It was Robin.
Seems like a good kind of friend to have around here. Robin has all the toys. Danny gave me the opportunity to learn how to surf, though, slowly realized. Robin taught me or is teaching me how. Day one with Robin walking into the surf at Kehei Cove, he taught me the eminently important ethics of how it works out there. What to do and not do to avoid getting punched out.
No, ethics is not the word. The word is etiquette. If you don't know and follow the proper etiquette, you are assured a confrontation. Even if you do, one could ensue at any time. I heard two guys cursing each other my first day out with Robin. This was at the beginner beach.
So, Robin tells me etiquette as we walk out. Next, while I'm still walking, this other guy starts asking my techno questions about the board I'm pushing. I had no idea about the board. But, given his questioning, I can ascertain that it is a cool board. Not some floating styrofoam like the rental boards. It's a 12 foot long hollow board. I know that much. More techno. questions from another guy that wanted to sit and talk tech while I wanted to try to catch waves.
I tried to catch waves. Turns out that like skiing and biking, there are technoweenies in surfing. They can talk the shit all day, but can't really surf/ski/bike. Of course some can do both. Talk and perform.
Oh, by the way, did I mention that Danny is not a surfer? My old friend Bruce came and stayed with us in Aspen a couple winters ago and brought his friend Robin.
Robin is his friend from his days living in Hawaii and Robin still lives in Hawaii. Robin was born and raised in Hawaii. Robin is upper body buffed out from a life in the water. Robin is dark skinned and carries some gnarly abdominal scars. Robin is burly and tattooed. Robin is not native Hawaiian, even though you probably thought he was with a name like 'Robin'. He's some kind of crazy ethnic mix as is often the case here. When Bruce and Robin came to Aspen, they were quite bundled up even after a day on the slopes. It seems that you get cold easily after you spend a bunch of time here. Even at night in the house, you couldn't see much of them what with all the clothes. I didn't give it a second thought at the time.
When I called Robin to tell him I was here in Hawaii, we planned to get together. I drove Danny's '69 Corvette Stingray down to Kehei. Robin lives in Kehei, maybe twenty miles south of Lahaina but a world or two away. If you blindfolded me and dropped me off in almost any neighborhood or mall (of which there are plenty) in Kehei, I would guess maybe somewhere in California only because of the vegetation and ocean. If you deposited me inside one of the suburban houses, looking out a window, I'd be geographically stumped to large general areas. It could be Florida. Hell, it could be Aurora or Highlands Ranch on Colorado's burgeoning Front Range. Anyway, it's brand new suburb land. I was recently assured that my attempt to find the 'old' part of town, thus something maybe interesting, was fruitless only because there is no such place. But, Robin's perfectly immaculate, split leveled, two car garaged, unobtrusively painted house has appreciated immensely in three years. I can appreciate that.
I had this ill gotten, subconscious image of Robin as kind of slight of build. Probably because he is such a nice guy and I only saw him in ski clothes before that day. Whoa, I bet there is some crazy phycology in that. As I slowly nosed the growling 'Vette into Robin's neighborhood, I saw one bad ass looking local in what the directions appeared to tell me was Robins' driveway. Oh great, I thought, it's going to be Corvette talk time with one of Robin's neighbors or worse, maybe this is Robin's never-been-off-the-island-and-damn-proud-of-it-cause-if-you're-not- proud-of-that-you-might-have-to-admit-that-you-have-never-been-anywhere
brother that he forgot to tell me about. Haoles? Duh, take one look at him. He hates all Haoles.
I reconfirmed my scribbled directions and actively avoided making eye contact with this man. Between me and my Corvette, we comprised everything you could see in any direction that didn't belong here. That was the driveway. It was Robin.
Seems like a good kind of friend to have around here. Robin has all the toys. Danny gave me the opportunity to learn how to surf, though, slowly realized. Robin taught me or is teaching me how. Day one with Robin walking into the surf at Kehei Cove, he taught me the eminently important ethics of how it works out there. What to do and not do to avoid getting punched out.
No, ethics is not the word. The word is etiquette. If you don't know and follow the proper etiquette, you are assured a confrontation. Even if you do, one could ensue at any time. I heard two guys cursing each other my first day out with Robin. This was at the beginner beach.
So, Robin tells me etiquette as we walk out. Next, while I'm still walking, this other guy starts asking my techno questions about the board I'm pushing. I had no idea about the board. But, given his questioning, I can ascertain that it is a cool board. Not some floating styrofoam like the rental boards. It's a 12 foot long hollow board. I know that much. More techno. questions from another guy that wanted to sit and talk tech while I wanted to try to catch waves.
I tried to catch waves. Turns out that like skiing and biking, there are technoweenies in surfing. They can talk the shit all day, but can't really surf/ski/bike. Of course some can do both. Talk and perform.
posted by Steve-O at 10:17 AM
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