Surfing
She takes off running, hitting the water and paddling out lying on her stomach on the board. It feels so good to have her long arms dipping into the water, pulling her forward. It feels good to feel her own strength and the wind in her face and the sun on her back.
She sits up when she’s paddled out far enough, straddling the board and waiting for a wave, feeling that familiar rush when the wave comes at her, somehow getting on top of the wave, standing, riding it out as long as she can as her heart pounds and her breath comes short.
She still feels a bit like a newborn colt trying to stand, but she knows that she’ll be back up to her full strength soon. With all the physical exercise she’s doing, it won’t be long. And the guys at the surf shop send her out to test boards pretty often if it isn’t busy.
“Hey, Angie-why don’t you test this board for us? We’re not sure of the finish, we want to see how it holds up.”
At least, that’s the reason they give. Her father and the owner of the shop know each other, and she strongly suspects that they are plotting something behind her back. Whatever it was, if her Dad is involved, at least it won’t be anything too weird. He is probably just checking up on her. Dad comes in right before the shop closes to talk to his friend as Angela stocks leashes and board wax on the shelves before going home.
Angela beams. It feels so good to get out on the water. This is where she feels the most herself, out here, dancing on the water. It didn’t matter how sad she got or how depressed she was, she couldn’t help smiling and feeling good when she surfs.
She edges carefully out to the edge of her longboard. It was so good to get back on form again. She felt so free out here.
She realized, with a little surprise that she was actually happy. The bad things that had happened to her, for the moment, didn’t bother her right now. The things she had to carry seemed so light.
So light, in fact, that she coasts in towards land, back to have lunch and return to work.
It was going to be a very good day.
She sits up when she’s paddled out far enough, straddling the board and waiting for a wave, feeling that familiar rush when the wave comes at her, somehow getting on top of the wave, standing, riding it out as long as she can as her heart pounds and her breath comes short.
She still feels a bit like a newborn colt trying to stand, but she knows that she’ll be back up to her full strength soon. With all the physical exercise she’s doing, it won’t be long. And the guys at the surf shop send her out to test boards pretty often if it isn’t busy.
“Hey, Angie-why don’t you test this board for us? We’re not sure of the finish, we want to see how it holds up.”
At least, that’s the reason they give. Her father and the owner of the shop know each other, and she strongly suspects that they are plotting something behind her back. Whatever it was, if her Dad is involved, at least it won’t be anything too weird. He is probably just checking up on her. Dad comes in right before the shop closes to talk to his friend as Angela stocks leashes and board wax on the shelves before going home.
Angela beams. It feels so good to get out on the water. This is where she feels the most herself, out here, dancing on the water. It didn’t matter how sad she got or how depressed she was, she couldn’t help smiling and feeling good when she surfs.
She edges carefully out to the edge of her longboard. It was so good to get back on form again. She felt so free out here.
She realized, with a little surprise that she was actually happy. The bad things that had happened to her, for the moment, didn’t bother her right now. The things she had to carry seemed so light.
So light, in fact, that she coasts in towards land, back to have lunch and return to work.
It was going to be a very good day.