Planes, Burros, and Automobiles

Shakespeare-enthused educator, adopter of pound animals, mountain-man-turned-Monterey-Bay-shredder, and San Francisco Giants diehard Kevin had a proposition for me when he picked up his board last month. After the requisite rail fondling and rocker sighting, he put the board gently down, cracked a fresh Tecate, and sat at my kitchen table. I knew what was coming.
“Instead of something impersonal, like cash, what do you say we work out a trade for my new sled?” he asked, smiling.
I didn’t flinch. “Nope.”
This happens quite often up here NOTB, where currency can take many shapes. So far this summer, I’ve been offered a ginormous bag of weed (declined), a live pig (declined), a to-scale hand-tooled Russian miniature train (declined), and two authentic WWI British Army helmets with a ginormous bag of weed on the side (declined).
Kevin’s smile widened. “So I guess a trip to Cabo would be out of the question?”
“Um.”
“Flight, car rental, hotel stay, and all food and drinks included?”
“Um...”
Kevin knew I was close to breaking. “First wave on my new longboard?”
(Lamination, sanding, Giants-inspired resin panels, and polish by Leslie Anderson)
So I did what any other wife-fearing, child-providing father would do in this situation: put the family on a direct flight to the grandparents and headed south with a diverse quiver, a backpack stuffed with fins, and a revitalizing lack of neoprene.
The mission was short but successful. Many waves were ridden, boards were put through their paces, smiles were in abundance, and the swell was unfailing. The only tension during our five day stay came from this over-curious mini-local:
Whether this burrito was a longboarder, a photo slut, or a Giants fan is anyone's guess, but after checking out the fresh foam, he wandered into the shade under a palapa and began eating someone's flip-flop. Way to regulate!