We pulled up to Ocean Beach and the waves were pretty much flat. Inside I was happy about it because I wear flippers when I kneeboard and some say that attracts sharks. The last thing I wanted to do was look like a big tasty seal in Great White waters. We fiddled around Golden Gate Park then headed south to Pacifica. The waves were fun but the water was very cold, so, when I saw a shark fin I was all too happy to get out of the water.
We then drove to Half Moon Bay, which was flat, but we heard a swell was coming. By the time we got to Santa Cruz a south swell had begun. The waves had picked up to about 8 foot. Ray and I paddled out with the crowd. The water was very cold but I love a good right point break so I hung in there as long as I could. We stayed for a couple of days as the waves grew bigger. Ray and I paddled out at Capitola. I got scared when I got caught inside of a big closeout and lost one of my flippers and my calf cramped up. My head pounded with an ice cream headache and I started to get dizzy. Once back on the beach I thought my lungs had collapsed.
We headed to Monterey. As we were driving we saw some perfect waves down some coastline cliffs. To this day I don't know if the place has a name. We hiked down the cliffs on a horse trail to see perfect 5 footers rolling in like they were made from a machine. We tried for half an hour to paddle out and neither one of us could get past the 3 foot shore break. To date I've never seen such perfectly unattainable consistency. We spent the rest of the day exploring Big Sur.
By the time we reached San Lois Obispo our wetsuits stunk like dead animals (they never had the chance to dry out) and we had run out of supplies. We weren't ready to go home though so, we sold one of Ray's surfboards and filled up the gas tank, cooler and our bellies. We surfed Jalama which was a little scary due to all the closeouts, then we headed to Santa Barbara for the night. The waves were a real fun 6 foot and even though the kelp kept my leash tangled up, it also kept the waves glassy. Santa Barbara is such a lovely place. After that good day of surf we went to see 5 Summer Stories in a small theater in town with a bunch of local surfers. When a couple of them found out that Ray worked for Robert August they let us shower at their house. A hot shower was dreamy.
Finally we headed home, but not with out surfing Ventura County and Malibu first. It was a great trip!
The first semester of my Senior year I took Car Mechanics. Even though I didn't have a car, nor a license even, I liked working on them. At some point the teacher asked us to bring in a car to work on. I borrowed one that belonged to a friend of my brother's. Not only did I change the oil and rotate the tires, my teacher and I also hooked the horn to the breaks. When my brother's friend picked up his car it didn't take him long to figure out what we did. On his way home he scared the hell out of some school kids when he had to stop so they could cross the street. I got an A in the class.
By the winter my brother had moved to Steamboat Springs Colorado to work as a lift operator and ski. I was home getting sick. I was pregnant.
I stayed really high all the time thinking the baby would just go away, but it didn't. After awhile I had to do something. I went to the Huntington Beach Free Clinic sponsored by Planned Parenthood.
"You're 16 weeks along." I was told, "We can get you in to see a doctor for an abortion day after tomorrow."
"Ok." was all I said. I went home and cried.
I told my Mother when she got home from work. She wasn't surprised and said she agreed with Planned Parenthood. She asked if I wanted her to be there. I told her no. I didn't want to put her through that.
The day of the abortion Ray drove me to a building that was located in Compton LA. The waiting room was filled with young girls there for the same reason I was. Ray and I sat in the corner like scared little mice, then my Mom walked in. I lost all control of my emotions and cried hysterically. The nurse came to calm me down. She took me to the back room with two other red-eyed girls. The next thing I remember was waking up and getting sick. The nurse told me to get dressed and do everything on the recovery list.
"Go to your local clinic for a follow-up." She said, then she was gone.
When I walked out of the place there was Ray and my Mom.
"Are you ok?" My mom asked.
"Yes." I said groggily.
"Good. I'll see you at home." And she got into her car and drove back to Huntington.
Ray drove me home. The pain was crazy. I couldn't stop crying.
Once back home Ray tucked me into my bed. I heard him and my Mom talking but I couldn't hear what was being said. Truth was, I didn't care. I hated myself and all I wanted to do was sleep forever.
Later that night my Mom came into my room with a bowl of soup. She took my temperature and helped me with the bleeding. I never forgot that moment because it was the first time I really felt her unconditional love. She never said another thing about that day.
When I went for my follow-up they told me everything was fine and they handed me a grocery bag loaded with condoms and birth control pills.
"Come back for refills when ever you need them." the lady said, and I did.
The whole thing cost me a 3 dollar donation.
The month before I was to turn 18 my Mom and I had a big fight and I moved out of the house. Ray, David and I got a place on Utica Ave. The place became a big party house, especially when David's brother Craig Peterson was in town. When he and Kevin Naughton would return from some "Far Shore" we'd throw a party and the two world travelers would tell us stories and show their pictures. We had a real big party like that after my Senior Prom.
Edison Prom 1978
My high school graduation was simple. Since I wasn't living at home my Mom wasn't even sure I was telling her the truth about graduating. I don't remember if the relatives came out or not if that tells you anything. After graduation Ray, Mom, my brother and I went out to dinner. Then all my friends, including Ethel, came to my house and we partied heavily. Even though I was happy to be finished with high school, unfortunately, Ray and I were soon to break up for good.
My last report card. I graduated with a 1.75 GPA (guess what comment #4 means)
(My Mom always told me,"You're not dumb, just lazy." And she was right. I was very lazy about school.
SO! I want to thank all my teachers who innately agreed with my Mom and gracefully sent me through. ALL you guys were kind.
To date...I have a BFA in in Creative Writing and a minor in Philosophy from UNCW. Class of 2007. GPA 4.0. God changes everything.)
interesting story. almost like i was there.
ReplyDeleteHow are you? ...And...how did you find this?
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