|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:21 pm
Today marked a major victory in Ophelia's war on Prosper's resolve not to buy her a surfboard. On the way home from school, she successfully talked her father into stopping at the surf shop Levi told her about. Once inside, it was only a matter of time once she successfully engaged the blonde, teenaged surfer dude behind the counter in conversation (she thought he was cute, he probably didn't think much more about her than that she looked all of ten years old.) She could see Prosper's will weakening. Resistance was futile, yes!
"What kind of board would be good for her to learn on?" asked Prosper, and Ophelia knew she had won.
"At her age and size? You're probably looking at something around, say, seven feet? A bit more?" The surfer dude lifted a slat in the counter and joined them on the other side. "Here, I'll show you some stuff," he offered, and lead them towards the infinite racks of boards on the second floor of the shop. Ophelia was practically bouncing with joy.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:35 pm
They were supposed to be shopping for new school clothes. Naomi had specifically said that Kaimi had to have new clothes for school. But none of the stores they had been in so far had been even remotely promising as far as Kaimi was concerned. But when she'd seen the surf shop with it's promising air of high summer, she'd dashed right in.
To her chagrin, they didn't really sell school clothes. But the place was fascinating despite that. Wandering the displays of brightly painted boards, Kaimi found herself wondering what they were for. She looked around for someone she could ask and her eyes fell on the little brunette who looked about her age.
Marching up to Ophelia with her customary friendly expression, Kaimi smiled at the girl. "Hi!" She said boldly. "Do you know what all these..." she searched for a word but found nothing. "Things... are for?" Gesturing towards the surf boards broadly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:03 pm
Ophelia watched her father and the surfer dude head on down the row and smiled at the girl who had just approached her. "Hi!" she replied, returning the smile before addressing the question.
"These things?" she asked, looking up and down the row of surfboards. "They're boards! For surfing on!" She paused, studied the girl, and added, "Like, in the ocean! You have to have heard of it."
She stuck out a hand. Her wrist had three little yellow stars orbiting it.
"I'm Ophelia," she declared.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:12 pm
"Surfing?" Kaimi thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! Yeah! Really?" She gazed at the boards calculatingly. Then, at Ophelia's proferred hand, she reached out and shook. "I'm Kaimi." Eyes widening a bit at the orbiting stars. "Those are cool! Are you a surfer?" Her words came out fast, eagerness and excitement making her tongue nearly trip over itself. "I've never been in the ocean." She added as an afterthought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:32 pm
Ophelia shook her head - there were stars orbiting it, as well. "Not yet," she said, and then smiled mischievously. "But I've got a friend and he's gonna teach me."
Her expression turned to one of shock and pity upon Kaimi's confession, though. Never been in the ocean? That was tantamount to abuse! "You've never been in the ocean?" she demanded, shocked that such a deprivation was even possible. "Why not?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:37 pm
Kaimi, her eyes not leaving the stars that were floating around Ophelia, shook her head. "I've seen the ocean... but my mom hasn't ever taken me before. Is it really fun?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:53 pm
Ophelia's eyes lit up. "Oh, it's the best!" she exclaimed. She took Kaimi by the wrist and lead her down the row of boards - she ought to be keeping up with her father, but at the same time she wanted to make a new friend! "My dad and I live by the beach," she explained. "My back yard's the whole ocean!"
The surfer dude sales clerk was explaining something about boards and investments to Prosper, who was nodding intently. Ophelia surveyed her immediate surroundings and began investigating the pattern on the board nearest to her. It was a dragon - a bit to scary for her taste. Maybe she could get something with fish on it? Or butterflies? Or stars?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:00 pm
Kaimi followed cheerfully, her eyes also taking in the board patterns while in her mind she envisioned the vast expanse of water. "Your backyard? Wow..." Suitably impressed, she studied a board with a classic hibiscus pattern. "It's too bad you can't put your own design on these..." She mused.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:11 pm
Ophelia hadn't thought of that before! She looked over at Kaimi and the board she was inspecting, noting that the flowers in her hair matched the ones on the deck of the surfboard. "What would you put on a surfboard?" she asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:19 pm
Kaimi thought about the question a moment before answering carefully, "I'd paint paradise on there. Or maybe I'd paint a mermaid! What would you put on a surfboard?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:21 pm
Ophelia thought for a moment, nibbling her lip pensively. An idea sparkled behind her eyes.
"A pirate ship," she declared.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:26 pm
"Pirates!" Kaimi beamed, "Thats a good idea! Maybe they have one that already has a pirate ship on it..." She looked from board to board to see if there was one that had a jolly roger on it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:38 pm
Ophelia nodded and took up the search as well, circling around her father and the surfer dude (who looked really good in those board shorts, she might add). On the far side of him she found a board painted a sort of dusky blue with an illuminated pirate ship moored at the tail end. She gasped.
It was as if someone had taken one of her paintings of "home" and stuck it on a surfboard.
She looked over at Prosper.
"I like this one," she declared.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:43 pm
Kaimi came up behind her new friend and admired the board as well. "It matches your dress." She commented, grinning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:58 pm
"You're right!" realized Ophelia happily. "Dad, can I get this one?" she asked.
Prosper looked from his daughter to the surfboard to the scruffy teenager who seemed to know everything. "Is that a good board to learn on?" he asked.
"Which one? Oh, yeah, that one?" The surfer dude looked the board up and down, and then nudged Ophelia out of the way to get a better look. "Yeah, that's a good size and shape for a beginner. It's used, so it's not gonna be as expensive as a brand new one."
"Can I?" asked Ophelia. "Please????"
Prosper sighed. "Alright. Fine. We'll get the board."
Ophelia turned to Kaimi and grinned.
"Mission accomplished," she whispered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
