Cut Back by Todd Strasser Page A

turned away. With his shorts down around his ankles, Spazzy tried to grab the towel and hold it up before it fell to the sand and left him bare-butt naked on the beach. In the process he lost his balance and fell. Now he couldn’t get up without letting go of the towel.
    â€œHold on to that towel, dude.” Kai reached down, slipped his hands under Spazzy’s arms from behind and helped him up while Spazzy clung to the towel.
    â€œTell you what,” Kai said. “I’ll hold the towel from behind and you pull on the wet suit.”
    It took a while, but they managed to help Spazzy get the wet suit on. “Good thing this is a shorty,” Spazzy said. “Out in California I have to wear a full suit. Sometimes it takes half an hour just to get it on.”
    One thing that amazed Kai about Spazzy was how open and honest he was about his “condition.” Kai watched nervously as Spazzy bent down and picked up old #43. He started to feel a little better when the guy pulled the leash up and balanced the board in the middle with the bottom facing inward and the deck facing out. So, at least, it
seemed
like Spazzy knew what he was doing.
    About ten feet from the waters edge, Spazzy broke into a run, splashed into the shallows and launched himself and the board into the waves. Kai felt himself relax even more. It looked like Spazzy really had been doing this for years. Kai got on his board and paddled out behind him. Spazzy headed toward Sewers with his back arched, knees bent, and both feet raised, no doubt a habit he’d developed surfing in the cold Californiawinter waters. The guy’s paddling strokes were strong and smooth and from the movements of his arms, Kai knew he was using the S stroke that good swimmers, and surfers, use to get extra thrust.
    Usually the first time you paddled out in the morning, especially at a break you’d never surfed before, you tended to take your time. You sat up on the board, caught your breath, had a look around, felt the smaller swells rise and fall beneath you, took a look at how the waves were cresting and breaking, checked the water for unwanted guests such as sharks and jellyfish. So it took Kai by surprise when, before they’d even gotten all the way outside, Spazzy suddenly swung the tip of the long board around, took a couple of easy strokes and was on a wave. It happened so fast that Kai didn’t even have time to catch the next wave and follow him. In a flash Spazzy was up and in the pocket. His stance was wide and stiff. Not nearly as relaxed and gracefull as Bean’s, but with his legs spread like that he could shift his weight forward or back, slowing down or speeding up the board at will.
    By the time Kai caught a wave, Spazzy was paddling back. Kai kicked out and paddled with him.
    â€œNice ride,” Kai said.
    â€œThanks, dude. You can’t believe how good it feels.”
    Actually Kai was pretty sure he could believe it.
    They caught some more waves. After a while Shauna stood up on the beach and waved at them.
    â€œUh, I hate to say this,” Kai said to Spazzy, “but it looks like Shauna wants the board back.”
    You could see the disappointment creep across Spazzy’s face. Then he glanced at his wristwatch. “I better get going anyway before the Wicked Witch notices I’m gone and sends out the hounds. This was really great, dude. Thanks.”
    â€œMy pleasure.”
    Spazzy started to look for a wave to catch in. “Hey, one other thing?” he said. “Think I could leave my wet suit and towel with you? If I take ’em home, I’m gonna catch hell.”
    â€œNo sweat,” Kai said. “Leave ’em on the beach. I’ll take care of them.”
    â€œBe back tomorrow, okay?” Spazzy said.
    â€œDefinitely,” said Kai.
    Spazzy caught the next wave in. On thebeach he handed the board back to Shauna. Meanwhile, Kai paddled out to Screamers, where Bean and