toward the company locker room in the basement. He reached his locker, stripped down to his board shorts and placed his work clothes inside. He unclasped his silver chain necklace and slipped the RFID keychain loop on to it. Kam turned and looked in the mirror. The gold circuit actually looked good hanging from the chain—like a medallion. He slipped his phone into a waterproof bag and placed it in his shorts pocket. He closed up his locker and headed out the back exit. After a short climb up the stairs he opened the door to the bright afternoon sun. His SUP, Stand Up Paddleboard , was propped up against the building just outside the door where he had left it that morning. He grabbed his board and the accompanying oar and walked down the path to the beach.
It was a less than a mile up the shoreline from the University office to Kam’s house. He paddled the stretch every morning and every day after work. Kam was a strong surfer and was into competitive SUP’ing or Hoe he’e nalu in the Native tongue. SUP’ing was a standard way of getting around in Hawaii; in fact he would often join up with other SUP’ers on their way to work in the morning as well. It was not your typical mainland morning commute, which was why Kam enjoyed it.
He pushed off into the waters and paddled out a few yards on his knees. Once he was about forty yards out he hopped up to his feet and quickly gained his balance, then pushed his paddle through the clear water and skimmed across the gentle waves. He smelled the salty air around him and felt the strong sun beating down on his skin. A subtle breeze blew north that he was able to catch and drag for a while. Within fifteen minutes he was already pulling into the small bay in front of his beach house. He crossed through a large lava rock formation and turned into the cove. He looked up to find tourists lined up along the entire shoreline, filling the cove. Kam wasn’t accustomed to returning home midday. He was usually able to avoid the rush of tourists altogether.
He steered his board into the cove. The waves picked up a little as the breeze grew stronger. He was able to ride a wave all the way into the swim zone. He paddled slowly along the outside edge of the cove, just inside from the crashing waves along the reef perimeter. He picked up his paddle and tucked it lengthwise along the board, then went to drop down to his knees. As he bent down he felt a sudden lurch underneath the board causing him to grab both sides of it. The sudden movement sent his paddle over the right side of the board and into the water. He looked down and saw two large flippers kicking uncontrollably on the left side of the board while a snorkel popped up out of the water on the right. Water sprayed up into the air through a snorkel. A large, barrel of a man was lodged underneath the board panicking and splashing around. The man was sunburnt from head to toe. Kam tried to keep his balance but the man was thrashing like a fish out of water.
Just as Kam had steadied himself, the board was kicked again powerfully from underneath sending Kam flying overboard. He entered the water and immediately received two blows to the chest from the man’s large grey flippers.
Kam yelled as he tried to get away. “Oww. Hey! Watch what you’re…”
The man exploded out of the water and ripped off his mask. “Are you crazy ! What are you trying to do? Drown me ?”
Kam looked around for his board, which he spotted washing out to sea. He swam away from the man to retrieve his board.
“Hey, I’m talking to you!” the man yelled.
Kam grabbed his paddle and pulled himself up onto his board. He turned and paddled away from the man. He could hear the man cursing at him between heavy pants and deep gasps as the man treaded water. The cursing faded off into the noise of the tourists as Kam reached the beach and pulled up onto the sand. He kicked up his board and threw it under his right arm. Brushing off the sand, he held the paddle in
It was a less than a mile up the shoreline from the University office to Kam’s house. He paddled the stretch every morning and every day after work. Kam was a strong surfer and was into competitive SUP’ing or Hoe he’e nalu in the Native tongue. SUP’ing was a standard way of getting around in Hawaii; in fact he would often join up with other SUP’ers on their way to work in the morning as well. It was not your typical mainland morning commute, which was why Kam enjoyed it.
He pushed off into the waters and paddled out a few yards on his knees. Once he was about forty yards out he hopped up to his feet and quickly gained his balance, then pushed his paddle through the clear water and skimmed across the gentle waves. He smelled the salty air around him and felt the strong sun beating down on his skin. A subtle breeze blew north that he was able to catch and drag for a while. Within fifteen minutes he was already pulling into the small bay in front of his beach house. He crossed through a large lava rock formation and turned into the cove. He looked up to find tourists lined up along the entire shoreline, filling the cove. Kam wasn’t accustomed to returning home midday. He was usually able to avoid the rush of tourists altogether.
He steered his board into the cove. The waves picked up a little as the breeze grew stronger. He was able to ride a wave all the way into the swim zone. He paddled slowly along the outside edge of the cove, just inside from the crashing waves along the reef perimeter. He picked up his paddle and tucked it lengthwise along the board, then went to drop down to his knees. As he bent down he felt a sudden lurch underneath the board causing him to grab both sides of it. The sudden movement sent his paddle over the right side of the board and into the water. He looked down and saw two large flippers kicking uncontrollably on the left side of the board while a snorkel popped up out of the water on the right. Water sprayed up into the air through a snorkel. A large, barrel of a man was lodged underneath the board panicking and splashing around. The man was sunburnt from head to toe. Kam tried to keep his balance but the man was thrashing like a fish out of water.
Just as Kam had steadied himself, the board was kicked again powerfully from underneath sending Kam flying overboard. He entered the water and immediately received two blows to the chest from the man’s large grey flippers.
Kam yelled as he tried to get away. “Oww. Hey! Watch what you’re…”
The man exploded out of the water and ripped off his mask. “Are you crazy ! What are you trying to do? Drown me ?”
Kam looked around for his board, which he spotted washing out to sea. He swam away from the man to retrieve his board.
“Hey, I’m talking to you!” the man yelled.
Kam grabbed his paddle and pulled himself up onto his board. He turned and paddled away from the man. He could hear the man cursing at him between heavy pants and deep gasps as the man treaded water. The cursing faded off into the noise of the tourists as Kam reached the beach and pulled up onto the sand. He kicked up his board and threw it under his right arm. Brushing off the sand, he held the paddle in
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