From - Tue Sep 24 17:49:51 1996
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From: Foondoggy <wfover@nist.gov>
Newsgroups: alt.surfing
Subject: The Nutcracker....... Sweet!
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 16:56:52 -0400
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Sometimes you just cry out for justice. Think of all the circumstances
you've experienced when you've felt wronged. 

A guy takes your parking spot after you've been circling for an hour.
A cop stops you for doing 60 when others were doing 75.
You've found just the right piece of clothing, but not in your size.
You've seen a great house you want to buy, but it's sold before you can
bid.

Sometimes we witness people get away with such incredible wrongnesses,
and it really bothers us when we are the subject of that abuse.

Snaking is the perfect example. We all know it's wrong. Some of us do it
and feel guilty, some of us don't do it and think maybe we should.
Everyone thinks that someday we will get paided back for our wrong
doings. But it's rare when we see others get their just reward.

Two weeks ago, during the very good conditions of Hortense, I was
sharing the break with an impressive number of good riders.  Because the
conditions were so good, sometimes a mass psychological phenomena occurs
which I call a "Feeding Frenzy". That is when certain people get so
stoked by their successes they start going after every wave regardless
of protocol.  Such was the case this day and I was almost swept up in it
myself.

Now among my standup brethren I am considered an anomoly. A middleaged
bodyboarder, who wears a hat and likes to ride. When the "experts" are
out they don't pay much attention to me. Even though they look my way
when sizing up a wave, they don't see me going for it. Afterall, how
could that fat old fart do justice to that beautiful macker coming in?
I've been snaked by a lot of riders who considered me too insignificant
to worry about. Usually I take it quietly reasoning in all my years I've
surfed twice as many waves as they have. But lets face it - after a
while getting snaked gets you pissed.  That's why on this day I was
happy to find out (snakingly speaking), Yes Virginia, there is a Santa
Claus (If this reference is too vague, I understand, I didn't get it
either.)

Of the 5 waves I had ridden that morning, I was snaked, cutoff or
obstructed by paddlers on 4. Sure I didn't have the speed, equipment, or
experience to make most of them, but I was in position to claim them and
I shouldn't have been prevented from trying.  Finally, I again was in
position, but one of the guys who'd gotten me before telegraphed with
his eyes and body language he was going to do it again. Though I was
closest to the peak, he was determined not to miss this fine wave.  I
was in it first and started to yell, "Comin!" when he popped up and
began his turn. He must have slipped on his deck patch because his board
just tilted up and dug a rail, then it popped up quite swiftly - right
between his legs! Doink!   I pulled out and could hear him moaning just
a short distance away.

I wanted to ask him if he was ok, but to tell you the truth, I couldn't
have done it without grinnin. I hate to see anyone get seriously hurt,
but in this case a little reminder to play by the rules felt just about
right. The snaker slowly got on his board and bellied the next wave in.
I saw him go sit on the beach for a long time before he got up to leave.
I got 3 more waves!

-Foondoggy 

"Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice."  -H.L.
Mencken