One
of my all
time favorite
surf trips
was a trip
I took to
northen Mainland
Mexico with
my best bro
bro Dave in
1990. We were
at the Tijauna
airport feeling
pretty lucky,
sipping airport
lounge drinks
and watching
the baggage
handlers load
our our board
bags into
the belly
of the plane.
The ground
crew didn't
have a ladder
or ramp so
they were
tossing up
luggage to
each other
and catching
it. This was
plenty amusing
from the lounge
but I got
kinda nervous
when it was
time for load
our board
bags."Hand
them up gently."
whispered
Dave under
his breath.
Instead the
guy on the
ground made
a feeble attempt
to toss the
bag up into
the air. Of
course since
he was only
about 5'1"
and proabably
wieghed 135
lbs. soaking
wet the bag
bounced off
the bottom
of the plane
and flopped
back onto
the tarmac.
The rest of
the baggage
handlers doubled
over in laughter.
He tried it
again, throwing
with all his
muster the
board zinged
past the guy
in the plane
and clunked
off the top
of the door,
gain plummenting
back down
to earth.
His
buddies were
really on
his case now
and the poor
guy was getting
flustered.
Dave looked
horrified
and I was
cracking up.
In defeat
the poor guy
gently handed
up the bag
to his coworker
and into the
plane it went.
My bag was
next and I
couldn't believe
it, the guy
was going
to try to
redeem himself
by once again
attempting
to throw the
bag into plane. "Nooooooooooo."
I banged on
the glass
with my palms.
My bag didn't
even come
close and
fell back
down on the
nose. "That
can't be good
observed Dave." The guy's
buddies were
really laying
it on him
now and he
stood still
staring at
the ground
for a moment.
Then
he snapped.
He started
kicking and
stomping my
board bag!
The horror!
He picked
it up and
threw it at
the guy behind
the wheel
of the little
truck. It
cartwheeled
and slid across
the piles
of luggage. "Don't
all your boards
have glass
on fins?" asked Dave.
Finally he
got my bag
on the plane
and even though
I couldn't
see very well,
it looked
like they
were throwing
all kinds
of suitcases
on top of
it. I was
pretty stressed
during the
flight and
I couldn't
wait to unpack
my boards
and check
out the damage.
No dings.
Nada. Nothing.
So there it
is, my customer
testimonial.
I also ended
up using that
bag as shelter
from a sudden
rainstorm
when we were
camping at
a pointbreak.
I used the
leashes to
hang my hammocks
and hang boards
in the palapas.
I also gave
a leash to
a wealthy
Mexico City
women who
thought it
would make
a stylish
leash for
her little
mean dog.
I still have
that bag.
I haven't
been on trip
in a couple
of years.
The bag is
all dusty
but the zippers
still work.
Posting this
story has
got me thinking
that I may
have to check
out the cheap
ticket websites.
Keep
surfing! |
