The Tour

twenty nine / big takeaway

A knock sounded on my door, much too early in the morning. It was finally a day that I didn't have an early morning lift, and I had been planning on soaking it in.

"Yeah?" I called groggily.

"Hey, the waves are looking good," my dad's baritone echoed through the door.

"Aren't they always?" I groaned, curling back up under the blankets.

"I have a banana in the car for you, I'll see you there in five."

It had been a few weeks since my last wakeup call from my dad. His hours at work had been crazier the past few years, so while I was used to the early father-daughter surf sessions when I was a kid, it had gradually become less of a pattern. I pulled on a slightly insulated long sleeve one piece bathing suit, mostly because I had no tolerance for any level of cold at five thirty in the morning.

Sure enough, there was a banana on the passenger seat of the old pickup when I walked up four minutes later. The radio was playing some old alt rock band, and my dad was looking too enthusiastic for this time of day. "Sunset looked good on the cams."

"I feel like surfing Sunset during sunrise should be illegal," I said, pulling my hood tighter over my head.

My dad laughed and turned right at the stop sign towards the break. "I mean, they might require a sunny attitude to let you in."

A smile worked its way out, even as I was sure to give him a look. He grinned back and parked the truck before handing me a board that he has grabbed for me. I surveyed his choice appreciatively, it was a nice board. That, and he has done the artwork on it, so I'm sure that there was some incentive for him to bring it out.

The paddle out to the break was silent. There were a few other people in the water, but they were spread apart and seemed to be alone. My dad and I surveyed the waves side by side. He had grown up in San Clemente surfing the California waves before he met my mom in Hawaii and was converted to the island breaks. It wasn't too much of a competition in my opinion.

"So, your mom said the other day that you're wrapping up school?" He asked after we had both caught a few waves and were back in the lineup.

"Yeah, I take my last final so that's a relief. It's a little late for graduation, but I'll take it."

He watched one of the other guys paddle and pop up on his own wave. "I'm just glad you're graduating, even if it's six months late. I know that there were probably times where it was tempting to drop it, but we're proud of you. Never know when the high school diploma will come in handy."

"Bet you never thought you'd be worried about your daughter dropping out of high school," I laughed before taking off on a wave. There was a mutual understanding that either of us were free to catch waves in the middle of a conversation. It would be resumed later.

"Well, when you were getting perfect hundreds on everything in middle school I did wonder if there would be some Ivy in your future," he winked.

"Sorry to disappoint you in the brains department."

He paddled back a minute later after catching his own wave. "Your mom and I are so proud of you and all that you've accomplished. Just because you don't go to college doesn't mean you're any less smart. We've seen the way you've taken control of marketing yourself and working for what you want. Just because we're happy that Evan is at college doesn't mean we think that's the best for you. And don't get any ideas of throwing your dreams away to follow Will around at school."

I looked at him skeptically. Boy talks with my dad we're always interesting, and this was very on brand for him. "I'm not going to quit for him."

"You know you're welcome to date him, but just don't get too caught up with what your mom and Rachel say. You're busy with surfing and all that goes with that, so don't worry about disappointing anyone else's dreams for you two as a couple," he said seriously.