Close Out

by Todd Strasser

  “I want to show you something.” Kai opened the camcorder screen and pressed play. It was the scene in Jade’s bedroom with Dave McAllister admitting that Buzzy ordered him to steal Curtis’s boards.

  Lucas put down the board bag and watched silently. The video ended and he looked at Kai. “That for real?”

  “You think Dave could ever act that well if it wasn’t?” Kai asked back.

  Lucas neither moved nor spoke. Then a sneer appeared on his lips. “Yeah, so? What’s your point?”

  “I just thought you should know,” said Kai.

  “Everybody knows my old man wants Curtis out,” Lucas said. “That’s not news.”

  “You think it was right for him to tell Dave to steal Curtis’s boards?” Kai asked.

  “He does what he has to do to win,” Lucas said.

  “Including break the law?”

  “Look who’s talking,” Lucas said. “Your old man’s a crook from way back.”

  “Right, and I walked away,” Kai said. “What are you gonna do?”

  “Fuck you,” Lucas said. He picked up the board bag and headed for the beach.

  Kai was closing Everett’s camcorder when Curtis and Shauna came out of the crowd now flooding across the boardwalk toward the beach. The competition would begin soon. Shauna gestured to the camera. “You showed it to Lucas?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What’d he say?”

  “Nothing friendly.”

  “Not what you hoped, huh?” said Curtis.

  Kai shook his head. He was disappointed. “Maybe it was just a stupid fantasy.”

  “You know what they say,” Curtis said. “Like father, like son.”

  Not in my case, Kai thought. But maybe in most others.

  By now the line at the sign-up tent had grown long. The contest director was addressing a big crowd of competitors with the usual warnings about dropping in, snaking, and interferences.

  “There’s still time to sign up,” Shauna said.

  Kai didn’t respond.

  “You can do it,” Shauna urged him. “No matter what happens, I promise you’ll still be you. You’re not going to forget everything that’s happened. You’ll never go back to the person you were before.”

  Kai looked at Curtis questioningly.

  “Listen, grom, if there was no contest today, would you be out there surfing?” the older man asked.

  Kai looked out at the waves. The sets were coming in evenly. Shoulder high, breaking cleanly. Who wouldn’t go surfing on a day like this? “Yeah, I imagine I would.”

  “So you just gonna let some stupid Northeast Championship stop you?”

  Kai grinned. “When you look at it that way, why should I?”

  Curtis rubbed Kai’s head. “That’s the spirit.”

  Twenty-nine

  The tense mist of competition was thick in the air. This wasn’t some small, local, “let’s all go out and have fun” kind of event. No one smiled or joked. When Kai looked around, he saw nothing but grim determination on the faces of his fellow competitors. And there were plenty of good surfers out there. People who could rip and work a wave until there was nothing left but soup. Kai surfed with total resolve, concentration, and intensity. Tomorrow he could go back to being a soul surfer.

  It was a long day, and by midafternoon everyone from Sun Haven except Kai, Lucas, and Bean had been eliminated. Bean was in the men’s long board finals when Booger, Spazzy, and Julian showed up.

  “Hey, guys!” Spazzy twitched as he wound his way through the patchwork of blankets, beach towels, and umbrellas. Booger and Julian followed. Kai could see from the way Julian kept swiveling her head that she was looking for Bean.

  “He’s out there.” Kai pointed out at the break, where six long boarders in colored jerseys were jockeying for waves.

  “How’s he doing?” Booger asked.

  “Hard to tell,” Kai said. “They’re all good. At this point it probably has as much to do with luck as anything else.”

  An air horn blared twice. Bean’s heat was over. A few minutes later he trudged up the beach with his board under his arm and seawater dripping off the end of his long braided ponytail. His head was down and it was hard to tell whether he was bummed or just tired. But when he saw Julian, he straightened up and smiled.

  “How come you’re not over at the tent waiting for the results?” Booger asked.

  “They don’t announce the winners until the awards ceremony” Bean said, sounding dejected. “But I didn’t get enough good rides. It’s unbelievable out there. You can hardly get on a wave. Every time you think you’re ready to go, there’s some other dude already paddling into it.”

  “You mean they’re snaking you?” Booger asked.

  “Maybe, but it’s hard to tell,” Bean said. “These guys just know where to be. No matter how deep in the pocket you think you are, there’s always someone a little deeper.”

  Jillian put her hand on Bean’s shoulder.

  “This the way it was in the old days?” Kai asked Curtis.

  The older man shook his head. “The competition’s fiercer, the stakes are bigger. These guys are in top shape. Look at ’em. Their shoulders, and arms, and legs. You can see they train like athletes. Back in my day, we competed hard, but there was a feeling that you still let everyone have his shot. That’s not here anymore. You don’t get your shot unless you fight for it. That fight starts in a gym, lifting weights, and on a track, doing endurance work. When I was on the circuit, the only things we lifted were boards and beer bottles. There are boys out there today doing things world champions weren’t doing when I competed.”

  “Well, sure,” Bean teased. “Back in those days it wasn’t easy to catch air on a hundred-and-eighty-pound, fifteen-foot solid-redwood board.”

  “Screw you,” Curtis growled in a good-natured way. “By the end of my time on the tour they were starting to use short boards. The forerunners of what you kids are on today”

  “Men’s open finals,” the beach marshal announced through the megaphone. “Competitors get your jerseys.”

  Kai rose to his feet and picked up his board. His friends wished him good luck.

  “You can do it, Kai.”

  “Give it your best shot, dude.”

  Kai was given a red jersey. He was one of six surfers in the men’s final. Four were from out of town. He’d never seen them before. The sixth was Lucas, in a yellow jersey.

  “Gather round, boys,” the beach marshal said, and waited until the competitors came close. “Okay, you’ve already heard everything there is to know. Just one last thing. Be real careful about snaking one another’s waves out there. There’s been too much of that already today, and the judges are going to be watching closely. Wave selection’s important, but remember everyone deserves a shot. You boys have worked hard to get to the finals today. You don’t want to get eliminated for stealing someone else’s wave. Any questions?”

  No one said a word.

  “All right then,” the beach marshal said. “Anyone need to use a Porta Potti, this is your chance.”

  Kai decided to take advantage of the offer. The last thing he wanted to be thinking about out there was relieving himself. He went up the beach and behind the white tent.

  When he came out of the Porta Potti, Buzzy Frank was waiting for him.

  Thirty

  “Got a second?” Lucas’s father asked.

  “About that,” Kai answered.

  “I wanted to say that you’ve done exactly what I asked you to do,” Buzzy said. “I doubt Lucas would have made it to the finals today if you hadn’t pushed him these last few weeks.”

  Kai nodded silently and glanced at the crowd on the beach. Almost everyone was facing out toward the water, watching the surfers.

  “But maybe you’ve pushed him far enough,” Buzzy said.

  Kai turned and looked at him. “What do you mean?”

  “Everyone knows you don’t care that much about competing,” Buzzy said. “In a
way, if you win today, it’s almost a waste, because you probably won’t do anything with it.”

  “You want me to let Lucas win because you think he’ll do more with it than I will?” Kai cut to the chase.

  “Why not?” Buzzy said. “You’ve done it before. You let that Spazzy kid get into the finals at Fairport last month.”

  “Maybe I did that because I knew how much it would mean to him,” Kai said.

  “This would mean a lot to Lucas,” Buzzy said.

  “Maybe even more to you,” said Kai.

  “Maybe a lot for both of us,” Buzzy said.

  “And suppose I do back off,” Kai said. “How’s that gonna help Lucas at the next competition? You think the other surfers are gonna back off just because you ask them?”

  “If Lucas gets a big win here I think he’ll gain the confidence he needs to compete against the big boys. You know this isn’t only about skill. It’s about having the confidence to take risks. Lucas needs this win, Kai. This could be the beginning of something big for him.”

  “You’re sure it’s not the beginning of something big for you?” Kai asked.

  Buzzy narrowed his eyes. “Enough bullshit. I’ll make this easy for you. The prize moneys a thousand bucks. I’ll double it.”

  Kai stared into Buzzy’s eyes. “You know, I was over at the hospital the other day. I saw your name on that plaque for the new wing.”

  “What’s that got to do with this?”

  “That was a really good thing you did,” Kai said.

  Buzzy blinked, as if the compliment caught him off guard. “Why, thank you.”

  “It meant something to me,” Kai said. “It meant you’re not such a bad guy.”

  “Hey!” someone yelled. Kai turned and saw Lucas wave. “The heat’s starting.”

  Kai looked back at Buzzy.

  “I’m offering you two thousand bucks,” Lucas’s father said.

  “Keep it,” Kai said.

  “Why?”

  “Because you can’t win everything every time.” Kai turned and trotted back to the waiting area.

  When he got there Lucas asked, “What was that about?”

  “Ask him after the heat,” Kai replied.

  They grabbed their boards and headed for the water.

  For the next twenty minutes Kai surfed pure death or glory. He was only vaguely aware of the other surfers. One in particular, in the light blue jersey, seemed to have a knack for catching the best waves. Almost every time the kid took oaf on a wave, Kai would hear cheers from the crowd on the beach.

  The heat ended. Kai carried his board up the beach and was surprised to find only Bean waiting for him. He was a little disappointed that Curtis wasn’t there.

  “Looked pretty good out there, dude,” Bean said.

  “The kid in light blue looked better,” Kai said.

  “He was definitely amped,” Bean allowed.

  “So where is everyone?” Kai asked.

  “Oh, you know, they had to make up something for Spazzy to do while Jillian put the finishing touches on the surprise party tonight,” Bean said. “Come on. It’s time for the awards.”

  They joined the crowd of competitors and onlookers in front of the white tent. Kai noticed that neither Lucas nor Buzzy was there. He spotted them down the beach, out of earshot. While Kai couldn’t hear what they were saying, it was clear from their body language that it wasn’t exactly a love fest.

  “Wonder what that’s about,” Bean said.

  “I think I know,” Kai said.

  “Buzzy’s pissed at Lucas for not doing better?” Bean guessed.

  “I’d bet it’s the other way around,” Kai said.

  Bean frowned. The awards ceremony began with the contest director thanking the manufacturers and sponsors who helped organize and finance the event. Then the trophies and checks were given out to the winners and runners-up in each event. As usual the biggest and most important contest, the men’s short board, was announced last. By then most of the crowd had gone.

  The contest director held up a large gold trophy. “First prize in the men’s short board division goes to Mark Wickersham of Belmar.”

  Cheers broke out of the crowd, and the kid who’d been wearing the light blue jersey bounded up to the front to accept his trophy and check for $1,000. Cameras clicked as he held up the trophy. Moments later, as he left the awards area, the writers and photographers from the magazines converged on him.

  Next the contest director held up a smaller gold trophy. “Second prize goes to Kai Herter of Sun Haven.”

  Bean hooted and whistled. There was a smattering of applause when Kai accepted the trophy and check for $500. No cameras clicked. No writers surrounded him. In surfing, as in life, there was a big difference between winner and runner-up.

  Bean and Kai headed over to the hearse and slid their boards in the back, then got in the front. Kai took a ballpoint pen from behind the sun visor. He turned his check for second place over and wrote, “Pay to Lawrence Balter” on the back, then signed his name.

  “Here you go, dude.” He handed the check to Bean.

  Bean scowled, then nodded as if he understood. “The tires?”

  “What else?” Kai said.

  They were driving back through town when Kai thought of something.

  “Hey, Bean, could you go up East Street?”

  Bean turned the hearse at the corner. “What’s up?”

  “There’s something I need to see,” Kai said. “Shouldn’t take long.”

  They drove up the block and stopped in front of T-licious. A heavy, balding man in a rumpled gray suit was taping a white sheet of paper to the glass front door.

  “Uh-oh,” Bean said. “That looks serious.”

  Kai got out of the hearse and stepped onto the sidewalk. The early evening breeze made the leaves on the trees reveal their dull silvery undersides. The air felt light and dry today. Now that it was early evening, the sunlight had a different, clearer slant than before.

  The man’s round face was red. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead. The white sheet of paper said, in big letters, CLOSED BY ORDER OF FOURTH CIRCUIT COURT. Beneath that were several official-looking paragraphs of smaller print. At the bottom were signatures. One by a judge. The other by the county sheriff.

  “What’s it mean?” Kai asked the man.

  “This place has been shut down by order of the county,” the fat man said.

  “Why?”

  “Guy who ran it is in all kinds of trouble. He got caught selling counterfeit knockoffs of name-brand clothing. And it turns out he’s wanted in other states for mail fraud, tax evasion, and credit card theft. I’m glad I’m not in his shoes.”

  “Know where he is right now?” Kai asked.

  “County lockup. And from what I hear, he’s gonna be there for a long time.”

  Kai walked back to the hearse and got in.

  “What’d he say?” Bean asked.

  “Looks like my father stuck around too long,” Kai said.

  “So where is he?”

  “Someplace where he can’t just pack up and leave,” Kai said.

  Bean pulled the hearse from the curb. “We better get back to my place and wash up. We’re supposed to be at Spazzy’s in half an hour.”

  “He still doesn’t know it’s a surprise?” Kai asked.

  “I dropped a couple of hints at the beach before and he didn’t react to any of them,” Bean said. “I think he’s gonna be blown away.”

  Kai smiled. “Good.”

  “You get a sense of whether Lucas and his crew are going to show?” Bean asked.

  “Hard to say,” Kai said. “Lucas sure didn’t look happy there at the end.”

  “Yeah, guess you’re right,” Bean said.

  Back at Bean’s place they showered and changed clothes. They got back into the hearse and drove to Spazzy’s. The only car parked in the driveway was the black Mercedes station wagon with the California plates. Kai felt a little uncomfortable. Either
Jillian and Deb Hollister had done a really good job of hiding cars where Spazzy wouldn’t see them, or it was going to be a very poorly attended surprise party.

  “So where is Spazzy supposed to be anyway?” Kai asked.

  “I don’t know,” Bean said. “Shauna and Booger said they’d take care of that.”

  Bean parked the hearse out of sight around the corner, and Kai and he walked back to Spazzy’s house and up the path to the front door. Bean rapped his knuckles against the door.

  It seemed odd to Kai that he didn’t press the doorbell.

  The front door opened, and Kai found himself looking at a sea of smiling faces in the doorway. “Surprise!” they all shouted.

  Naturally Kai turned and looked back down the path, assuming that Spazzy was coming up behind them. But the path was empty. Kai turned and looked again at the faces in the doorway. Spazzy was one of them. What was he doing there if it was a surprise party for him? It didn’t make sense. Then he noticed that Bean was also smiling at him.

  “Surprise, Kai,” he said.

  Son of a bitch!

  Thirty-one

  Kai had been eight years old the last time someone threw a surprise party for him. His mom and Ethan said that for his birthday they were taking him to Zelo’s Beach House, a restaurant that was not on the beach, but was a cool grown-up place to go. When they got there, Kai discovered seven of his closest friends already sitting at a big table. They ate burgers and fries, and drank way too much soda. The cake, of course, was shaped like a surfboard.

  Now Kai stood on the walk outside Spazzy’s front door, trying to figure out why they were throwing a party for him. Shauna came out of the house, slipped her arm through his, and led him inside. The crowd at the doorway parted to let them in. Only Spazzy remained in front of them, twitching. He licked the palm of his hand, sniffed it, then held it out to Kai, who understandably hesitated for a second, then shook it. The others gathered around them in the living room. In addition to Kai’s friends and Jillian, Kai spotted Jade, Everett, Curtis, and Teddy (nowhere near Curtis). Besides Everett, no one in Lucas’s crew had shown up.

  Spazzy took a wrinkled piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. Kai realized it was some kind of speech.