Monday, October 14, 2013

yeonsoo seo/ character sketch 2nd draft / Tues 1pm

Unforgettable friend

"Hi, can you guys ride boogie board?"

"No, but it looks exciting"

"I will show you guys first how to ride boogie board, and just take a shot with my board"

I met this boy whose name is Arturo at Puerto Escondido in Mexico last summer vacation. My friend 'soyoung' and I were staying in Mexico City learning Spanish last summer. Since both of us wanted to escape crowded and precarious city at least just for several days, we tried to find a place where we could feel breeze blowing soft and fresh from the ocean where less famous to tourists. 'Puerto Escondido' was the place we were looking for, and even its name meant hidden port. Since the weather was so scorching, as soon as we arrived at Puerto Escondido, we headed to the beach and sat on the sand under parasol.

Surprisingly, many Mexican boys were riding boogie board, and some guys were windsurfing. By then, I realized I came to the town well-known for surfing. Waves that lied before us were so high that it looked like it would swallow us. When we were thrown into that scenery, one Mexican boy came to us asking our name, age and nationality. He said his name is 'Arturo', and when we didn't pronounce his name very well, he scribbled his name on the sand with his fingers. Also, as he was my age, I felt comfortable talking with him. He was small because his height almost looked similar to mine. He had straight black hair and his skin was darkly tanned. He was wearing swimming shorts holding a boogie board on his right hand and flippers on the other hand. Since he just came out of water riding boogie board, beads of water were standing on his hair and body. Because of the blazing sun, he was pulling a long face but his big bright eyes looked nice and warm. And then he suggested to us, saying "have you ever tried boogie board?" As we shook our heads, he said "first, I will show you how to ride a boogie board, and I will come back and teach you how to hold breath under waves and then let's ride boogie board together."

He wore flippers, and strode ahead getting far from the beach. After that, he disappeared into water right before high waves stroke him, and only his boogie board could be seen with his one hand. Once high waves passed above his body, he appeared onto water again leaning his body towards boogie board. He stuck his body to boogie board swinging his hands and feet with flippers to move forward. When he got into deep water, he was floating on waves like a duck. He was waiting for waves high enough to ride. Arturo was turning his back on big waves that would come soon, and when high waves came, he rode the waves from the top to the bottom keeping his upper body erect and fluttering his feet. Staring Arturo riding the waves was so amazing that I saw him wide-mouthed in astonishment. I learned from Arturo how to hold breath under big waves which was terrifying but exciting, and how to ride the waves with boogie board. Actually learning how to control breathing was very useful few weeks later when I got drowned into the ocean when it rained.

After riding the waves, Arturo brought his friends to us sitting on the beach. Since none of them couldn't speak English at all, we communicated using body language and writing on the sand, which was funny in some ways. Despite language barrier, Arturo and his friends were so friendly and welcoming. They also introduced us restaurants serving delicious tacos and cool beer, and took us to more beautiful beaches nearby. Since I had such a great time at that day thanks to Arturo, I decided to stay at Puerto Escondido for another two months during that vacation.

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