The making of the Movie: Southern California Son - Part 14
the Rough Water Drink: the End
The annual Rough Water Swim in La Jolla. The Sunday after the Labor Day weekend.Young, Old, pregnant, barren, fat, skinny, tall, short, or mediocre, they all make the swim.
Except me. Over half a century in this town and the only time I made the swim was on
the morning after when I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and the buoys were
still placed. My years of surfing Leash-less did me well as I did not drown. Had to make
a few stops along the way, but there were no time keepers and I didn't get run over
by some steroid muscle freak passing as a waterperson at La Jolla Cove.
boat party people
For years, concurrent with the Swim, there was the Drink, the Rough Drink,
where the local youth would gather along shore, or on their surfboards or kayaks or
boats and drink themselves into that state where large slingshots to fire water balloons,
and the mooning of elders and the streaking naked along the cliffs and in the water
was normal behavior. This has since been outlawed---but not before our Film!
shore party people
People come from all over the world to participate in the swim and to watch their friends
and family participate in the swim. Olympians and long-distance English Channel swimmers
are regular participants. Upwards of 10,000 people participate and spectate at the event.
the normal people
more normal people
This year the swim was no different from any previous swim. This year the swim would be
radically different from any subsequent swim. This is because our protagonist was forced
to look down the barrel of a 38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver held in the beautiful hand
of his former lover. At which he made a quick decision to jump off Deadmans.
party pooper
One second hoisting a beer to your friends out on the boats, followed by a short stroll
Deadmans in the background
up the cliffs to Coast Walk, for a better view of the swimmers and party-people, and
the worker bees
the next thing you know some crazed woman from out of your past is walking toward you
with this determined look on her face. What is up with that? Why can't history stay in the past?
With a woman, there is past, present and future. They all jumble together as
we move through different stages of our life. The elementary school sweetheart
that turned your head at first sight, blossoms into a young-woman who looks at the
slick-haired bad-ass, five years her senior and leagues above your skill. Ten years
later you run into her at the Club and she has a small-child in tow with no ring on
her finger and you hook-up for a couple of weeks of passionate sex and you realize
that your puppy-love was with a person who no longer exists. The sex is great, the love
doesn't exist. What do you do? Walk away, or fuck your brains out until your soul
cries out in the night that you got to get outta here to save yourself?
So you walk away, get your comfort from the sea, and go on with your life.
Then in your thirties you run into the Lady again, this time she is married with the ring,
the hubbie, the second child to keep company to the first. You have your first wife
and first child. Your families become friends, your wives run together, the kids
are at La Jolla Elementary School and all is well. Then your Wife cheats on you.
Her husband has a thing with his secretary. You are in your forties. What do you do now?
Don't ask me, I haven't lived that Life.
So, in the Movie, our protagonist hasn't seen Kim for some months. He has been with
Other Women. He has surfed a Lot. He has had a few Beers. He has enjoyed Life
sans the Italian.
He hasn't forgotten the hot Italian Nights, but he has moved off with his Life.
When you dance solo, you make all the moves, when you dance with a partner, you move together.
She had not forgotten him. She waited for him to make the first move to reunite.
He didn't. So she took it upon herself to come down to La Jolla from Beverly Hills
and confront her man. Once her man, always her man. Italian possessiveness.
the Confrontation
"Kim!"
"Why haven't you called me?"
"Hey, Kim, that's over, you're history."
And he turns slightly to the side as she withdraws the pistol.
"Bruce!"
Is that a gun in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
No words, no thoughts, just the instinct that causes you to turn and tuck under the lip
of a pitching-out ten-foot face at Big Dale's Reef, and he is off the edge of Deadmans,
the Jump
the Jump continues
the Jump gets lower now
the Jump goes way down
Down into the Womb
and after an eternity, his feet are touching the water, walking like Christ, maybe
headed up to the Promised Land to sit beside him and talk of Peace and Love and Brothers.
whitewater
but not before a good splash of White Water to send the echoes resounding amongst
the caves of La Jolla. An echo moving over the party boats and up Mt. Soledad for all his
compatriots to hear and wonder what happened that our serene sea has emitted such a
horrendous cry, while we are partying in this beautiful beach town.
And then the sound has dissipated and the only noise left is that of the screamers
and swimmers and gulls packed in the half-mile distance between the Cove and the
Beach Club, known as the Slides. And it is over. No one knows what occurred.
A blue shirt with white and red on the shoulders and sleeves washes up a few days later.
Ron Trenton, before his plane crash, looks for Bruce
police drive up and down the street
Someone says they saw something, maybe a gun, maybe even heard five or six shots fired.
Nothing else is known. The girl is long gone. The body is never found.
Your friends wait and hope and wait and finally, they hold a paddle-out for you
down at Windansea Beach in La Jolla, and you have come full circle.
surfers gather to scatter ashes and usher one of theirs home
Out in the water, your friends shout your eulogy:
"Born in La Jolla, schooled in La Jolla, partook of
her waves, women, wine, wealth, weed, whatever. Loved
your neighbor as yourself, and especially loved his daughter!
Not adverse to getting into a fistfight for a good cause,
and full of respect for those who respected Life. Gone back
to the Womb, the Sea of Life, and we will see you in your next Lifetime!"
They tossed out your ashes to the receiving Sea, hoisted a ginger-ale, or
mountain water or beer or wine or joint to their lips, and said:
"Amen, brother."
And then a sweet set came in and each had a beautiful ride as the sun set.
sea sun set
And a small child, maybe Boy, maybe Girl, is playing along the seashore of the beach,
as some of your ashes wash in and bathe the Child. The Child reaches out and puts
some ash on their body, and drinks some sea water with the ash, and they enter
the Unbroken Circle of a Life greatly influenced by the the Sea in a small-town
former Village in Southern California, named "La Jolla."
Return to Part 13: Surfing in Mexico