Learning to Surf
James Lengel
In 2011 I was hurt on the job, and after extensive physical
rehabilitation it was decided I would be retrained. My
vocational councilor asked what I would do if I had my choice. I
said computer aided drafting because of my previous training
in technical illustration. Along with my new career path came
a set of required classes, including English, which I probably
wouldn’t have taken if it had not been required. After several
years of going without writing, I began to enjoy the research,
and reflection I did while writing, and this is what came of it.
As far back as I can remember, I knew how to swim. My
brother and I would go swimming at my Uncle Joe and Aunt
Louis’s house. I don’t know if I learned to swim there or
somewhere else. I don’t remember learning to swim at all, I
just always did it.
We always lived close to a beach as well. I have pictures of me,
playing in the sand and water, at a very young age. My brother
and I would play in the water, just the usual stuff at first for
kids. As the water would come in from the waves, we’d try and
out run them. As my brother and I got more and more gutsy,
we started playing in the waves, swimming and body surfing
close to shore. With each trip to the beach we got a little better
at swimming in the waves. Around 8 or 9 years