Blame it on the edit – Surfer dude

After living in Scheveningen for a while, it was time to realize my dream of learning to surf. The beach was literally a five-minute walk away. There was no better location as a base. I still needed some stuff though. 

I decided to visit the local board store. The store was impossible to miss. There were rows of surfboards in front of the entrance. The same applied indoors. In addition to surfboards, there were shelves full of fins, wax, leashes, sunscreen, wetsuits, books and surf magazines. The entire store breathes sun, sea and beach.

The shop is run by two local, blonde surfers. They show me their store with great enthusiasm. They ask me where I am in terms of skills, what type of board I want, what my measurements are. Before I know it, I get a few wetsuits in my hands. “Just walk up those stairs, there is the storage room where you can change in peace.” I walked up and changed.

Putting on and taking off a wetsuit should be classified as its own sport. After more than half an hour of fiddling, I found one that suited my body. After a quick inspection from the store owners, I was given the green light for this outfit.

But we weren’t there yet. Naturally, I needed a board. The shop also had a repair room. Here they fix broken surfboards that, once repaired, were offered as second-hand in the store. Ultimately, my choice fell on one of these boards. After also collecting a leash (cord that ensures you don’t lose your board in the water), a sock (protective cover for your board), wax and some earplugs, I was ready to pay. My mother gave me a little extra for my birthday. Thanks to her I was able to scrape together the money to buy all this.

On the way to the cash register, a man and a child enter the store. They are brought in with great enthusiasm by the other shop owner. The boy, no older than 10, wears designer clothes. The man is wearing a Gaastra polo shirt and a very flashy and undoubtedly expensive watch. They join the checkout line behind me.

The store owner who brought them in now turns to me. ‘This is one of the talents for the future. Scheveningen pride. You’ll never be as good as him, buddy.” I look at the blond, white boy. The man reaches for a large wallet visible through his expensive jeans. Ready to pay for a headstart.

Joey’s book ‘Weg met mannelijkheid’ will be published on 2 July 2024. Click here to preorder!