Windsurfing

Down at Sugar Beach in Kihei, Maui, my brother Mark was taking a windsurfing lesson. Although I was playing Othello (a strategy game) with my mom, I was also listening to the instructor.

After about 45 minutes, Mark was surfing up and down the beach, and so I decided that I wanted to try it. So I swam out into the cold, deep, blue water - out to Mark. I asked him if I could try it, and he said ''OK,'' but there was a little bit of doubt in his voice.

After pulling myself onto the board, I slowly pulled up the big, heavy, blue sail, hand over hand, just like the instructor had said. Then, just as I got a good, firm grip on the sail - I fell. Over and over for half an hour, all I did was get up, pull, and fall. Suddenly this total stranger came over to me and said, ''Just depend on your right hand. With your left hand adjust the sail to find the wind.'' And then, all of a sudden, I understood. It was like someone opened a door. I was windsurfing.