The Ten-Year-Old Surf Teacher

Maxim was forty years old, and he had never stood on a surfboard. On a short trip to a beach town, he saw a sign that said "Beginner lessons, every morning". His wife was reading a novel under an umbrella.

Maxim berusia empat puluh tahun, dan ia belum pernah berdiri di atas papan selancar. Dalam perjalanan singkat ke sebuah kota pantai, ia melihat papan bertuliskan "Kelas pemula, setiap pagi". Istrinya sedang membaca novel di bawah payung.

"Go," she said. "You have been talking about it for ten years."

"Pergilah," katanya. "Sudah sepuluh tahun kamu membicarakannya."

The instructor was a tall woman with sun-dried hair and a very patient voice. On the sand, she explained the basics: lie down, paddle, push up, stand. It sounded easy. In the water, it wasn't. Maxim paddled, he jumped, and the board flew out from under him. Then he did it again.

Instrukturnya adalah seorang perempuan jangkung dengan rambut yang mengering dijemur matahari dan suara yang sangat sabar. Di pasir, ia menjelaskan dasar-dasarnya: berbaring, mendayung, mendorong badan ke atas, berdiri. Kedengarannya mudah. Di air, ternyata tidak. Maxim mendayung, ia melompat, dan papannya terlempar dari bawah kakinya. Lalu ia mengulanginya lagi.

He swallowed more sea water than he thought possible. After an hour, his shoulders hurt, and his pride hurt even more.

Ia menelan lebih banyak air laut daripada yang ia kira mungkin. Setelah satu jam, bahunya sakit, dan harga dirinya lebih sakit lagi.

On the beach, the instructor's daughter was sitting on a towel with a small board beside her. She was about ten years old, and she was watching him with the serious face of a judge. After his eleventh fall, she put her hands around her mouth.

Di pantai, putri sang instruktur duduk di atas handuk dengan sebuah papan kecil di sampingnya. Usianya sekitar sepuluh tahun, dan ia mengamati Maxim dengan wajah serius seperti hakim. Setelah jatuh yang kesebelas, gadis itu menangkupkan tangan ke mulutnya.

"Your feet are too close together!" she shouted. "And you keep looking at them. Don't look at your feet!"

"Kakimu terlalu rapat!" teriaknya. "Dan kamu terus melihatnya. Jangan lihat kakimu!"

Maxim wiped the water from his face. A ten-year-old was giving him orders, and she was right. On the next wave, he moved his feet apart. He stayed up for almost a second before the board threw him off.

Maxim menyeka air dari wajahnya. Seorang anak sepuluh tahun memberinya perintah, dan anak itu benar. Pada ombak berikutnya, ia merenggangkan kakinya. Ia bertahan hampir satu detik sebelum papan melemparkannya.

"Better!" she shouted. "Look at the beach! Bend your knees like you're sitting on a chair!"

"Lebih baik!" teriak gadis itu. "Lihat ke pantai! Tekuk lututmu seperti duduk di kursi!"

For the next hour, she called out her tips between sips of hot chocolate. "Wait for a big one." "Don't stand up too early." "You're thinking too much." Her mother laughed and let her continue. Maxim was too tired to be embarrassed, and he began to do exactly what she said.

Selama satu jam berikutnya, ia berseru memberi tips di sela seruputan cokelat panasnya. "Tunggu ombak yang besar." "Jangan berdiri terlalu cepat." "Kamu terlalu banyak berpikir." Ibunya tertawa dan membiarkannya terus. Maxim terlalu lelah untuk merasa malu, dan ia mulai melakukan persis seperti yang dikatakan gadis itu.

At the end of the lesson, the instructor said, "Last wave." Maxim almost said no. His arms felt like wet rope. But the girl on the sand raised both thumbs, so he paddled out one more time.

Di akhir pelajaran, sang instruktur berkata, "Ombak terakhir." Maxim hampir berkata tidak. Lengannya terasa seperti tali basah. Tetapi gadis di pasir itu mengacungkan kedua jempol, jadi ia mendayung keluar sekali lagi.

The wave lifted him gently. He pushed up, put his feet apart, bent his knees, and looked at the beach. One second, two seconds, three seconds. He was standing, and the whole sea was carrying him. Then he lost his balance and fell with a huge splash.

Ombak itu mengangkatnya dengan lembut. Ia mendorong badan ke atas, merenggangkan kaki, menekuk lutut, dan menatap pantai. Satu detik, dua detik, tiga detik. Ia berdiri, dan seluruh laut membawanya. Lalu ia kehilangan keseimbangan dan jatuh dengan percikan besar.

When he came up, the girl was on her feet, clapping with her arms above her head.

Ketika ia muncul ke permukaan, gadis itu sudah berdiri, bertepuk tangan dengan lengan terangkat di atas kepala.

"Three seconds!" she shouted. "I counted!"

"Tiga detik!" teriaknya. "Aku menghitungnya!"

"You're hired as my coach," Maxim shouted back. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Kamu kuangkat jadi pelatihku," Maxim balas berteriak. "Besok jam yang sama?"