The Adventures of Max and Leo: Surfing and fishing for comfort

Leo and Max woke up the next morning at the beach house.

"Good morning, Max," Leo said. "Are you ready for our first full day at the beach?"

"I sure am," Max said. "Are you?"

"I sure am," Leo said. "Want some pancakes for breakfast?"

"You bet," Max said.

Leo and Max got up and went to the kitchen. Max sat at the kitchen table and watched as Leo started cooking the breakfast.

"So, what are you wanting to do today, Max?" Leo asked. "I'll be checking the weather on my weather radio to make sure the weather will be beautiful for what you want to do."

"Well, if the weather will be beautiful, I might catch some waves today," Max said.

"Oh, so you want to go surfing?" Leo asked.

"I sure do," Max said. "What are you going to do?"

"Eh, I may just watch you surf," Leo said. "I brought some benches and an umbrella and I can just set up out in the beach."

"Well, did you bring your camcorder?" Max asked.

"I did," Leo said. "I may have to charge it after breakfast while we get our swimming suits on."

"Sounds good," Max said.

"Were you hoping I would get some action shots of you surfing?" Leo asked.

"I was really hoping you would," Max said.

"I'll see what I can do then," Leo said. "What else do you think you might want to do today?"

"Maybe we can go to a pier and do some fishing," Max said.

"Sounds great," Leo said. "I got a fishing rod and some bait."

"I got one, too, but I haven't used it, yet," Max said. "I figured this vacation would be a good time to start using it."

"Why haven't you used it?" Leo asked.

"Well, my dad promised on several occasions that he would take me fishing and he hasn't followed through with that," Max said.

"So, he's acting the way he usually acts," Leo said.

"Yep, pretty much," Max said. "He's missing out on so much of my life . . ."

"I know, Max," Leo said.

"Now, I'm getting bummed and we're on vacation," Max said. "I'm supposed to be having a good time."

"It's okay, Max," Leo said. "I know you want him in your life."

"I really do, Leo," Max said. "He still won't even return my calls . . ."

Max felt himself began to cry.

"I'm sorry he's not talking to you, Max," Leo said. "And just so you know, I'm okay with you talking about this if you ever need to. I believe I've told you that before."

"I know . . . I'm just sometimes afraid of bumming you out," Max said, wiping his eyes.

"You're not going to, okay?" Leo asked. "I know it hurts when he's absent from your life."

"It does," Max said, starting to cry. "I feel like sometimes he hates me . . ."

Max buried his face in his arms and cried.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Max," Leo said. "It's sad when someone whom should be in your life isn't. Just remember that if you need to talk about this, I'm all ears."

"I'm glad you are willing to listen," Max said, crying. "It's sometimes just so hard to keep myself together when Dad keeps deciding that he doesn't want to be in my life."

"You don't have to, Max," Leo said while finishing up the pancakes and fixing himself and Max a plate. "I know you want him to be there for you when you need him and it's okay that you're upset when he's not. So, if you need to let it out, I understand."

Leo took the plates to the kitchen table where Max was sitting.

"Max, you don't have to bottle all these emotions in," Leo said. "Just know that I'm here for you when you need comfort."

"I'm glad you are," Max said, crying. "Thanks, Leo."

"Of course," Leo said. "Want to give me a hug?"

Max got up, hugged Leo and cried on his shoulder. Leo hugged back. After hugging for a few moments, Max wiped his face full of tears.

"Thanks for letting me talk to you about this," Max said. "I'm glad you'll let me unburden myself of this every now and again."

"Of course, Max," Leo said. "How about I give you a massage?"

"That would be great," Max said. "We can go back to the bedroom for that if you wish."

"Sure," Leo said. "Let's go."

Max and Leo went back to the bedroom. Max lied down on the bed and Leo sat down on the edge of the bed and began massaging Max's feet. Max over time felt relaxed to the point of falling asleep. Leo then placed the blankets over Max and left him alone to rest . . .

Max napped for about two hours and then woke up. He then got out of the bed and went back to the kitchen where Leo was cleaning up. Max's stack of pancakes that Leo had cooked for him was still sitting on the kitchen table.

"Thanks for saving my pancakes," Max said.

"You're welcome, Max," Leo said. "Did you have a good nap?"

"I did," Max said. "I feel a lot better now."

"Great," Leo said. "Enjoy your breakfast. I kept it warm for you."

"I'm glad you did," Max said and then sat down at the kitchen table to enjoy his breakfast . . .

Later that day, Leo had charged his camcorder and the two of them changed into their swimming suit. Max grabbed his surfboard and stood ready to go outside.

"Well, Leo, are you ready to get some action shots?" Max asked.

"You bet I am," Leo said. "Let me get the camcorder ready and then we'll go."

Leo got his camcorder ready and followed Max out to the beach. Leo got on the pier and watched as Max lied on his surfboard and started rowing up the ocean water. Once the wave started approaching Max, Leo turned on the camcorder and started filming Max. When the wave started guiding Max's surfboard, Max got on it and surfed onshore. Once the wave calmed down, Max lied back down on the surfboard and started rowing back up the water. Another wave approached Max and Max got on top of the surfboard and surfed onshore as the wave guided the surfboard back onshore. Max continued surfing for about an hour before taking a break and meeting Leo at the top of the pier. Leo stopped filming when Max started up the pier.

"Whoa, that was incredible," Leo said. "You have a gift for surfing."

"Did you get some good action shots so far?" Max asked.

"I sure did," Leo said. "You really rode those waves really well. How did you become such a great surfer?"

"I pretty much taught myself," Max said. "I'll do some more surfing for you. I just needed to take five."

"Sounds great," Leo said. "You surf for as long as you want to."

"Thanks, Leo," Max said. "Are we still up for fishing later today?"

"Of course," Leo said.

"Great," Max said. "I'm glad we are on vacation together again."

"Me, too," Leo said. "In fact, sometimes, I wonder if you ever thought about moving in with me."

"I probably would . . . but, my mom would miss you too much," Max said.

"Yeah, she probably would," Leo said. "While you on the other hand, she'd probably be glad to get rid of you."

"She probably would," Max said. "Well, I'm going back out to the ocean."

"Sounds great," Leo said. "Have fun."

Max went off the pier and got back to surfing . . .

Later that day, Leo and Max were sitting on benches under an umbrella enjoying the lunch that Leo had made for himself and Max.

"You really set up at a really good place," Max said. "That ocean view is beautiful."

"It is," Leo said. "Isn't it nice to eat outside?"

"It sure is," Max said. "It almost makes me want us to have a picnic one day when we get back home."

"I'm up for that," Leo said. "I'll look into us doing that on one of our days off."

"That will be great," Max said.

"So, are you looking forward to us fishing?" Leo asked.

"I sure am," Max said. "I'm happy I am going to finally use my fishing rod."

"I'm happy you're going to use it as well," Leo said. "In fact, I'm happy that you're happy."

"And I'm happy that you want me to be happy," Max said.

"By the way, the last I heard on my weather radio, they're calling for beautiful weather tomorrow as well," Leo said. "Do you want to swim tomorrow?"

"That would be great," Max said. "Maybe we can also make sand castles."

"That would be so cool," Leo said. "I look forward to the creativity we're going to show when we get to doing that."

"Me, too," Max said. "I'm sure your brilliant mind will come up with something really cool."

"I hope so," Leo said.

"This lunch was great," Max said. "Thanks, Leo."

"Of course," Leo said. "Now, ready to get the rods and go fishing?"

"I sure am," Max said. "Let's do this."

Max and Leo gathered their things and went inside their beach houses to get the fishing rods and bait. After they got their fishing rods and bait, they went back outside and went to the pier to sit down and start fishing.

"So, how does this fishing deal work?" Max asked.

"Well, we wait for the fish to catch the hook and then we reel it up," Leo said. "You really haven't done this before, have you?"

"No, I have not," Max said. "Did you get to fish with your dad?"

"Several times," Leo said. "He always got lucky and caught enough fish for us to have a seafood-themed buffet."

"Wow, that is great," Max said. "I ought to come to your house the next time you two bring home a harvest."

"Well, if we catch enough fish, do you want me to make you some seafood?" Leo asked.

"I'd love that," Max said. "And Leo . . . thanks for letting me fish with you."

"Of course, Max," Leo said. "I want you to be able to do what you couldn't do with your dad. I know you wish he could do this with you."

"I do," Max said. "We could have just sat and talked . . . about life, about school, about work, about all kinds of other things . . . we could have bonded . . . but, he won't even take any time off of work just to come and see me . . ."

Max felt himself beginning to cry again, but he tried to fight it off, saying, "And no, I'm not going to cry about it this time."

"Max . . . it's okay," Leo said. "Just let it out."

And indeed Max did.

"I miss him, Leo," Max said, crying. "I want him to come home."

Leo placed his arm around Max and said, "I know you do."

While Max was crying, he felt something pull on his fishing rod.

"I think you caught something," Leo said, letting go of Max. "Let's see what you got. Just reel him in."

Max wiped his eyes and started reeling . . . and after some perseverance, out came a big fish.

"Max, you caught a big one," Leo said.

"I know . . ." Max said. "And this is just my first time."

"Yeah . . . I'm so proud of you, Max," Leo said.

Max laid his rod aside, took the fish off the hook and looked at it.

"This is so amazing," Max said. "I actually caught one on the first attempt."

"Max, we may have just found something else you're good at," Leo said. "You can fish with my dad and me anytime."

While Max was looking at the fish, the waterworks returned. Max hugged the fish and cried while Leo put his arm around Max again.

"I know, you wish your dad was here to witness this," Leo said.

"I sure do," Max said, crying. "I wish I could have these moments with him . . ."

"I know, Max," Leo said.

"Thanks for having this moment with me, Leo," Max said, crying. "At least you're here for me."

"That's what best friends do, be there for each other," Leo said. "You take as much time as you need."

Max continued to hug the fish and cry while Leo continued to have his arm around Max, hugging him.