SURFING BURGERS
Posted in Photos, World Tour
In California it's all about obeying the signs. Joel at San Clemente.
The little redheaded kid with the Children Of The Corn stare is standing at the glass door again. He first showed up out the front of the Parkinson’s rented San Clemente pad yesterday afternoon, clutching a piece of paper and saying not much. Joel whistled him in. The kid didn’t say a word, just held out the paper and Parko knew what to do from there. The kids’s back today for his third round of autographs using his usual modus operandi – standing at the glass front door and staring in until someone lets him in. You’ll be watching TV, suddenly be overcome by a sensation that you’re being watched, and sure enough there he is. You don’t know how long he’s been there for; an hour, maybe two, but you’re pretty sure why he’s here. He’s not alone though. There’s been a steady flow of neighbourhood grommets coming in and out of the place since the Parkos moved in two days back, scoring autographs, talking surfing, frothing on the fact the world number one has moved into the street.
After bumping in two days ago, it’s been small waves and chasing the kids around the house for training. In town for Trestles, the entire Parko clan arrived a week early for the Still Filthy premiere, which is down in San Diego tonight.
The week so far has been low key to say the least, the highlight for Joel being his ritual trip to In And Out Burger up the road. He says it’s part of his Californian training regime. Joel trained again yesterday with a round of Bombay chicken melts. He and I walked up the main street yesterday to procure them, Joel ordering $80 worth of food for the tribe then turning to me and going, “I forgot my wallet. You got money?” It’s a trick mastered by a certain childhood friend of his who’ll be surfing next week in the contest. It was no wonder when Joel paddled out yesterday he was trailing a grease slick behind him.
Joel’s no-surf curse – which extends back three waveless weeks at home on the Goldy – has followed him here, and the best he’s had is a two-foot hit and giggle at San Clemente pier yesterday. With no serious swell materialising on the charts, it looks like it might turn out to be a good warm up for the contest. We’re hearing a little bump on Monday – day one of the waiting period – and a bit of swell right at the end.
Tomorrow on joelparko.com… the Still Filthy premiere.