Chapter 20
Pg.114
<h20> Log File: Surfer dudes or surfer duds? </n20>
My mouth hung wide open when I saw over the holidays how well my dad and
Eckardt were getting along. By this time, Eckardt thinks I am probably
exaggerating, I am telling you what a thunderbolt my father could be. But maybe
Eckardt is just extra careful with him. Like an Indian snake charmer hypnotizing
his snakes with his whistle. Eckardt and my dad talks and build chats the night
before we leave for the holidays. My dad laughs at his jokes! Maybe he is just
nice because the holidays are imminent for him too. My father sits back- relaxed
over his chair at the dining room table. "Nandi," he called to the waitress, "please
bring us that bottle of GS Cabernet Sauvignon '66," We drink and eat that
evening. My father tells Eckardt about the media corporation he owns. Eckardt
chats along. Ask questions and seems interested. I am just listening with half an
ear, when Nicole started slipping her foot up against my leg, up past my knee. I
get goosebumps on my arms. My mom looks at me, smiles, then she looks at
Nicole. Does she know what Nicole is doing? I gesture with my eyes to
Nicole. Stop it! Not here! She pretends not to know about anything. We are in J-
Bay. Perfect weather. Far on the glistening water we see these fishing boats
floating. They are catching chokka. "Nice, isn't it?" I ask.
,Pg. 115
"Like green grass for a free-range chicken," grinned Eckardt. "Lots of skateing
space?" I laugh, pointing to the surfers. "Do you catch it? Skate?" "They don't
skate, they surf. There's a difference." My brain is not as sharp as yours. He is
resting now with a capital R." "Looks like it's switched off with a capital S!" tease
Eckardt "Also, true. And by the way - I knew it, "No, what, it's not that bad I point
to Nicole standing in the surf on the other side. " Sleep mode, that's
all." Hopefully sleeping together mode.” "Yeah, don’t you get enough?" "I take
what I can get while I can get it. You should too. Just not with my girl. Get your
own. Here's a lot." Eckardt laughs and falls back on his towel. I wave to
Nicole. She blows me a kiss. Throws a Paris Hilton pose. I shake my
head. Smile. Listen to the breaking of the waves and let my mind retreat into the
depths with the seawater. Swell, break. Slowly my head slides back to
hacking. "Are there any computers that one cannot hack?" I ask Eckardt in my
mind as I watch the boats. He gets up again, takes the can of Coke pressed in the
sand next to him. With the fingers of his other hand, he draws patterns in the
grains of sand that stick to the side of the can. "The theory is that the only
computer that is safe against a hacker is the one that is not plugged in." I raise my
eyebrows. "What?" "But," Eckardt adds, his voice dark, "with a little social
engineering you can always persuade someone to go plug in that
computer. "What are you talking about?" asked Nicole, as she came running
across the beach with a shiny wet body. "This and that," I answer her. "How's the
water?" asked Eckardt. Nicole starts rubbing her blonde hair dry. "I'm not going
,to tell you, you like sitting on the beach like two old age aunties on the
beach." "Nursing Homes?" I grinned.
Pg 116
Yes, Greg but I see the other girls on the beach can not keep their eyes of you.
Then I came out. Far from your handbag, close to your damage. "" Yes, Greg.
"Oh, now we're your 'Gucci handbag'?" I tease back. "Mmm. The girls sure wish
they were so happy: Like I left you long ago for a life-guard." One would think
that we would feel flattered if someone did something like that so why does
something bother me? Maybe it is because Nicole's eyes fall more on Eckardt's
tanned body than on mine. Eckardt's face is poker-quiet, hidden behind
sunglasses, but I suddenly wish I could see what is hiding behind those dark
glasses. Only when Nicole came to sit between us on her towel did a slight smile
appear on Eckardts face. She curls up between us… They would be so lucky to
have two such hunks by their sides. Now then, Eckardt, let's both go swimming," I
said to get rid of the unrest. "No ways, Greg," Nicole snapped. "You are staying
with me for a while now. I am also looking for company. I want to know what
evils you two are doing. And do not pretend it is nothing. I am not your
mother. I am watching you two chat when I am not there. "I'm looking at Eckardt.
Shall I tell Nicole? I wonder. Eckardt shakes his head: No. It's like he can read my
mind." There's nothing wrong with our voices, "I say." Or our eyes, "Eckardt
adds." We admire the scenery. "" And nature is especially sweet today if I must
say so myself. I gesture with my head looking at the other girls on the beach.
Nicole bumps me laughing, but I just go on:" You know men can fall terribly in
, love with nature. "" We just don’t know if nature loves us back, Nicole " Eckardt
smiles. And just then the unrest comes to brood in me again. I know it's stupid
and maybe I'm just paranoid, but two nights later I get Eckardt in the middle of
the night in the hallway near Nicole's room, wearing only pyjamas, extinguishing
his footsteps on the carpet.
Pg 117
I was immediately awake and out of bed. But I heard something. He bumped into
a table or something in the dark. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask
him. "Greg? I thought everyone was asleep." His voice is soft. "Were you with
Nicole?" "I went to the kitchen." "Do not lie to me, Eckardt." "Why would
I?" "Were you with Nicole?" I am standing right in front of him now. Even in the
dark I can make out the white of his eyes. My fingers pull together in fists as the
anger boils in me. "Of course not." "Eckardt, I'm not flipping blind. I see how she
looks at you." My voice is louder now. "Is there something going on that I need
to know?" I am telling you. I was just going to the kitchen. What is it with you?
"Now Eckardt himself is on the attack." If you have a problem, tell me, Greg. Then
we can sort it out. Here and now! "" I will hit you hard if you touch her, you
hear. Then let it be just a warning. You will quickly get acquainted with the
ground and you will flourish. "" What noise is this? "My father suddenly stood by
us. The light went on down the corridor and I saw" Nothing, Dad, "he replied. if
you two guys can not behave like civilized people, you must tell me. There are
ways to solve that problem. "" I said it is nothing, Dad! "I spit out the anger I’ve
build up for, Eckardt? I see how he picks up his fists and biting on his teeth. But
then he sees Eckardt standing in front of him and he lowers his hand again. In the
Pg.114
<h20> Log File: Surfer dudes or surfer duds? </n20>
My mouth hung wide open when I saw over the holidays how well my dad and
Eckardt were getting along. By this time, Eckardt thinks I am probably
exaggerating, I am telling you what a thunderbolt my father could be. But maybe
Eckardt is just extra careful with him. Like an Indian snake charmer hypnotizing
his snakes with his whistle. Eckardt and my dad talks and build chats the night
before we leave for the holidays. My dad laughs at his jokes! Maybe he is just
nice because the holidays are imminent for him too. My father sits back- relaxed
over his chair at the dining room table. "Nandi," he called to the waitress, "please
bring us that bottle of GS Cabernet Sauvignon '66," We drink and eat that
evening. My father tells Eckardt about the media corporation he owns. Eckardt
chats along. Ask questions and seems interested. I am just listening with half an
ear, when Nicole started slipping her foot up against my leg, up past my knee. I
get goosebumps on my arms. My mom looks at me, smiles, then she looks at
Nicole. Does she know what Nicole is doing? I gesture with my eyes to
Nicole. Stop it! Not here! She pretends not to know about anything. We are in J-
Bay. Perfect weather. Far on the glistening water we see these fishing boats
floating. They are catching chokka. "Nice, isn't it?" I ask.
,Pg. 115
"Like green grass for a free-range chicken," grinned Eckardt. "Lots of skateing
space?" I laugh, pointing to the surfers. "Do you catch it? Skate?" "They don't
skate, they surf. There's a difference." My brain is not as sharp as yours. He is
resting now with a capital R." "Looks like it's switched off with a capital S!" tease
Eckardt "Also, true. And by the way - I knew it, "No, what, it's not that bad I point
to Nicole standing in the surf on the other side. " Sleep mode, that's
all." Hopefully sleeping together mode.” "Yeah, don’t you get enough?" "I take
what I can get while I can get it. You should too. Just not with my girl. Get your
own. Here's a lot." Eckardt laughs and falls back on his towel. I wave to
Nicole. She blows me a kiss. Throws a Paris Hilton pose. I shake my
head. Smile. Listen to the breaking of the waves and let my mind retreat into the
depths with the seawater. Swell, break. Slowly my head slides back to
hacking. "Are there any computers that one cannot hack?" I ask Eckardt in my
mind as I watch the boats. He gets up again, takes the can of Coke pressed in the
sand next to him. With the fingers of his other hand, he draws patterns in the
grains of sand that stick to the side of the can. "The theory is that the only
computer that is safe against a hacker is the one that is not plugged in." I raise my
eyebrows. "What?" "But," Eckardt adds, his voice dark, "with a little social
engineering you can always persuade someone to go plug in that
computer. "What are you talking about?" asked Nicole, as she came running
across the beach with a shiny wet body. "This and that," I answer her. "How's the
water?" asked Eckardt. Nicole starts rubbing her blonde hair dry. "I'm not going
,to tell you, you like sitting on the beach like two old age aunties on the
beach." "Nursing Homes?" I grinned.
Pg 116
Yes, Greg but I see the other girls on the beach can not keep their eyes of you.
Then I came out. Far from your handbag, close to your damage. "" Yes, Greg.
"Oh, now we're your 'Gucci handbag'?" I tease back. "Mmm. The girls sure wish
they were so happy: Like I left you long ago for a life-guard." One would think
that we would feel flattered if someone did something like that so why does
something bother me? Maybe it is because Nicole's eyes fall more on Eckardt's
tanned body than on mine. Eckardt's face is poker-quiet, hidden behind
sunglasses, but I suddenly wish I could see what is hiding behind those dark
glasses. Only when Nicole came to sit between us on her towel did a slight smile
appear on Eckardts face. She curls up between us… They would be so lucky to
have two such hunks by their sides. Now then, Eckardt, let's both go swimming," I
said to get rid of the unrest. "No ways, Greg," Nicole snapped. "You are staying
with me for a while now. I am also looking for company. I want to know what
evils you two are doing. And do not pretend it is nothing. I am not your
mother. I am watching you two chat when I am not there. "I'm looking at Eckardt.
Shall I tell Nicole? I wonder. Eckardt shakes his head: No. It's like he can read my
mind." There's nothing wrong with our voices, "I say." Or our eyes, "Eckardt
adds." We admire the scenery. "" And nature is especially sweet today if I must
say so myself. I gesture with my head looking at the other girls on the beach.
Nicole bumps me laughing, but I just go on:" You know men can fall terribly in
, love with nature. "" We just don’t know if nature loves us back, Nicole " Eckardt
smiles. And just then the unrest comes to brood in me again. I know it's stupid
and maybe I'm just paranoid, but two nights later I get Eckardt in the middle of
the night in the hallway near Nicole's room, wearing only pyjamas, extinguishing
his footsteps on the carpet.
Pg 117
I was immediately awake and out of bed. But I heard something. He bumped into
a table or something in the dark. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask
him. "Greg? I thought everyone was asleep." His voice is soft. "Were you with
Nicole?" "I went to the kitchen." "Do not lie to me, Eckardt." "Why would
I?" "Were you with Nicole?" I am standing right in front of him now. Even in the
dark I can make out the white of his eyes. My fingers pull together in fists as the
anger boils in me. "Of course not." "Eckardt, I'm not flipping blind. I see how she
looks at you." My voice is louder now. "Is there something going on that I need
to know?" I am telling you. I was just going to the kitchen. What is it with you?
"Now Eckardt himself is on the attack." If you have a problem, tell me, Greg. Then
we can sort it out. Here and now! "" I will hit you hard if you touch her, you
hear. Then let it be just a warning. You will quickly get acquainted with the
ground and you will flourish. "" What noise is this? "My father suddenly stood by
us. The light went on down the corridor and I saw" Nothing, Dad, "he replied. if
you two guys can not behave like civilized people, you must tell me. There are
ways to solve that problem. "" I said it is nothing, Dad! "I spit out the anger I’ve
build up for, Eckardt? I see how he picks up his fists and biting on his teeth. But
then he sees Eckardt standing in front of him and he lowers his hand again. In the
