Latheef

I met Latheef one weekend while I was out windsurfing. He has worked in the water sports department of several resorts and thus knows a lot about windsurfing, wake boarding, kite surfing and sailing. He is currently between jobs right now. A lot gets lost in translation, but the best I understand now is that he injured himself on his last job…. something about his ankle.nnSince all of my windsurfing lessons had been through watching youtube videos, Latheef could see that I needed some help. He said that he was an instructor and that he would teach me everything I needed to know. Latheef was not one to stand on the beach and tell me what to do. He preferred to jump on the board and show me. So for the first day I did a lot of watching Latheef surf. I began questioning his motives in “teaching” me to surf. I thought to myself, “he really just wants to use my board… all day.” As it turns out, I think both were true. He certainly loves to windsurf, but he really wants to help me learn too. We can communicate through cave man English, but he confuses some words like left and right sometimes. So when he says push left foot, what he really means is push with your right foot. I usually do what he says, not what he means. This usually leaves me on the beach watching the teacher surf.nnThe picture here is of him holding the octopus we caught just a few days ago. Latheef is more than just my windsurfing buddy. He regularly borrows my cycle too. The last time he borrowed it, he washed it and waxed it. I’ve been to his house and met some of his family.nnOne time he was at the office visiting with me and a friend when I got a phone call. I stepped out of the office and Latheef and my friend were left in the office. Latheef told my friend that I was a really good guy and that he liked me a lot. He said, “I would kill a man for him.” I’m not sure where that came from. I guess it was his way of honoring me. Don’t worry, I have no plans to “off” anyone.nnLatheef has one child who lives with his mother on an outer island. He is a bit aimless as he is between jobs, wives and is a bit nomadic…. but the dude can windsurf.nnWe spend a lot of time talking about life, family and the future. I hope the best for my new friend.