But even when they showed up, more surfers watched from the beach than actually paddled out. Especially after the spring morning when Barney surfaced like a sub in the channel, rolled over beside Loonie and fixed him with one terrible, black eye before sliding away again. That eye, said Loonie, was like a fuckin hole in the universe. It was as close as he got to poetry. I envied him the moment and the story that went with it.
