Harry rang from Poppit beach on Wednesday. Had his surfboard come?

There was a party, somewhere outin the wilds but he'd be along to get the board the following day.

Yesterday,we helped himunpack the massive box it came in.

I had imagined a big board but it was only five feet eight in length. I remarked how light it was, which pleased him immensely.

Since the board had cost five hundred pounds,anappreciation of the finer pointswas welcome. His face assumed a contented expression as he smoothedthe mix of poly this andresin that which made up the composition of the board.

Then Peter andI were both invited to feel the wood which edged the board, as though we were touching the toe of a plaster saint, in homage to his martyrdom.

Harry's friendhad abespoke board, with his name written on it in the factory. Ithad cost about a thousand pounds,thus making Harry appearthrifty.

There were four fins. Harryscrewed the first one in, as he was the owner andthat was only right, then asked if I wouldlike to screw the next, (my treat, I think). I was cautioned not to screw too tightly. When I wondered if the metal screws would rust I was assured,

'No. No. Nothing rusts on this board'.(I should have known, becausethis was 500 pounds worth of cutting edge technology. Vorsprung technik, or whatever term is used in the Black Forest.)

Large waves and smaller waves require different angles of approach, we learnt,and so the board was thrust across the settee, by way of demonstration. The fins had their uses, especially when turning the board to come back to land. Soon, we would know all the technical points, even if we never got our feet wet again.

'How much did I think the fins cost?' I gave it careful thought. There were four, made from plasticky stuff, so I said, 'Twenty five pounds?'

'Twenty five pounds each, you mean?That's right', Harry said. I can keep quiet sometimes and I did.

A forty pound bagto protect the board would be needed, a piece of sponge rubber to stop Harry's feet slipping off would be about the same price.

(It's likein the hairdressers: 'You're having your hair streaked? Would you like a shampoo as well?'

I replied I didn't want to go home with the bleach still wet on my head, so I said, 'Yes'. The receptionist smiled happily. The shampoo was extra.)

But let's return to the board, whichpossesses so manydesirable properties. Atwenty stone man could stand on it and it wouldn't break. There was a valve on one side of the board so on a plane the air pressure wouldn't cause it to crack.

'Where were youthinking of going with the board?'

'Anywhere. Hawaii?'.

Eventually Harry left, a serene lookon his face. I promised to take some snaps of him in the sea.

I rang later and asked my daughter what Harry was doing.

'On the computer. I expecthe's looking at the cost of chartering a jet to take him and the board somewhere.'

We are allowed to be young once only, in thedreams of our youth. If my name was Hannah or Meg, I'd bethere, with Harry and Ollie, riding the big ones in Hawaii, Biarritz or Freshwater. And another thing. Youth is not wasted on the young. They are the ones whoknow best how to enjoy it.