Character |
Descriptive Phrase |
Memorable Quote |
Best Quality |
Worst Quality |
Alan Simmons |
32. Stanford grad that Amber and Kim meet at a party. |
So tell me Amber, have you thought about moving back to the valley? |
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Amber Collins |
Late twenties, small-framed brunette. College educated at U.C. Berkeley. Currently preparing to become an elementary schoolteacher. She is not a surfer, but she loves the outdoors. Engaged to Dayne Thomas. She now owns her parents Big Sur vacation home south of Carmel. Her parents still live in Palo Alto. |
"I know that you’re used to having complete control over your life, but you couldn't do anything to save him." |
Admired for her beauty and warm personality. |
Her angelic qualities sometimes push her into more of an emotional state where she loses her rational abilities. |
Billie Murdock |
Late 60s, small-framed brunette turned gray. |
"Remember this, all you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know and it'll happen." |
Admired for her wisdom, beauty, and charm. |
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Chile Ristra Man |
Sixties. He is the former Mayor of La Messilla, New Mexico. He visited the area decades ago with his first wife while on vacation. He stayed, she left forever. He is originally from Los Angeles. He owns the Chile Ristra roadside stand. He is always assisted by Sonny. Very well acquainted with the local culture because he is a descendant of the area from generations before. |
"Buenos dias amigo!" |
Gracious and honest man. |
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Chuck |
48, black hair. A hard-working Health Food Store manager. |
"Hey get off your skateboards and turn that thing off!" |
A true manager taking care of business. |
Too mechanical and too much driven by his store clerk career. |
Dave Thompson |
A Southern California soul brother from Compton. He has a distinctive AFRO HAIRDO.5'10". The youngest of the group, late 20’s-early 30’s. Employed at Mick’s Surf Shop as a sales clerk. Strong surfer who loves “cutbacks” into the air. Uses a shortboard. Knows the guys through Mick. He works as a sales clerk for Mick. Outspoken and energetic. |
"There's too much chop out here. Maybe we should paddle further down the point?" |
Admired for his ability to diagnose the immediate situation. |
Lacks patience. |
"child" Dayne Thomas |
As a four-year old. |
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"young" Dayne Thomas |
14, High school teenager. |
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Dayne Thomas |
Late-30s, clean cut and athletic, an expert surfer originally from Redondo Beach. Tall, well-defined body, short hair, compassionate. He graduated from the UC Santa Cruz creative writing program. He is writing the great American novel. The National Parks Service as a Park Ranger formerly employed him. He surfs with his long-time group of fellow surfers that include Lance Pearson, Mick Espinosa, Big Jack, Crazy Pete and Dave Tomson. He is engaged to Amber Collins. No siblings. His father passed away during college. His mother lives in Southern California. |
"The reality of it all stood before us. In choosing our actions, we created ourselves. Who we became was up to us." |
Admired for his ability to follow through with his dreams and his ability to recognize when a friend is in trouble. |
Is impatient and his deep thinking can lead him to impulsive behavior. |
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Man |
Mid-sixties. The man has a long flowing beard with red, white and blue beads braided into it and a ponytail, a solid black half-helmet, his black leather jacket has painted white-angelic wings above "Live to Ride-Ride to Live". |
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El Gringo |
22 years old. A muscular surfer skinhead covered in tattoos. Attitude city. "Slash", mid-thirties. Muscular surfer skinhead. Covered in devil tattoos on his chest, back, and arms One of his tattoos says "Surf or Die". |
Don't move, bitch! |
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Jack Ramsey |
Late 30's, a brown beard. A Big Guy with a goatee, warm friendly and mellow. His areas of interests are art, painting, sculpting. He enjoys hanging out. He is not in a hurry to go anywhere. He has never been married. He’s had girlfriends in the past, but none ever amounted to anything serious. A serious big wave surfer, he uses his longboard wherever he goes. Jack has known Lance and Dayne for years growing up in the same neighborhood in Redondo Beach. Nothing seems to bother him. A quiet warrior of the waves. He’s currently employed part-time as a foam smith at Mick’s Surf Shop. |
"Here's the two options I'm gonna give you, you either sit down and eat, or split and take your attitude with ya!" |
Well liked for his wit and intelligent subtle humor. |
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Kim McCarthy |
26, a part-time store clerk at Pico’s Health Food Store. Always worrying about her friend, Amber. She has not had good luck with relationships. A single-woman and a chain-smoker. |
"Surfer boys are cute, but trouble." |
A good listener especially to gossip. |
Lacks the ability to form a solid relationship with a guy. |
Kristen Lake |
Early twenties, long-blonde hair. Accomplished surfer girl from the southland beaches of L.A. She loves short and longboards. Pleasant to be around. She works for the Parks and Recreation department. |
"Give me the Surfer's Special." |
Good surfer, cute and pleasant to be around. |
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| "child" Lance Pearson | As a six year old. |
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"young" Lance Pearson |
17, High school teenager. |
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Lance Pearson |
Early 40s, in top physical shape, sandy blond short hair. Lean and well built from many years of hard-core surfing. He never completed his bachelors degree in psychology. An expert surfer and world traveler. A Tao master. Well-respected for his spectacular surfing of big waves from Makaha to Maverick’s. Never married. Estranged from his father. Employed as a medical assistant at the V.A. Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is the consummate free spirit. He is into nutrition and good health. His friends think that he is a man of all men and look up to him for his refined skills in surfing. They have no idea that he holds a secret that will be revealed later about him getting AIDS. |
"I just want to soak all this in. I feel like I'm totally free from the land and all these people who live here...it's integral to life. This is the Tao of surfing." |
Looked up to by the gang for his exceptional surfing skills. |
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Lauren Esperanza Ramsey |
Early 30s , blonde. Surfed for Team Roxy Girl. An up-and-coming new surfer on the women’s circuit. The “hothead” of the group. She loves her shortboards. Strong Surfer and great wave knowledge. The other girls look up to her for this. Does not put up with any bullshit. A woman who can handle big waves and long swims if necessary. Strong, confident, independent and yet still a woman. |
We'll surf anywhere we damn please. |
Strong Surfer and great wave knowledge. The other girls look up to her for this. Does not put up with any bullshit. |
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Makena Miller |
Late twenties, dark brown hair. Asian mix from Hawaii. She is strong, confident, learning to become a better surfer but is already doing pretty well. A future clothing designer. She loves shortboards. She is cute and pleasant to be around. |
"Huevos Rancheros, eggs medium." |
Good surfer, cute and pleasant to be around. |
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Megan Pearson |
(Lance’s older sister) Mid-forties, She now lives in New Mexico working for the U. S. Space Program. An educated woman with a PhD, she is a heartwarming person and has the compassion and understands the relationship of Man and Nature, for she lives close to the land herself. She is a deep thinker. She adores Lance. |
"We've all been through a lot here. We end up helping others to the point of neglecting ourselves." |
An extremely deep and compassionate person. |
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"young" Megan Pearson |
19. Preparing to enter college. |
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Mick Espinosa |
Early fifties, proprietor of MICK’S SURF SHOP. Mick sports a salt-and-pepper ponytail, tee shirt, shortsand birkenstocks. He is referred to as the Tribal Elder because of the wisdom that he speaks. He is just under 6 foot tall but is also in fair shape from all the years of surfing. He was in the Navy in Vietnam and knows how surfing is good for the soul. He is there when his friends need him the most. He watches over the crew and checks in once in a while to see how his friends are doing.. A single father of two children. He was formerly a big wave rider. He knew all the surfing greats, Miki Dora, Gerry Lopez, Gregory Noll, Bruce Brown, etc. Mick is the hippy-guru of the gang. He has known Lance Pearson for years. He loves playing folk-rock guitar and longboarding. |
"Well don't look now, but destiny's knocking on our door!" |
Looked up to by the gang for his wisdom and for his ability to stay rational even in the worst of circumstances. "The oldest of the gang but the youngest at heart." |
Is a one way thinker, and although usually knows best, no one can sway him in his thinking. Maybe this is due to years of experience in the real world. |
Lance's Father (Mr. Andrew Pearson) |
(Lance’s father) Late sixties, tall and a very distinguished looking man. A well-trimmed beard partially covers his face. Well dressed upper class man that you can tell has money, a self made man who did not grow up with a college education but worked his way up in the ranks to eventually have his own very successful business. A well-established, well-respected businessman. He is a community and business leader in the community. |
"And I know my son has returned to the place where he's always wanted to be...to the sea." |
Admired for his good business sense. |
Lacks the understanding about his son's life-style. |
Lance's Mother (Mrs. Shirley Pearson) |
(Lance’s mother) 50s, well kept, in good shape, very stunning and beautiful. Has always maintained a good relationship with her son Lance. |
"And I know my son has returned to the place where he's always wanted to be...to the sea." |
Admired for his good business sense. |
Lacks the understanding about his son's life-style. |
Pete Malloy |
Late thirties, short hair, slightly balding, a stout and muscular surfer. He has surfed for many years. Looks a little weathered, forgets to tuck in his shirt and walks around with his shoelaces untied. He’s always a got a bit of uncommon wisdom up his sleeve because he was at West Point for three years. Also is one to quickly jump up and defend his turf. He spent some time as a Communications Officer flying in Black Hawk Helicopters off the coast of Africa. He injured his knee during a secret raid and was sent back home. He surfs shortboards fine. |
"This is nothing, kid. Best get used to all conditions." |
A good guy to be around, trustworthy and always has a bit of uncommon wisdom to share. |
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Santeria |
24. Another skinhead surfer covered with stud piercings. | Come on, let's get the fuck out of here. This place stinks. |
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Slash |
mid-30s, muscular, covered in DEVIL TATTOOS on his chest, back, and arms |
I understand we had a slight misunderstanding out there. |
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Sonny |
50s. Long-black hair. Everyone in Las Cruces, New Mexico knows him. A mystical person. A weathered man who seems to have stood the test of time. From the looks of him, you could see wisdom beyond his years. | Listen amigo, you cannot hear it, but it is there. |
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Val Stone |
Late thirties, sandy blond hair. Mid-30’s. Easy-going. Well-educated from back east. Not a surfer. Employed as a physical therapy aide. He is close friends with Lance, whom he met at the same hospital five years ago. Val has met all the guys through Lance. Val deeply cares for Lance and is sometimes there with him at parties and social gatherings. Faithful to the end. |
"Nothing will ever be the same." |
Faithful to the end. |
Not very open about his life-style and about his relationship. |