WTF happened to community?

My first time in the water back at home in ages, and what a day! It was springlike and sunny, and even the water seemed warmer than usual for this time of year. It's the first time out this winter for the 6/4 and I was totally comfortable.

Best of all, back on my own board---which I haven't used for months---I proved that the progress in my surfing I made in Texas wasn't just a fluke. I was able to do just as well as I did there.

Nothing could spoil this day, nothing. That's a very good thing, since K. and her boyfriend were out.

In fact, we three were the only ones in the water. I arrived first, looking forward to a solo session, and then they paddled out around me, pretending I wasn't even there.

I don't play the game of pretending I don't know people I know when they're three feet away from me. So I said hi to the boyfriend, who is actually pretty chill.

But when I simply smiled and said hello to K., who used to be my good friend, she replied with a barrage of abuse, accusing me of "surfing recklessly" and almost running her over. Of course, that didn't happen; these were one foot waves and I wasn't anywhere close to running over anybody.

Well, we were out for almost two hours "together", and further attempts at simple conversation elicited remarks that made absolutely no sense but were pure venom. Like "You're weird" and "No one likes you" and "Go away".

How would you respond if someone did that to you in the water? You can't imagine anything like that ever happening. My bet is it's never happened to anyone else.

Not so very long ago I wrote about "community" and how we all have to get along. I don't know where I made up that idea. Obviously there is no such thing. Or maybe every community, by its very nature, contains within it its dark side, ostracism, and I am now unlucky enough to be experiencing this.

Fortunately they could not spoil the spectacular sunset.