SURFING SOAPBOX: Losing a mentor — and a friend

The unexpected should come as no surprise.

This week I was going to write about the Laguna Hero Fest and those who will be honored. Until I received an e-mail from my sister, Sue, (yes, I have a sister) letting me know the news about Bob Power, longtime Laguna resident — up until losing the home he shared with his wife, Joan, in the June 1, 2005, Blue Bird Canyon landslide, and relocating to Fallbrook.

Yes, Bob had passed on after a long battle with cancer.

Many of you may remember Bob, as he became one of the featured faces of the slide with his shiny bald head (sorry, Bob) and wing-tipped mustache.

As fate would have it, I was at the Powers’ home the night before they lost their home. Bob was being Bob and giving me a hard time about getting myself more organized in my business life. Bob had to suffer my shortcomings, in my inability to keep good records to do my taxes.

Bob was my tax man, but also a mentor and a friend.

When I first started to see Bob for my taxes, boy did he let me have it. Aside from being one of his most unorganized clients, I was basically making no money. In other words, I was a broke headache to him.

Along the way, he took me under his wing and began to teach me, not just about taxes but about life.

He was short on words and the ones he chose I listened to closely.

Soon I started my own surfing school, and little by little I started making a bit more. In return, I was proud of my surfing school accomplishments, taking great pride in my business adventure.

I had gone from being afraid of seeing him every tax year to looking forward to it, and I could see he was proud of me too — which did wonders for my self-esteem.

Sometimes I hear people talk about their heroes, and they’re nothing like mine. I’ve never been fascinated by fame or fortune or the accolades that come along with sports. The people who I believe are heroes are good, everyday people, those who impact one’s life, without even knowing it or consciously doing it. It’s just who they are, and to me, Bob was a hero.

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com