Surf, Skye and a dream (Bondi Rescue)

Perfect for the team

We arrived at a lovely bar in next to no time. It was light and airy and the atmosphere felt welcoming. Jesse spotted a gaggle of lifeguards in the corner so we headed off to see them. They were all sitting round a big table with lots of comfy looking chairs and stools scattered everywhere. I took a seat next to Jesse and looked up to see lots of faces pointing in my direction. I swallowed nervously as anxiety wriggled through my body. I pushed it away forcefully. Tonight was for fun.

It wasn't long before I had settled in and had struck up a conversation with Maxi, who had arrived shortly after us.
'So how long have you been surfing?' He asked inquisitively.
'Oh gosh!' I said as I tried to count the years before realising that he and several other of the boys nearby had burst into laughter.
'What? What's up?' I pleaded desperately. The only answer I got to this was a chorus of 'oh gosh' in varying imitations of my accent. I pouted playfully for a second before joining in with the laughter. When eventually we'd all recovered, Jesse decided to introduce me to all of the lifeguards seeing as most people had arrived.
'Chris, call him Chappo, Dean, call him Deano, Ben, call him quiggers, Adriel, call him Bacon, Ryan, call him whippet, Troy, call him gonzo, Tom, call him.. Erm... Tom... and this is Hoppo, the boss!' Jesse said as he finished his introductions by gesturing up to a man who had just walked in. He gave me a nod before sitting down next to Chappo.
'So what are you drinking?' Jesse asked me as he got up to go the bar. I told him I wanted a white wine and he headed off to get the drinks. I was left alone with the lifeguards, who were all chatting easily. It felt awkward to be surrounded by strangers but I determinedly brushed off the anxiety which was creeping into my head. I smiled at Hoppo and tried to strike up a conversation.

It wasn't long before we'd got onto the subject of lifeguarding and the inevitable question came up.
'So, Skye, you're a lifeguard?' Asked Hoppo inquisitively. I smiled warmly; lifeguarding was my passion and I was more than happy to talk about it.
'Yep, I've been doing it for about 8 seasons now on a beach in England. It's definitely not as busy as Bondi but for England it's quite crazy!' I replied confidently. This was my chance to go back to what I loved.
'Don't suppose you'd be interested in trying out for a position?' said Hoppo, 'we've got some places for new lifeguards.' I couldn't contain my excitement. This was what I'd dreamed of ever since I'd landed in Australia.
'Do you really think I'm good enough?' I asked shyly, my cheeks flaming red.
'I've heard about your little rescue last week; I think you'd be perfect for the team.' Hoppo replied before giving me a smile and heading off to the bar.  At that moment, Jesse arrived back clutching the drinks. He saw my wide smile and looked puzzled.
'What's up?' He said.
'Well,' I replied, trying to appear calmer than I was, 'what would you think about me working on the beach?' His eyes lit up at the prospect.
'I'd love that! Are you gonna tryout?'
'Yep, Hoppo said I'd be perfect'
'That's awesome!' He grabbed me in a tight hug before passing me my drink.
'Let's celebrate your amazing little rescue!' Jesse said as he held up his glass. All the boys grabbed theirs and held them up to propose a toast.
'To Skye!' They cheered enthusiastically before everyone took a drink.

I was overwhelmed by it all. I had never experienced such kindness and friendliness from a group of strangers. In that moment, I knew that even though it was early days, I truly belonged here. The lifeguards were an amazing bunch of people and it I couldn't wait to get to know them better.