Pasty White and the Seven Surfers

By Heather Sapp

There was a short, pale girl

Her name was Pasty White

People wore shades around her

Because her skin was so bright.

Pasty White had glorious green eyes

And such a pretty smile

But that pale, milk white skin

Could been seen for miles.

She had lots of freckles

And medium colored brown hair

All she ever wanted

Was for her family about her to care.

They paid her no attention

Because she was not a male.

All they noticed about Pasty

Was her white skin, oh so pale.

One night she decided to leave

And journey very far away.

Although her family was awake

No one requested that she stay.

She went out to the West Coast

To see what she could find

People did not look at her

For fear they might go blind.

She carried little with her

And was not sure where to go

She wasn’t watching where she was going

And all of a sudden, “OH NO!”

She had run right into someone

And caused him to fall down

She apologized profusely as she helped him up

And said, “I am new in this town.”

He replied, “It’s okay. It was an accident.”

Let me show you around.

Pasty White agreed and went with this guy

To see what could be found.

Some time later they went to his house

Where he lived with 6 other guys.

Pasty White had no where to stay

But here she was not certain would be wise.

They told her she could stay with them

As long as you’re not in the way

For we are all surfers and aren’t here that often

We’re out in the ocean all day.

“Do you know how to surf?” they asked Pasty White

“I’m afraid I do not,” she replied.

They told her, “It’s okay maybe someday you’ll learn.”

And with that they all left to go “ride.”

Pasty White looked around in this very large house

And thought to herself, “this is a great place to stay.”

She would try not to draw much attention to herself

So she would not get in the way.

Pasty White spent some time down on the beach

But not on a surfboard at all

She was a great swimmer, but a surfer she was not

She might lose her balance and fall.

Pasty White loved to sing and so she sang all the time

Her voice was incredibly pure

It calmed people down and made them relax

And around her feel so secure.

One day Pasty White was in the ocean swimming

When she discovered a talent so rare,

She could actually sing and swim underwater

This secret, for now, she would not share.

This new gift was amazing and so she practiced each day

Every time she was out in the sea

She thought it was exciting and most wonderful

And it filled her heart with glee.

Pasty White soon discovered something else with this gift

That animals fell asleep as she sang

How odd she found this to be

As her voice so beautifully rang.

At the beach house where Pasty White slept

She kept to herself each day.

The surfers had almost forgotten she was there

For out of their way she had stayed.

One day on the beach, Pasty White was relaxing

Lying under a large palm tree

She happened to sit and look towards the water

And what she saw, she could not believe.

Someone was out in the ocean waving their arms

From something they were struggling to get free

Pasty White looked around and no one else saw

So she decided, “This rescue is up to me.”

She was a strong swimmer and made her way out

To see how she could help

As the shark kept biting the victim’s leg

All he could do was yelp.

The victim needed to be helped and quick

But how Pasty White had no clue

She thought and thought and then it came to her

And immediately she knew what to do

Pasty White started singing and the shark backed away

He looked stunned as he fell fast asleep

Pasty White kept singing as she grabbed the victim

And swam over the sleeping shark heap.

So Pasty White continued singing the whole time she was swimming

As she brought the victim to shore.

Once there, they were safe, so she stopped singing and stared

For she’d seen this guy before.

This guy lived with the 6 other surfers

But he and Pasty White had not ever talked

His bites needed to be treated but he would be okay

And so with Pasty White’s help away they walked.

The surfer was grateful that his life had been saved

And asked Pasty White, “Is there something I might do for you?”

“Don’t be silly,” was her answer as she blushed and looked down

“Learning to surf is something I have always wanted to do.”

I think that can be arranged was the surfer’s reply

As he flashed Pasty White a gleaming smile

“Thanks,” she remarked, “I will work really hard.”

As they sat to talk for a while.

It was nice to finally be noticed she thought

As her family had never before cared

Pasty White learned how to surf and became really good

And her joy with the surfer she shared.

Pasty White received from her family a letter

It explained how much she was missed

She asked them to come for a visit

They decided they just couldn’t resist

You see they had somehow found out what had happened

And realized just how cold and cruel they had been

They were sorry they said and had done some thinking

And started looking within

“We love you so much for just being you

We were wrong to ignore you because you’re a girl”

Pasty White was so happy to hear these words

That she just had to do a little twirl

Her family did indeed come out there to visit

And Pasty White overflowed with joy.

Her family cared and had missed her so much

Time, with them, she would now enjoy.

In all that happened and with many surfing lessons

Pasty White had gotten some sun

Her Skin had browned and now looked quite golden

And all the while she had been having great fun!

Pasty White thanked the surfer for all of her lessons

And with her family she decided to go

She would always remember the surfers and her talent

She might use them again, you never know.

I guess since Pasty White is no longer pasty

That perhaps she should have a new name.

She was such a beauty on the inside and out

That Beautiful Heart she became.