And I am looking forward to it more than any other film this year.
Kolohe “Brother” Andino truly has grown up in the public eye. I recall my first time interviewing him, so many years ago. I picked him up at the family home. Dino was there, as was Mrs. Dino, a younger sister and a dog. It was all so cute, so almost sit-com cute. The perfect all-American family.
We drove, Kolohe and I, to the Ritz-Carlton in nearby Laguna Niguel and posted up at the bar in two very comfortable leather chairs. I ordered a mojito, if I recall, and asked Kolohe if he wanted one. “On Tony Perez,” I believe I said. He looked at me with a smirk on his face and responded, “I’m fifteen.” And maybe he was sixteen or seventeen, I can’t be sure, but he was definitely too young to drink. I was taken quite aback for I was not trying to be a pervert. I, you see, had been reading/hearing about him for so long that I assumed he was old enough to partake in a friendly cocktail. He seemed as old as Tom Curren to me, in media years.
My shock eventually wore off and we had a lovely conversation about competing, surfing and his favourite competitive surfer Mick Fanning. I had two more mojitos. He told me, as I drove him home, that he wouldn’t tell Dino I plied him with liquor. I also hoped he would not tell Dino that I drove drunk.
Kolohe has since grown. He is now on tour, currently ranked 21st but he is so much better than that dang number. And, maybe best, in so many ways he is still Brother. He still has that same smirk, the same devil may care attitude. The same very ironic sense of humor. I look forward to seeing this small What Youth film. I raise my mojito and toast. “To Kolohe Andino! May he stay forever young!”
21st? Glad you got this in before they updated the rankings. 2nd round losses don’t help anyone stay young.
He’s ranked higher than Dane, Ando & Jay Davies combined, but, as they say, “Fuck the WSL.”