The Remarkable Story of Curt Harper, Surfing Mentor and Local Legend | Short Film Showcase

I was 10 when I learned how to surf. I had friends that got me into it, so I just started going. The reason why I surf is it's a lot of fun, and now I'm doing surf contests. Now I got so many friends.

Aon: "Osborne, hey, it's Aon. Um, I was wondering if you could pick up me, Mickey, Ryder, and maybe Liam at Mickey's house tomorrow at 8:00 to go surf? Uh, call me back in the morning."

My name is Kurt Harper. I am 49 years old and I will be 50 in March. I was diagnosed with autism at around 2 years old. I live in Santa Monica, California. In the wintertime, I surf up in Ventura, like Oxnard and Silver Strand. The surf is good, and plus I have friends that live up there. I leave my house like real early in the morning. I just want to beat the crowds, go before the wind picks up, you know.

As for responding, the backup advises the suspect vehicle is double parked with the hazard. I got my first scanner back on December 25th, 1989. I said, "I want a scanner! I want a scanner! I want a scanner!" Then I finally got one. Oh, I've heard hot calls with it. I've heard car chases, shootings. Um, I've heard foot chases. Oh, my favorite episode of Cops? Oh, how they’ll start, ensing up, you know? I always go, "Uh oh! Uh oh! He's going to start the fight! He's going to start the [Music] fight!" And then all of a sudden, all the hell starts breaking loose.

Mickey: "Mick, ass re, what's going on?"
"Want to surf?"
"Yup. How's it going on, Aon?"
"How's it going?"
"Yeah, I heard your voicemail this morning. I was watching Cops last night. Well, some guy was kicking and fighting last night."
"Shotgun!"
"Uh, no, I already called NOP."
"Kurt, do I get shotgun?"
"Nope, I call right behind everybody."
"No fighting."
"Two, Aon. Hush."
"Three, four, probably Beaver."
"ACN, acorn, acorn, Beaver."
"Okay, call me Acorn."
"Oh crap, it's breaking so far out, dud. Oh look at that left! Let's go get Barrel CT. I'm out!"

G: "I was 19 when he moved into the back. It was my art studio, and then we fixed it into a bedroom for Kurt so he could come and go as he wished. He's 49 now, so 30 years he’s been back there. When Kurt was about 10 or 11, he came to me and said, 'Dad, can I learn how to surf?' I instantly said yes, best decision that I ever made for as Kurt was concerned."

"When Kurt first started surfing, he identified with families that would go down to the beach, and he would make friends with the whole family. That family would kind of shelter him and nurture him. And then as he became more comfortable, then he started taking the younger children surfing. If the dad of the family couldn't go and take the child surfing, he'd ask Kurt to, and Kurt would take the child. That was his springboard: the other families. We are a strong family, we always did things together. So he was getting more of what he grew up with."

"Oh there's Mr. Elre! How was it?"
"It was fun!"
"Yeah? Where'd you [Music] go?"
"Yeah! How come some people call us a new Jetty?"
"We met Kurt 8 and a half years ago at an NSSA contest. Both had already—they had been talking, knew who he was. So I was like, you know, this a—’who’s this older guy talking to the young kids?’ He wanted to take, you know, the kids surfing and bow surfing. And then I said no for a long time. We wanted to get to know him. You going to take my son surfing? He's young! You know, he pulls up, 'Oh, I'll be over next Saturday!' Okay, let's check this out. We went to Rincon, and I followed him up 'cause I'm watching how he drives. And I get up there, and he knew everybody up there. At that point, I didn't know, it had been three generations. Whatever, he's taking people surfing."

"I don't know, Kurt, actually, you probably remember. How old was I when you first started taking me surfing?"
"12."
"I pretty much would only surf in front of my house, which is a really shitty wave. My parents would take me surfing every once in a while, but you'd like have to arrange a time to get picked up or whatever. And he'd come pick us up, and we just go surf together."

"Every generation of groms grows up either going to surf with them, seeing the contest, hanging out with them. Everybody that surfs in Southern California knows Kurt. He's famous!"
"Yep. Groms–abbreviation for the little surfers, 'cause they start bugging you or tormenting all, just give some grom beatings. A grom beating is pretty much an older guy picks on the little kid in a funny way."

"Different, yeah! Trash can! I've probably been trash canned by Kurt like three times. He fakes like he's a police officer, and he's handcuffing him, and he's holding his arms back, and the kid can't move! You know, is he a rescu?"
"Yeah! Oh, they—yeah, they're looking for it all the way! Oh, there's Kurt! Oh, there's Kurt!"

"And then they just a whole swarm of them, they'll take his hat, he starts chasing, and then all of a sudden it just goes, 'Got to slow him down, say Kurt, you weigh 180, 200 lb, get off that 12-year-old!' And then they go back for more. Yeah! And then it all starts over again!"

"My God. Good, who's your favorite groms to beat down? Like at the VQS?"
"I did some Japanese BR beatings. I did some Brazilian groms. Nice! I'm not going to name any names, but they were parents that were really mean to him, just thought everything bad about Kurt."

"They're not even taking the time just to understand he's a 14-year-old in a man’s body, and he's perfectly harmless. He's been taking the kid surfing for years. That's his life. I said one should be so lucky!"
"You wear diapers?"
"No, that's you! That's—see, no, that's you! You wear—you got BL problems!"

"Thanks K! Welcome! The ones when they get their license, you know, they like to be left alone. You know, they don't want groms UPS in the car. That it doesn't bother me! All I can just like sometimes I'll do is just—'You know, there are two B!' I do is just move on."

"Morning guys!"
"Morning, hey knucklehead!"
"Knucklehead! What's going on?"

"I work at William Morris. DE is a talented agency representing the movie stars, actors, actresses, like rock bands, athletes, writers, directors. My name is Josh Alvarez, and I'm Kurt's supervisor. Kurt's role here is as a mail room staffer. He works where our accounting department is located. He sorts mail, processes mail, does sweeps of the floors. A sweep is you collect all the mail, and then later on, then we'll take the mail out."

"Good morning!"
"Good morning, D! How's it going?"
"Pretty good, how are you?"
"Good, thank you! I work so I could pay for my bills, my surf trips. I pay for my food, my rent. I like this job; it's quiet, and I just get here all the time. Everything's cool!"

"How's it going Aaron? What's going on, cous?"
"Josh, good morning!"
"Good morning!"

"As far as I know, Kurt is the longest working employee at this agency as far as the mail room's concerned. I've been working here for 17 years. I've seen, um, Arnold Schwarzenegger. I've seen, um, Tom Arnold, Bill Cosby, Brooke Shields, John Travolta, Marilyn Manson. Marilyn Manson? Well, he looks [Music] scary."

"This station was built in 1987 when there's no surf. I like want to ride along, or I'll just come here to watch trains. 763 is right on time, right on the dot. Here he [Music] comes!"

"My dad taught me about trains. It's one of the neatest things in the world."
"Kurt, what's going on?"
"There are some trespassers on the tracks. I heard brother! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas! For police, outta there! Get them out of the area."

"33 high! If you want to go to Miami, you will have to take the Southwest Chief to Chicago, the Lake Shore Limited to New York City, and then from there, then you go to the Silver Meteor or the Silver Star down into Miami. I know the whole rail system in the [Music] US."

"That was cool! You going to have a contest tomorrow?"
"Yes, I do!"
"R to the beach, outside the pier?"
"Yeah, that's going to be fun!"
"That's the Old Goats brand, right? It's the seniors?"
"That's Old Goats! Hey, I'm going to get some more."

"Okay, all right, here we are! Some solid sets! I'm claiming this is probably the biggest day of competition! Now, new suddenly PS filling in cooker than we thought! Red up and riding! Oo, nice little slash right there! So still about 2 minutes to go!"

"It was a three-man heat: me, Tony Foster, and Chris Keat. Hop! I get to get first place! The NASS is basically a youth surfing organization. You kind of equate it to Little League. Kurt's been competing for 21 years; I don't think Kurt's changed at all. He loves hanging out with the kids. He loves to put the jersey on, and he really likes being at the events. There's always pranks going on and shenanigans, you know, and that's kind of good for the kids, because they can be really stressed with winning contests, and Kurt kind of brings that fun element to the beach."

"Tommy, a huge win! The kids just love him."
"You know, Kurt, are you going to go in about maybe about 13 minutes?"
"Or 13 exactly, 13!"
"Yeah, could like around like go out for like 30 minutes."
"Minutes and 16 seconds!"

"Hey listen, you want to get beat? Do I have to beat?"
"So 14 minutes and 16 seconds. We still got a little more action outside! Rosa bottom turns, snaps it in the hook! Good [Music] luck!"

"Next up is the seniors, the only one standing up here with me 'cause I know the other two had to head home. Third place, Wast Harper! Second, Wi Pon Foster! Hey, I like to thank everyone for coming and all your support this year! And thanks to all my sponsors, and thanks to Jan and Gilen."

"All right, call up the Explorer girl! Oh, if I was in surf, like, say my family didn't move out here, oh, you know what I would have been doing? I would have been like with the Kentucky State Police, like I been like commissioner or probably move up, became the governor."

"We were concerned because his actions were different as a little tiny baby, and we went to—I don't remember the doctor's name. I wouldn't tell you even. Anyway, they did an analysis, and he looked us both and says, 'You will have to institutionalize him.' And when we got in the car, I said—feel it. What were you thinking when the doctor said that? And she said exactly the same thing I was thinking: 'I'll be [Music] goddamn.'"

"I've always hoped that Kurt would find love and acceptance and companionship, and I think any parent worries that when they are no longer around, that that close-knit support group will no longer be there. I think that's what surfing [Music] is."