M. S. But he’s not. That’s the point. He’s all about Number One. He doesn’t give a fuck about anyone or anything and that’s a fact. That surf film showed it for sure. He’s not out here cos he loves it. He just wants to grind more faces in the snow.

C. P. Is that view shared by the other riders?

M. S. (Laughs) Hell yeah, it is! They know what he’s about.

C. P. Do you think he can make his mark at the elite level in this sport?

M. S. He’s an athlete. I guess he knows how to bring it. But if he’s come here looking for glory, or forgiveness . . . No one wants to know.

C. P. So you don’t think he deserves a second chance?

M. S. Nope. (Grins) I do, however, think I deserve your number for answering all your questions so good. I bet no one else has said it like it is.

C. P. You have been very candid. If I could just ask—

M. S. For my number? Sure. (Grins) Say, why you doing a film on him anyway? The guy’s old, and he’s old news. He won’t stick around here for long. You should be doing something on me. I’m the one to watch. I’m the one pushing it.

C. P. I’ll mention it to my producer. Thanks for your time today.

M. S. No worries . . . Seriously though, what are you doing later?

*

Annalise Shepherd I think, don’t rush to judge, y’know? I mean, he’s had some heavy shit to deal with.

C. P. Could you clarify what you mean by that?

A. S. Well, he got beat up the other week – you musta heard about that? And of course that’s all connected to the whole Cory Allbright thing. He can’t get away from it, can he?

C. P. Do you think he deserves to ‘get away’ from it? A lot of people hold him responsible for Cory’s death.

A. S. (Shakes head) Nah, that’s too simplistic. He made a bad call. But we all do. I bet Cory Allbright wasn’t no saint neither. But Kit, he’s been . . . branded with it; like he’s the whipping boy for the whole shebang. And who can live with that? I feel sorry for the dude. Things musta got pretty bad for him if he felt he had to change his entire sport. I mean, he was top of that tree in surfing, making a mint. You don’t just walk away from that.

C. P. Kit Foley had already left surfing before Cory Allbright died.

A. S. Yeah, but if you ask me, Cory Allbright had died long before his heart stopped beating. They were friends before. There’s no way Kit wasn’t affected.

C. P. You know a lot about his story.