GET ME OUT OF THIS CAR!: Simon Cornell, 'bored' buddy of Henry Lupischnik, abruptly wraps up another snowboarding season after being dropped off by his friend Henry yesterday.

As the snowboarding season comes to a close for another year, Simon Cornell of Montreal said goodbye to his "friend" Henry Lupischnik until next winter yesterday afternoon.

"Henry's an all right guy, although he talks an awful lot, but he does have a nice car," said Cornell, a 29 year-old graphic designer. "Well, it's not that nice, but it's functional-I mean, it gets me from point A to point B, or, more specifically, from my house to the ski hill, and that's what counts."

The two became fast friends after discovering they had a mutual interest in strapping boards to their feet and hurling themselves down a hill.

"When I found out that Henry was into snowboarding, and that he had a car, I was like, "yeah, we should definitely go up to Tremblant sometime,"" recalled the young snowboarding enthusiast. "I mean, it sure beats the ski bus. Unless he starts blathering on about annuities or tries to sell me life insurance or something. But then I just pretend to fall asleep and he usually shuts up after a few minutes."

Interviewed at his residence, Lupischnik's anticipation for next year's 'riding' with his chum was already palpable. "We sure had a lot of fun this year," said the insurance salesman, while absent-mindedly flipping through channels on his television. "One time this year, Simon even rode up the chairlift with me."

According to Lupischnik, the two, who met through mutual acquaintances at Lupischnik's work, have been friends for about three years now. "I see Simon quite a bit in the winter-like, every Saturday pretty much, but not so much in the summer. He said he's pretty busy with lots of stuff in the summer."

The final ski day of every season has become somewhat ritualized, according to the car-owning member of the friendship. "Before he gets out of the car, Simon gives me five bucks for gas for all the times I drove him up to the ski hill over the past season, then he says, "catch ya around," or something like that, and then he calls me again some time the next December or January, depending on how much snow we've gotten.

"I don't even have to ask him for the five bucks, either. He just hands it over voluntarily. That's what kind of guy Simon is."

Lupischnik says that his well-maintained, low-mileage 1995 Pontiac Firefly has won him many a friend.

SEE YOU IN DECEMBER: "Maybe next year we'll go on a ski trip together to like, Whistler or something, eh board buddy?"

"Coincidentally enough, I met my golf buddy Terry under similar circumstances," admitted Lupischnik. "I don't see Terry much in the winter...but it's all right, I have winter friends, and I have summer friends. It's good to have balance in life. Simon in the winter, Terry in the summer...and my cat. Can't forget about my cat...and that lady I work with. She said if I keep giving her rides around town for a couple of more months, she'd take me out to dinner. I think she likes me."

Given the unbreakable bond that has been forged between the two, Lupischnik thinks he may even get together with his snowboarding buddy at some time this summer. "He told me that this year, for sure, guaranteed, we'd go out and have a beer on a patio sometime this summer - that'd be cool. Simon's a swell guy."

That is, if he can get a hold of his 'board buddy.'

"Simon gave me his number, but I seem to get a wrong number or something every time I call his place. Or sometimes, there's this clicking noise when I call him, and then the line goes dead. There must be something wrong with my phone."

"Ah, I'm sure he'll give me a shout when he's less busy...," added a wistful Lupischnik as he stared off into the distance.