What happened when the boy left his sailboat at the beach?
When the boy left his model sailboat unattended on the beach, it was gone when he returned. He wept bitterly because he had labored all winter to build it and had enjoyed it only briefly. Months later, he found it in a pawn shop window and had to buy it back.
Les teaches that the boy had spent one whole winter laboriously building a beautiful model sailboat. His parents took him to the beach, and he played with it until something got his attention; he left it, and when he came back it was gone. He wept bitter tears. Months later, walking with his mom, he saw his boat in a pawn shop window. The shopkeeper said he had paid for it, so the boy would have to pay him. The price was far more than he had. He shoveled snow all winter and mowed grass, finally saving enough. He returned to the pawn shop; the boat was still there, and he told the counter he wanted his boat. When asked if he had the money, he said yes and plunked it down.