The little sail boat

  When I was a young dude, perhaps 10ish, we made these little sail boats. By little, I mean like just over a foot long. They were the coolest thing! I think we made them to compete in a sailing race. Maybe we were all going to go to the lake and let them go and see whose was fastest.

  I don't remember racing them. Actually I don't remember building them either. I wonder if the boat I played with was my sisters? Damn. I hope not...eww

  Well anyways, we lived on a small lake and I would take it out there to play with it. There was an overflow part to the lake that wasn't nearly as big as the lake and that's where my adventures with the boat took place.

  I would tie a string to the boat to be able to get it back or steer it. Sure the lake was small and I could swim, but the string made me feel safe. I didn't want to lose the boat. Somehow I figured on keeping it and cherishing it forever.

  So, I would launch the boat and try to steer it just right with the string. My friends and I would take turns with it and complain that the others weren't doing it right. Nobody ever did it right, but when you watched someone else play with it you just knew you could do it better!

  I spent hours with that boat. I would get almost transfixed at the way the wind pushed her over and made her scoot thru the water.

  We eventually got good enough to tie two strings to it and tack into the wind. This was a dangerous maneuver and capsizing was always an option. The waves would pummel the little boat as the howling winds would toss her about. Proportionally, the little boat went thru hurricanes with me at the helm...er string.

  I always figured on saving that little boat. Some artifact of my youth. Some other relics have survived but sadly the boat didn't. 

  In thinking back this story I am struck wondering why I never let the boat just sail on the lake. Why confine it to the small overflow? If I was worried about it being stuck on the island that wasn't a big concern. Surely we could have fashioned up something to go to the island. How much fun would that have been!

  I wish I had a memory of letting the boat go. The lake wasn't all that big but I would have enjoyed watching it sail freely. My fear of loss prevented me from capturing a truly momentous occasion.

  I'm not sure if the other kids held their boats in such high regards as I did mine. But I am also not sure if I enjoyed mine as much as I could have. I wonder if they just let theirs go?

  Go little boat go!