Knocking The Wind Out Of Your Sails
(I work in a museum that focuses on the history of a particular ship. One day, a visitor approaches me and asks me this question:)
Visitor: “Excuse me, I have a question.”
Me: “Sure!”
Visitor: “When was the last time [Ship] had all of her sails out?”
Me: “The last time she sailed under her own power was in August 2012 on the 200th anniversary of her victory with—”
Visitor: “Yeah, but were ALL of her sails out?”
Me: “Well, no, only a few of the main ones necessary for—”
Visitor: “But I want to know when she had ALL her sails out like in this painting.” *gestures to nautical painting*
Me: “Ah! I see. Actually, artists painted ships with full sails to heighten the drama of the painting. There would be very few occasions when a ship would literally have all of her sails out at once because different sails are used in different situations and angles of wind and—”
Visitor: “Yeah, but WHEN was the LAST TIME she had ALL of her sails out?”
Me: *pause* “I guess I don’t know exactly.”
Visitor: *to his family* “Oh, she doesn’t know.”
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