Answer:
The theme in this short story is love, Pete doesn't feel very close with his father and his father doesn't know how to show affection to his son. Pete's father puts trust in his son when he gives him the penny and Pete feels like he broke his fathers trust when he loses the penny. At the end of the story Pete's father shows how much he loves his son when he starts to cry and puts his arm around Pete, after Pete explains why he kept digging the penny out of the dust.
Explanation:
NOT MINE | OP TAYLOR STAUCH
