Then he said, “You are calmer than your mother.”
“That’s not difficult.”
Dad almost smiled.
The man kept talking.
That was how I learned what flight he was taking.
Same airline as mine.
Same destination.
Same flight number.
I looked at Dad.
He hadn’t caught that part.
I leaned closer.
“He’s on our flight.”
Dad’s expression changed immediately. “Oh.”
That “oh” had way too much enthusiasm in it.
I said, “Don’t think of doing anything.”
“I said nothing.”
“Your face said plenty.”
The man eventually reached security.
He went through.
We went through right after him.
Once we were done collecting our things, Dad said, “So what are we doing?”
“We are doing nothing.”
“You said he’s on our flight.”
“I said that because it was funny.”
“It could become funnier.”
“Dad.”
He put both hands up. “Fine.”
We made our way toward the gate.
I thought that would be the end of it.
