“Do you think he knows what an auto-rotation landing is?” Henry asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“He spent his career reviewing corporate contracts and municipal bonds.”

“I can draw the secondary mechanical torque diagram if he asks,” Henry said, pulling out his wooden chair.

He sat down, picked up his spoon, and started eating his breakfast, leaving the technical diagram lying perfectly flat between our placemats.

He didn’t sound bitter, and he didn’t sound afraid.

He sounded like a young guard getting ready for an assignment he meant to carry out with complete discipline.