At this point the plane was situated on the runway and was scheduled next for takeoff. Danny, the little boy who had the most secure seatbelt on the plane, quietly looked out the window as the plane began to move. He watched in wonder as the plane began to gain speed and his ears began to feel irritated. Danny leaned over to his mother and complained that his ears hurt and wanted to get off the plane. His mother told him that his ears hurt because of the recycled air and change in atmospheric pressure. Completely confused and dissatisfied with that answer, Danny turned back to the smudgy window and looked at the clouds.

Danny’s mother watched her son gaze out the window at the clouds. He looked almost hypnotized. She smiled slightly remembering her first time on an airplane and how awe inspiring the clouds were to her. Once the wave of nostalgia had past, she returned to her Nora Roberts novel. She wasn’t particularly a Nora Roberts fan. In fact, she had just bought the book in the terminal before the flight.

By this time Jack and Victor were engaged in a thorough conversation. The conversation swung like a pendulum between generic topics like the weather and politics, to grand observations about the human condition based on previous life experiences (these usually came from Jack). Eventually, Victor asked Jack what he used to do. He instantly thought he offended Jack by saying, “used to do” instead of “what do you do?" Jack noticed the distress in Victor’s facial expression and slightly laughed at the notion he would have taken offense at that.

Jack explained, “I worked for the federal government, but not in a ‘cool’ way. I was sent out to various disputes involving federal buildings or employees and determined whether or not they were motivated by race, orientation or gender."

Victor was caught off guard for a variety of reasons, the first being that he was not even aware that was a position. The second reason Victor was so impressed was because he realized that in order for someone to do that type of work, they must have incredible character and a very uncommon level of integrity.

Victor said, “Wow that’s something else, remarkable work really, did you enjoy it?”

Jack replied, “Thoroughly, knowing you could influence good stuff, you know, being able to make right things happen," he continued, “there really isn’t anything more satisfying."

Then Jack inquired about Victor's line of work. At first, Victor thought Jack only asked because of conventional conversational pleasantries. He then came to the conclusion that a man as genuine as Jack actually was, in fact, interested.

So Victor answered, “I’m a scientist, an actual lab coat and glasses scientist."

Victor was impressed with his little joke and judging by his small chuckle, Jack was as well.

Victor continued, “I work at the University of Berkeley as a theoretical physicist."

Jack seemed just as impressed with Victor’s line of work.

So a doctor, a mother, a child, and an old man get on a plane...Have you heard this one before?