“How old are you?”
“Eleven.”
“You have time.”
Caleb nodded.
Then Dorothy said,
“You already understand something many adults never learn.”
“What?”
“That the result matters.”
Caleb looked confused.
She explained.
“Some people build their whole lives around what makes them comfortable. They never ask whether what they’re doing makes anything better.”
Caleb glanced toward where the man had moved.
“Like him?”
“Like him.”
“He looked scared when he saw your pictures.”
“He was.”
“He wasn’t scared when he took our seats.”
“No.”
Caleb thought about that.
“So some people only learn when something happens to them.”
Dorothy nodded.
“Sometimes.”
“That’s kind of sad.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it means they spent their life worrying about getting caught instead of learning how to be decent.”
Caleb was quiet.
“You caught him.”
“Eventually.”
“How long did it take?”
“Eight months.”
“That’s a long time.”
“It is.”
“Was it worth it?”
