Being late is a consistent pattern exemplified by waiting in a café for a father figure. The narrator reflects on potential questions from the press and rehearses witty responses, indicating complex feelings about past experiences with a famous parent. Pondering childhood memories, the narrator recalls an incident where they faced scrutiny for their father's behavior, highlighting feelings of disappointment and familial tension. Thoughts on the bystander effect and its implications add to the reflective nature of the moment, emphasizing continued conflicts stemming from parental expectations and realities.
"The question was never whether he'd be late, but how much longer I should stick around."
"Aren't I a good dad?" He'd asked me, back in our rented Bethesda ranch house, before he got a bigger contract and his own lab and bought us a show-off mansion with a security gate.
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