And I catch myself.

There. Barely finishing my sentence without feeling the tightness stinging in my throat. I think no one notices. I’m practiced in catching and staving it away. So I shift my eyes to the next person, willing the attention and the question to rotate onward.

And the conversation continues.

There have since been two moments where I spoke this same intention aloud, and the same occurrence swept through my body — suddenly and unexpectedly and immodestly. My tears will rush out for three catches — just enough to let me know they’re there, and that I need to follow them.

Dolphins wayfind for humans adrift — maybe my tears are the same.