“Hey there, could you please stop kicking my seat?” Carl asked with a tired smile. The boy ignored him and gave the seat another firm kick. Carl clenched his jaw. This voyage was going to take several hours — he couldn’t endure this the entire time.
He turned back around, trying to block out the annoyance. The rhythmic thuds kept coming, each one snapping his nerves tighter. He tried again, a little firmer this time, but the mother just shrugged. “He’s just a kid,” she said without looking up.