The muffled, artificially cheerful voice came on over the loudspeaker, startling the miniature dog across the aisle. A head poked out from a pink plush prison, alert and searching. Ears cocked, it listened attentively to the newest update.

I had read somewhere that some animals have no sense of the passage of time. To them, a flight delayed two hours would be no different from one that departed on time.

Among the rolled eyes and exhaled sighs, the tiny head retreated. We both settled in to wait until freedom was granted again.