The New England autumn rain had stopped by the time I drove the rental south on Route 95 back toward my hotel. It was late and the taillights of the few cars on the highway shone on the wet pavement ahead of me. I had traveled back to my hometown to visit family, not a particularly happy visit, a funeral, in fact. Despite the sadness that brought us together, it was good to see people who I hadn’t seen in so long. It was...