It was a sunny Monday morning in June, and I was embarking on a trip to Chicago, something I do every three months or so in connection with a business that my husband and I run in our home city.

The flight was not heavily booked, and as I sat in my window seat I was hoping the seat next to me would remain empty. But it was not to be. One of the last passengers to board was a tall, good-looking black man wearing a Marine’s uniform, who headed straight for my row and, checking his ticket, sat down by my side. My immediate disappointment at not having the extra space to myself faded quickly as the man turned to me with a smile and greeted me courteously, saying, “Good morning, ma’am. My name is Drew, and it looks like we’re seatmates.”

I smiled back and introduced myself. We began to... Read More