" In traveling, a companion, in life, compassion,'" she repeats, making sure of it. If she had paper and pencil, it wouldn't surprise me if she wrote it down. " So what does that really mean? In simple terms." I think it over. It takes me a while to gather my thoughts, but she waits patiently. " I think it means," I say, " that chance encounters are what keep us going. In simple terms. "