A conference had brought us to Brazil and I had arrived in Sao Paulo an hour earlier than my wife, Claire.

A student was meeting us so I looked about for a young person holding a sign. Strangely, a likely person, a young African male, refused to let me read his message. He hid it every time I approached.

It turned out he was the likely spotter.

Let me explain.

Claire’s flight had arrived but she didn’t come out with the others. Eventually she was there, pushing her white suitcase. She explained that her luggage hadn’t come out with the rest.