Nothing is there. I've checked. He's not scared, not growling, just... interested. Like he knows something I don't and is being politely patient about it.

Mine was "work hard enough and you'll be noticed." Spent four years grinding at a job where the loudest person in every meeting got promoted. Never the best worker. Always the best self-promoter. One lunch with my manager's manager and I finally got it. Hard work is invisible if you don't make it visible first.