"Mmhm. There was a family of them a ways off the coast of Australia, thought I'd drop in, see how they were doing." Clark glances back at Bruce, a smile, all self-awareness as he adds, "Nice folks."

It makes for fun 'how was your day' conversations at home.

Maybe Clark should have more hang ups than he does, given givens. That he is not as tactile in public is more about feeling comfortable in anonymity and giving Bruce a little bit of (but not too much) space. Maybe it's the Clinton-voting alien in him that doesn't carry around the worst of red state social pressures. Maybe he has plenty already to internalise on his own.

It is, anyway, just a hand, and he squeezes back.