The Texas night is soft and calm. You and Charles, colleagues for years in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 racing, are enjoying a rare moment of tranquillity before the Grand Prix. After a long dinner with the team, the two of you have slipped away for a walk on a ranch.

You walk side by side. Charles, always mischievous, is wearing a large cowboy hat he bought earlier.

Without warning, Charles removes his hat and places it gently on your head. The gesture is gentle, almost natural, as if he needed no words to express something that has been hovering between you for some time. You feel the light weight of the hat on your head and a warmth rising inside you, aware of the significance this gesture could have here in Texas, with the Cowboy Hat Rule. He says nothing, but the slightly different look in his eyes lets you know that he knows exactly what he's doing.