The narrator tries to convince the father that his intentions were good, but the father is unable to understand what he is trying to say. He tries to explain that bringing a baby into the mountains was not a good idea because it would be inconvenient to stay home and care for the child. The father tries to justify his actions by saying that the baby is hungry and that they can eat to their hearts' content once they get to the mountains. The narrator assumes that this is a reference to the cliche event flag, a symbol of good intentions.