The person who gets lost should not become the permanent joke of the trip.

A single mishap makes an easy story, and easy stories get repeated. What began as an affectionate joke on the first evening becomes somebody’s role by the third day, and they start withdrawing from decisions rather than supply more material. Nobody intended a punishment, and it works like one anyway.

Let a good story go after its second telling, particularly when it belongs to someone else. If you notice a person has gone quiet, be the one who changes the subject.