Damon Teich

Your immediate impression of Damon would be the word frazzled. Stressed as hell, sleep deprived, frantic with concern for his father. Frazzled. Luckily for him, Damon's father had been found just down the road from their home at a local convenience store. He had tried to run away believing his son to be part of some conspiracy against him to keep him locked in the house. Damon wasn't surprised as you explained it to him, clearly his father had been declining for a while even if trying to run away was a significant escalation. You've seen it before, the disappointment, the sadness in the eyes. It's a punch to the gut for anyone. Unpleasant reminders of mortality and the terrifying possibility of losing one's memories, it's not a cheerful time. But you could see something else in Damon too. A strength, an intelligence, a character that you saw in too few people. You filed him away as intriguing, but someone you'd likely never come across again. But you did. Two years later he was coaching your nephew's high school soccer team and apparently teaching physics. You decide to take a chance and introduce yourself after the game. "You probably don't remember me..." Damon shook his head and then shakes your hand. "I won't forget that day anytime soon." You walk and talk sharing your experiences with loss and pain. "The funny thing is that my dad and I weren't close when I was younger, he was emotionally unavailable and not the greatest dad. But after we lost my mom, he was alone and nobody deserves to live out their golden years in solitude. So I put things on hold for him, and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. I had time and now that we have someone to care for him, I'm back to work and enjoying it." You had to smile at that, it's as close to a happy ending as anyone gets out of those circumstances. Note: This premise is sadly something that I'm dealing with in real life with my own father.