JibberJabber says:

My dog ran off, and so we chased.
Into the woods, Jack and I race.
A dreamlike world, nothing is clear.
Things disappear and reappear.
Nothing is lost, only misplaced.

The barking sound I thought I heard,
Was the flapping wings of a bird.
“Look over here, Jack,” I exclaim.
Confused, he says, “That’s not my name.”
My son says things that sound absurd.

Proud to be father of this lad,
I lose sad thoughts of what I had.
I say, “Listen for the dog’s cries.”
My boy looks at me and replies,
“We should go back and find my dad.”

James O'Connell says:

What I remember most was how he could walk into a new place, and an hour or so later, he was best friends with half the room. Yet his favorite thing to do on vacation, was to find a quiet place, to just be quite. He liked thinking about the crap that people thought was important, while looking at the world through the drunken eyes of an Irish cynic.
He once told me that he would get out of bed a half hour before my mom, because he needed that time to wake up and be ready to think, perfect!

Dave says:

It’s Thanksgiving and she’s feeling maudlin. I can tell by looking at her. The wine, used tissues, and photos give it away.

“Shannon, he’s half a world away,” I say, trying to head off her tears. “You know he couldn’t be here.”

“I know, it’s this picture. Every time I see it I remember how close I came to losing you both.”

I knew the picture and I remember the fire, that I accidentally started. I also remember Stan’s grin when he looked up at me and said, “I know, don’t tell mom.”

“Here,” she said, handing me the tissue.