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"They're my SUPER POWERS Boss!"

Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be going to the funeral home to pay my last respects to a former client; a most interesting guy, to be sure! I was lucky enough to know and work with this man for over a dozen years. He could be moody, a bully, a sweetheart, a clown...in short, he was a regular guy. He had his good and bad days just like everyone else. He also happened to have Downs Syndrome. His name was David.

David was just a few years older than me and our birthdays were just weeks apart, so that gave us some similar points of reference. He had an infectious laugh and his own unique sense of humor and style. For a large man, he loved to dance! He would literally spin himself in time with the music and few people have ever enjoyed music quite the way he did.

David's appetites in life were voracious. He loved food, he loved his friends and most of all, he loved his Super Powers. His "super powers" were large markers that he would occasionally talk to. While this may sound odd to most people, I understood it. These "super powers" helped David cope with the world, they boosted his self-confidence, and they were his solace when he was frightened. Most of us have a crutch of some sort...maybe its cigarettes, or drinking, or maybe its a certain someone in our life. David was lucky; his crutch was replaceable. Whether an over sized Sharpie or a bingo dauber, he had his "super powers"...and they worked magic!

David had a lifelong struggle with weight. Simply put, the man loved food! At one point, he was working really hard to get his weight under control. He often admired my black leather biker jacket, and I promised him that should he get his weight under 200 pounds, I would give it to him. He succeeded and I gave him the jacket. He rarely wore it as he felt it was too stiff and heavy but a deals a deal. So far as I know, he had that jacket until his last days.

David lived only a few blocks from me and I often saw him in the neighborhood. He enjoyed walking to the corner convenience store (usually to get soda or snacks) and many in the area knew him by name. While not a terribly loquacious man, David would always give a wave or when he saw me a "Hi Boss!". He almost always had his "super powers" with him. Once I ran into him while he was out walking and I asked if he had them with him. He gave me the most incredulous look and explained, as if I was simple, that his "super powers" kept him safe. I guess we can add talisman and good luck charm to their magic powers!

David will most definitely be missed. He will be missed by his friends, family, co-workers and his residential and vocational staff, past and present. He could always bring a smile to my face and I'm sure that I'm not alone in this.

In times like these, I wish I had my own set of Super Powers boss! Rest In Peace my friend.

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