A newly appointed ophthalmic surgeon introduced himself as Nigel.

Something about his voice reminded me of my childhood.

“Do we know each other?” I asked the first time we spoke.

I tilted my head, trying to identify that strangely familiar tone.

His voice was gentle but unusually cautious.

After a noticeable pause, he answered.

“No,” he said, with a smile in his voice. “I don’t believe we do.”

Embarrassed, I dismissed my suspicion.

Nigel proved exceptionally patient. He explained my condition clearly and discussed experimental treatments with genuine determination.

Over the following year, he became my regular physician, then my friend.

Sometimes he escorted me to the parking lot after appointments, describing the scenery around us.