Alzheimers in Atacama
Chapter 1 — The Fire in Thomas's Eyes
Gaia, a young Greek carer, meets Thomas — a 93-year-old man dismissed by staff as a stubborn dementia patient. But when she looks into his eyes, she sees a deep fire still burning within them.
← Karl Swainston / Alzheimers in Atacama
"Come along, Thomas. You're being very stubborn today, and please don't start waffling on again. Just sit there and stop annoying people."
"How long has Thomas been like this?" asked Gaia, a young, migrant Greek girl working at the care home.
"He had dementia, or Alzheimer's—I can't remember which—when they brought him here last year, and he's got worse," the lead carer replied. "But he won't have long left, I don't think, and then the stubborn man will be gone forever. No one will miss him, as he doesn't have any relatives. You make his bed, tidy his room, and then give me a shout, and I'll tell you what job to do next."
The lead carer then left Gaia and closed the door.
Gaia stood for a few moments looking down at this old man of ninety-three, wondering about his life. Thomas was huddled up in his chair, simply staring blankly at the floor. Gaia shook off her moment's reflection and began to busy herself with tidying Thomas's room.
"Do you know of Atacama?"
"I'm sorry?" replied Gaia, a little startled.
The old man was still staring down as a deep silence pervaded the room. Then he looked up at Gaia.
"Let me tell you of Atacama."
Gaia noticed the old man's eyes. Although they were old, they still held a deep fire within them.
"Yes, do, Thomas. I would like to hear of Atacama."
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About Karl Swainston
Karl Swainston is a writer and storyteller whose work is forged from a life lived across the North of England and far beyond. Growing up on a Leeds council estate in the 1960s, Karl's journey was anything but linear. By the age of thirty, he had already lived a dozen lives: from the rigors of grammar school to a degree in Latin, a stint as a fishmonger, a period of discovery living in Marseille, and a return to the hustle of London. Whether working as a postman, a builder, or competing as a county-level chess player, he was, above all, an avid reader—constantly documenting the world around him. This restless spirit continued into his professional life. Karl later taught in Bradford, where he ran a specialist unit for 244 of the most excluded students from across the region—young people whom even the local Pupil Referral Units could not accommodate. Working alongside his old friend Malcolm, Karl spent his days navigating the volatility of Bradford's most aggressive and dysfunctional teenagers. Throughout his life, Karl has been an avid runner and has always shared his home with a rotating cast of beloved dogs and cats—companions who have been constant witnesses to his work. As a writer, Karl's range is as expansive as his history. He works across a wide breadth of genres, including fiction and short stories, autobiography and memoir, biography, non-fiction, and metaphysical writing, as well as providing sharp commentary, opinion, analysis, and essays. Whether writing about his years managing the Harrogate Arms or offering insights from his current adopted home in South East India, where he lives in a simple village with his dog, Bambi, Karl's voice reflects the full, untidy, and deeply human breadth of life. He continues to draw on the rich, decades-long tapestry of his experiences to tell stories that matter, proving that no matter where you live, the human story remains the same.
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