That might apply to an 'occasional acquaintance' but not a real friend. Imagine you have known someone for 20, 30 years and see them fairly often. You bring up some old topic you often discuss with the person, and they have no clue what you are talking about. Yes, 'dementia' can be used to some extent to explain that, but I doubt it would fly as a real excuse. I know someone with Alzheimer's; their memory of 'what they did yesterday' is shot, but they can still talk happily about what they did when they were 20 years old or similar.
It's a fun fantasy to think you can insert a clone or a double, but the reality is it would be incredibly difficult.
Why would his friends notice? They just think "he's changed a lot since the dementia began".
That might apply to an 'occasional acquaintance' but not a real friend. Imagine you have known someone for 20, 30 years and see them fairly often. You bring up some old topic you often discuss with the person, and they have no clue what you are talking about. Yes, 'dementia' can be used to some extent to explain that, but I doubt it would fly as a real excuse. I know someone with Alzheimer's; their memory of 'what they did yesterday' is shot, but they can still talk happily about what they did when they were 20 years old or similar.
It's a fun fantasy to think you can insert a clone or a double, but the reality is it would be incredibly difficult.