I found myself tongue tied from various causes.

His demeanor was a soldier trying to be present for debriefing and the boy would leak out when he would talk about his father. The rationalizing, justifying, reconciling when he would talk about his dad was telling and heartbreaking to me. The soldier would show up to protect him too.

I'm not a professional with credentials for testimony on a witness stand but everyone can be a judge if they listen.