Musing upon the origins of "Mantracker"

A friend was pondering why Mantracker is such a gruff and driven fellow. (Ok she didn't use those exact words.. more along the lines of "he pisses me off with his superior, tough guy, tendencies". Here is my response.

Maybe it's a gruff exterior shield to protect the vulnerable frightened child inside....
perhaps this eternal quest to track and find things stems from the time he accidentally left "Mr.Squeezeums", his favorite childhood toy, in the park. Little Mantracker came back the next day. He put up signs.. he shouted and called. He even KNEW the place he'd set down Mr.Squeezeums. It was in a small grassy area next to the teeter totter. Oh how Little Mantracker used to love riding that teeter totter. Up and down. Like a majestic steed. But now that childhood whimsy had been replaced with a furious purpose. The grass was trampled around Mr.Squeezeums' last known location.. but what did it mean!?!?! The signs were there but he didn't know how to read them!
From that moment on.. he swore a vow..

To never again be unprepared.
To never again be helpless in the face of such tragedy.
To never again be weak.

He went to the park that day as a child.. he left as Mantracker.

The beard grew instantly on his 5 year old face.