There is no rhyme or reason to when his father's 'eyes go away'. It is a sort of daydreaming, but stronger. His father just seems to go away in his head and his eyes no longer register where he is. It is as if his body is still there, but all of his personality and life are just gone. This happens at the beginning when he is at the breakfast table and he sits there with his spoon half lifted to his mouth....for hours.
