Adam Banks was an English teacher who fell on hard times and wound up homeless on the streets of Los Angeles. Adam and his friend Ruthanne rescued an amnesiac woman who had been mugged; they decided to call her Liz. Adam and Liz became close and developed a sweet romance, but soon Adam saw a flier that identified Liz as missing fashionista socialite Stephanie Forrester. Adam sent Stephanie home in a taxi, then visited her in the hospital, where she had trouble accepting a family she didn't remember.

As Stephanie recovered, Adam learned that a stroke had triggered her loss of memory and caused her to wander onto the streets. Adam was surprised to learn that Stephanie was letting her family believe she still had amnesia to make inroads with her ex-husband, Eric Forrester. Adam professed his feelings to Stephanie, and the two kissed, but nothing further developed between them. Adam and Ruthanne helped out at a charity ball Stephanie held to benefit the homeless; Adam felt out of place in Stephanie's upper class world. Though Stephanie tried to get Adam off the streets, he decided to stay there to help others in need, and disappeared from the canvas.