September 30, 2009:

Age came suddenly, after many years without change.

Forty-eight and his hair remained jet black, legacy perhaps of the strain of Native American DNA in his gene puddle.

Four years later, gray, tired, fat.

Triggered by stress, maybe. Epinephrine, norepinephrine: flight or fight syndrome. Same causes as psychosocial dwarfism. Like J.M. Barrie.

More likely it was just time, although, undeniably, that stress was real.