Dad, the Casey Anthony Trial and Gray Hair

My father’s in the hospital this week, recovering from colon cancer surgery.   He’s holding up well; the doctors are optimistic about his recovery — they caught it early thanks to a colonoscopy.  Dad’s 82, a tough old bird, former pilot in the Air Force and retired engineer from the Cape here in Central Florida.

Anyway, my brothers and sisters and I are taking turns sitting with him at the hospital.  I’m convinced he’s glad we’re there, even though he protests.  His protests are in vain.  There’s nothing much to do but sit and read, work on our laptops, eat, talk with dad the times he’s awake, eat some more or watch TV.  I get there yesterday; my sister’s already there.  The TVs are on (dad’s sharing a room), and both TVs have the Casey Anthony trial on.

The doctor comes in to check on dad, and even the doctor comments on the unfolding drama on the television.  It’s inescapable.  About that time, Lee Anthony is testifying on the stand and my sister comments about how much his hair has greyed between the time of Caylee’s disappearance in 2008 and now.  They say stress will do that to you.  Have you every noticed how the Presidents’ hair greys when they’re in office?  It doesn’t take long.

I’m sitting there watching the cast of characters:  Jeff Ashton was a young, dark-haired prosecutor in Orange County when I worked there as an official, Judge Perry was also a prosecutor; Linda Drane was a brand-new assistant prosecutor (her hair’s always been blond as long as I can remember) and Cheney Mason, well, to me, he still looks the same!