Something’s been changing of late.
In recent weeks, some co-workers have taken to greeting me by name as I approach, but before I come into sight. We’ve all mused about it a bit, and finally a couple offered up that I “just sound different” than anybody else on approach. Nobody put their finger on it right away, but I finally realized that my feet must have gotten smaller, as my loafers were now slapping along behind me like a pair of flip-flops. Co-workers agreed that was the source of the distinctive sound.
So, well, a bit odd, but no big deal.
Today I was talking to our very fashion conscious receptionist, and she noted that I had my sleeves rolled up, which has not been the norm for me, I told her that so much “puff” accumulated above the cuffs that it was interfering with my daily toils; and I then unrolled one sleeve to see that, with my arm, hand and fingers hanging extended, the sleeve obscured it all. She pointed out that the shoulder seam was actually hanging about 1½" below my shoulder. This is a shirt that fit me just fine!
Another recent (last couple of weeks) new anoyance is that the trailing edge of my trousers falls into my shoes between the back of my heel and the heel of the shoe. This has never happened before.
Now that I’m starting to draw a bead on this, I realize that I quit wearing my family ring a little while ago, because it wouldn’t stay on. And I’ve been futzin’ around with my car seat and mirrors quite a lot lately.
My trouser legs seem to flap in the wind, and, checking the waist I see that I can easily pull a spare inch, even with the belt drawn to a notch that I can see, by wear marks, is drawn in one tighter than where it began its service life.
I’m not trying to lose weight (I’ve been 155-160# and 5’11" for most of my adult life) and my eating habits have not changed.
Today my colleagues measured my heighth and, with the caveat that I’ve been seeing a physical therapist for a few weeks now (for some disc deterioration) so my posture is as good as it’s been for years, they measured me at 1" shorter than I’ve been for many years.
I’m starting to look like a kid wearing his dad’s clothes. I’m only 51, which is a bit early to experience the bumping 90 shrink my Mom has experienced in recent years. I’ve been to the doc within the last few weeks and checked out OK, I have no symptoms and feel great, so WTF?
Am I shrinking? This is just…weird.
