He is not too tall, nor is his presence imposing. Until you notice something strange about him, a self-containment, a quiet confidence. Then, after some exposure to his presence you realize how tightly coiled he is, alert, a conscious spring prepared to uncoil and respond to some unknown threat, an episode of demonic presence, perhaps, some untoward event that might be violent. Or a situation requiring a calming firm hand. He never smiles. When something akin to a smile does eventuate, it is a grim one.

But there is nothing threatening about him. He is calm through that tense persona, a reassuring presence. He is one of those people perpetually geared to action and swift reaction. And he is devoted to physical exercise. Apart from seeing him often during our ravine hikes with his three dogs, one of whom was maladjusted and indeed rescued by his wife and himself from living with one of their daughters unable to respond to the needs of a highly-active working dog, we know he's a solid member of the larger community in which we live.

For someone so tightly sprung, he takes us into his confidence, and we have long conversations as we often walk alongside one another. This has been a particularly bad year for him. He's experienced a number of accidents that have put him out of commission, as it were, while he's been recovering. A broken clavicle in a bicycling accident. A relapse when he fell while running in one of the many running events he takes part in as a serious runner.

And then the eye-opening diagnosis that explained his frequent black-outs, periods of faintness. He needs an operation to remove water on his brain. His condition which may have been present for many years, is gradually deteriorating. When he's out walking through the woods with his dogs it's entirely conceivable that he may black out. His wife is seldom with him, herself a large robust woman whose own smile tends on the pensive side, but little wonder.

She's been busy rendering day-care to one of their grandchildren, a handful of a little boy who gets into everything and excels at temper tantrums. Her husband has been awaiting notice from the neurologist looking after him that the brain surgeon who has agreed to take charge of his operation is prepared to proceed. This week he'll be busy with all the pre-operative proceedings; today an MIR. On Tuesday a procedure that he knows can be very uncomfortable, a spinal tap.

He's uncertain what the outcome of his operation will be. Unsure whether he'll be in any condition to return to his job with a SWAT team. He's on sick leave and fully paid. The RCMP personnel department has advised him that he isn't expected to retire yet, if he's not prepared to. They're willing to wait out his recuperation, and then decide between them what the best course of action would be for him, afterward, depending on how his recovery proceeds.