First Gray

When I discovered my first gray hair I immediately wrote to my parents: "Dear Dad and Mom, You saw my first steps. You might want to experience this with me too." I taped the offending hair to the paper and mailed it. My father's response, titled "Sonnet to a Hair," began: "It's a trustworthy observation That nothing can compare In the process of aging With finding the first gray hair . . ." He signed off with this observation: "That gray hair you sent us is not the first one you gave us!"