Verified
His wife Kitty is resigned to the morning routine by now; they’ve been married for almost ten years after all. In a strange sort of way, it’s actually helpful; she has a chance to wake up a little as he dashes, panicking, to the bathroom the moment his eyes open each day.
She stretches, beginning to think about coffee, as the usual 2 or 3 minutes of silence pass. She wonders why exactly it takes him several minutes to check something which should be immediately evident, but she’s never questioned him about it. His demons are his own, and he’ll be fine in a moment. His brief daily crisis is a very small price to pay for having such a loving, talented (and rather rich) husband.
She can hear the children moving around, so it’ll soon be time for her to start making breakfast, but she can’t move yet; she must wait until this morning’s cycle is complete. Surely only another few moments.
And indeed, he emerges from the bathroom, looking more awake now, and calmed. As usual, he’s beaming. He’s not as slim as when they met, and he has substantially less hair, but he’s the same man - even if he does feel the need to verify it each and every morning.
He is wearing the headband he keeps in the bathroom to reassure himself, and this is also normal. Now he’ll pick up the guitar from its stand by her dressing table, and he will play, and he will be fully ready to tackle another day of recording tracks for the new album.
He is joyous now, beginning to play the opening refrain from Money for Nothing. She can begin her daily household routine. He is centered once more; calm and focused. Verified.
For yet another day in his 57th year, he is still Mark Knopfler.