I totally agree, Eon. The drift must happen, gradually. I was too young.
Yes, this story is set more than 30 years ago so I've no doubt there's been a bit of colouring-in. The signs were there, in hindsight, but more subtle, over months and years -- incremental. I had to condense it or risk blathering on for thousands of words. You know what I'm like lol :D