One would think from the trace of a smile in this picture that the person is happy or perhaps pleased in some other way. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

The "smile" is actually a muscle twitch produced by the administration of a huge dose of industrial-grade tranquilizers to calm his tremors. You see, he requires sedation on a regular basis to cope with the pain of Sandstone Deprivation Syndrome (SDS), informally known as "sandstone addiction." When the victim is away from Moabian sandstone, he suffers mentally and physically.

This person, obviously of weak mental constitution, made the horrible mistake of taking extended walks in the sandstone landscapes around Moab, Utah. The bizarre forms (fins, domes, and arches) of that sandstone have what scientists call a "high psychoramic quotient." That is to say, it possesses the ability to capture the attention of weak-brained individuals and not let go. A person once caught is forever in the grasp of Moabian sandstone and must return to Moab repeatedly to explore the other-worldly topography. Only when doing that is the affected individual at peace with himself and the world and able to function normally.

Just as with other forms of addiction, SDS produces unpleasant effects in a person. Note the disheveled appearance of his hair and the beard stubble---both are signs of a lack of interest in maintaining even a minimum level of good grooming. The stupefied gaze in the eyes is a sign that the victim is distracted from reality.

Shortly after this picture was taken, the man collapsed into a deep sleep that spared him hours of pain of coping with the harshness of daily life. SDS robs the mind of all normal thoughts. Instead, the victim's mind is focused on the need to return to Moab, Utah to get a fix of Moabian sandstone.

Only the regular administration of industrial-grade tranquilizers will tide the victim over until his next trip to Moab, which will probably be in Spring 2012. If it's later than that, the man might have to be committed to a mental institution for his own safety and the good of society.

This photograph is presented in black and white because the victim's eyes were so bloodshot as to be repulsive. SDS causes a person to think about nothing but Moabian sandstone, so the desire to sleep is "put on the back burner."