To Beard or Not to Beard
My chin stubble had been an insult to my manhood since early adolescence, but it was only the icing, or lack thereof, on the cake of my doubtful masculinity. As if it wasn't insulting enough that my chest hair is singular and my fishing and hunting skills would make my survival in the wild dependent on berries and acorns, that my highest sports achievement was getting to third base in little league, whereupon I peed my pants praying for the end of the world, I couldn't get past the average 8th grader in the beard growing game. Many Facebook friends participate in No Shave November (for what purpose I don't recall), but despite my efforts I ended up looking like No Shave Since Tuesday. During my work life, much of which was spent in uniform, having no facial hair was standard, ostensibly to ensure a proper fit to a gas mask should the occasion arise. What the bearded cops of today do about that I don't know, but perhaps agencies capitulated so that the male officers cou...