First, let me remind everyone that Joe Offer does not, I repeat, does not, have a beard. That is if he hasn't grown one since retirement.

Growing a beard and wearing one's hair long is a traditional form of male protest. And weren't some of us drawn to those protest singers. It also means, usually, "I don't work for a big corporation" (unless it is on the assembly line. Joe used to work for the big government see.

So the beard is a signal.

I began growing mine a week before discharge from the U.S. Army. It was definitely a protest and it was a way I could tell people that I was a little left of center (this was 1971). In 1972, I worked for the Farboil Paint Company. I was a promising young chemist in their quality control division. One day the V.P. for the laboratory took me aside and said, "The big guy thinks you have a bright future with the company. He would like to send you out to our customers to assist them with any problems they have with our product. But some of them are rather conservative and the big guy thinks you should shave your beard before we do that."

Well, the message was clear. I thought about it for one long night. It was a crisis point for me. Would it be values or money?

Well, I chose values (I think). I told the V.P. I didn't plan on shaving anytime soon and I began looking for another job.

Now I work in the addictions field. I think all white guys are required to have beards (or so it seems) if they started out in drug abuse treatment. The field is ripe with old hippies and freaks. If they started out in alcoholism treatment, they are most likely clean-shaven.

Well, I do ramble on don't I? I should also mention that without a beard I have a decidedly moon-shaped face. I talked with Marge about cutting my beard (just to see if it feels different after 30 odd years). She said, "Don't you dare!" 'Nuff said!

Roger in Baltimore