My recollection is that the first time I grew a beard it took about three weeks to get to where a comb sould sort of "leave tracks."

There was some sort of big centenial celebration or somethin' of the sort coming up, and my dad challenged all the guys working in his shop to grow one for the "beard contests." (Pappy had won one a few decades earlier, and needed an excuse so Mom would let him do another one.)

The other guy at the shop was sort of a "hairless" type, and declined the challenge, and since I was the only other guy there at the time, I was sort of obligated - even if I was only about 14 at the time.

I'm not sure whether it was the itchies or mom that got to him, but Pappy decided he needed to shave his off "for a business trip he had to make" about 6 or 7 weeks into it all. I'd say he was about a week ahead of me in the lush and luxuriant category, and might have been scared I'd catch up.

I kept mine for the whole summer, almost three months - and the first three days back at school. I was a little surprised at how little notice it got at jr high, but was "mildly influenced" by one or the faculty so I cleaned it off.

John