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  1. The Beard

    When I was in the Navy
    beards were allowed so
    I grew a long beard to
    somehow remind me of my recent past life

    During a formal inspection of the crew
    the Captain of our new Destroyer
    which was then being built
    and of which I was a member of the commissioning crew
    walked to me as I was standing at attention
    and looked at me with his intense blue eyes
    and told the chief petty officer of my division who was accompanying the inspection
    We don’t need any Santa Clauses on this ship

    Shortly after
    I shaved the beard
    The CPO looked at me and smiled
    good decision he said
    he became a sort of friend of mine
    which in itself was an accomplishment

    Much later in my professional careers
    working for brilliant supervisors
    when they gave me a direction
    subtle or otherwise
    I saluted
    and said HUA
    heard understood and acknowledged

    The Navy lesson served me well

    but after I retired
    I grew another beard
    much longer and fiercer

    FACEBOOK PHOTO BEARD.jpg
    pratyaksh and Jay Dougherty like this.