I’m That Guy #2: The Ubiquitous Bearded Chin

I’ve begun to notice it more and more. Have you? Older men sporting chin hair, from a few days growth to a thick grayish tuft, intentionally confined to the chin, not connected to sideburns. One might describe this fad as ‘ubiquitous’, it’s everywhere.

Growing up, I never saw my father sport a beard, mustache or chin hair. To the contrary, he shaved daily. The buzzing of his electric shaver was a last bit of perfunctory steps before heading out the door and off to work.

On fishing weekends, the gadget was stowed in the car’s glove compartment, readily available for a quick shave. While he may have looked gruff and unshaven on Saturday, by Sunday evening, the stubble was gone. .

As a subscriber of high personal standards, he was not shy about offering me his opinion on an untidy, unkept, unshaven man, especially if that person was one of his employee painters.

“Look, you want to be seen in public looking that way? You want to be that guy?”

That attitude probably explains why none of my four older brothers had facial hair. It wasn’t ’a thing’ in the 50s and early 60s and he would frown upon it in his house.

Nevertheless, pictures of me in the late 70s and 80s show a full beard, an effort to take attention off a balding head. It worked until Father Time began turning the hair grey, then it was gone in a flash and I regained some semblance of youth.

I’m retired now, a few years removed from the shirt and tie,‘dress for success’ brotherhood. And the further removed I am, the more casual I’ve become.

The aforementioned ties hang in my closet as reminders of a strict sales force dress code. Leather soled hoes with cedar shoe trees align on a shelf under pressed button down shirts, both waiting to see sunlight.

A shoe polishing kit and monogrammed toiletry sachel haven’t been unzipped in years, victims of my continued transformation to a more casual and relaxed lifestyle.

I have joined the horde of men who, for whatever reason, are shaving less and covering their chins in a most natural way, with hair. And, we’re everywhere, ubiquitous.

I guess to answer my dad’s rhetorical question…

“Yes,… ‘I’m that guy!’

Steve (July 2026)

To bearded men everywhere and Marcia for urging me to write, again.

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srbottch

Retired in 2013 after 5 years as an elementary school teacher and 40 years as a sales representative to begin anew as a school crossing guard. SMy essays/stories are a way to communicate through the telling of personal experiences. One reader said about my blog stories, "...these are like a cold sip during a marathon run, simple, real life events". Another offered about my blog, “it brings some sense of normalcy not easily found in the modern world.”

36 thoughts on “I’m That Guy #2: The Ubiquitous Bearded Chin”

  1. I haven’t joined those hairy guys yet. I guess all those years of shaving it clean have embedded a habit that will be tough to break. I don’t deny others the luxery of looking any way they want.

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    1. I’m not sure how long I’ll keep it but it’s fun to change the standard look I’ve had for years. My wife didn’t say anything, yet, which has surprised me. Whenever she would ask me about shaving, especially if it got scraggly while camping, my retort was, “did they ask Davy Crockett to shave at the Alamo?” That usually stops her and, of course, puts me in more hot water for being a wise guy.

      By the way, this is the first story in awhile. I know the Parkinson’s has added a bit of a challenge on cognition skills. It felt good to hit the ‘Publish’ tab.

      Have a good evening, John, and thanks for commenting.

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      1. Was good to see you out there. I get the wise guy eye roll on a daily basis. My wife is 15 years younger and is quite cautious about what this doddering old fool can do. Bless her heart. My meds give me cognitive fits as well. 😄

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      2. My wife was as math major where things are either black or white. On the other hand, I was a liberal arts major, a lot of gray area here. With her, it’s either right or wrong, while with me, sometimes close enough is good enough, and I’m sure you know where all that can lead 😂🥴🍺

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      4. I agree 100% on the finance angle. And while I sometimes act like ‘close enough is good enough’ just to irritate her, 6 weeks at Fort Ord Drill Sergeant School and any military training seriously taught me otherwise. Attention to Detail was the mantra. You have military experience, too, don’t you, if I recall. Or, something ‘close enough’🍺

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  2. Got a weak chin, so hair is necessary. I also shave my head. Used to do it with a safety razor but my head ended up looking like I was participating in the Day of Ashura, specifically the part were the men slice their heads and backs with sharp knives…intentionally.

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    1. Thanks for your comment. I must admit that I chuckled pretty good when I read the last part. It reminded me of a rather naive fellow Army recruit who had only shaved with an electric razor and didn’t think the US Army would have accommodations for one do, for the very first time in his young life, he tried shaving with a blade. It was our first day of training and he held up the whole company while he cleaned all the cuts.

      This is the first story I’ve written in quite awhile. It’s good to see that it actually reached the outside world. Where are you located?

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      1. My location is “in the woods” of eastern Washington state (not too far from Spokane and very close to Idaho).

        I’ve been blogging off and on since around the turn of the century (Almost Daily at sigmadog.com), but never hooked up with wordpress.com’s reader function till now. That’s how I found your post.

        I’m trying to get into a regular blogging schedule instead of constantly doomscrolling social media. My hope is that people will tire of social media and re-discover blogs, and if that happens, I want to be ready.

        If you’re interested, here’s a favorite post of mine: https://sigmadog.com/2022/08/17/i-never-knew-i-could-run-so-fast-in-my-underwear/

        Cheers!

        -Steve

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      2. I’ve met more Steves lately than ever. Enjoyed your Bear post. I would’ve had my shorts after that.

        The blogosphere is fun with people connecting from around the world, some very serious writers, others just for fun and me. If I get one Like, then I consider myself a success.

        I posted over as hundred different stories, editorials, whatever one calls them but none this year until yesterday’s. I have early Parkinson’s and it seems to have interfered either way my ability to concentrate. Yesterday was an achievement.

        I have someone you might enjoy following and he’ll reciprocate, I believe. John Howell (Texas) is a bonafide writer who posts daily on various light stuff, always a bit humorous or just interesting with a different theme every day, including one day dedicated to his French bulldogs. I encourage you to check him out and I’ll give him your contact, as well.

        I’m in western NY, another beautiful but tax you to death state. I look forward to reading you.

        More to say later. Best regards,
        Steve

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  6. My first husband didn’t have a beard until he left the military 3 years out of high school. He had a baby face and looked like he was still in high school until the beard came on. Then he commanded respect by his very presence. My son has started keeping his very gray beard, very short. Since he started balding in high school, unlike his father, it actually makes him appear even more amiable than he already looks. I could suggest you get someone you trust to take those ties and make a quilt out of them. It could be quite beautiful and practical.

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    1. Hello and it’s nice to hear from you. I appreciate you finding my story and area comment that I always enjoy. It’s been a while since I’ve written one so I felt good to get this one in front of people. As for the beard, I was just looking in the mirror and thinking, and this thing is awfully white, so I’ll see how long it lasts. But, speaking for other men, it’s nice to give the face of a break from her blade or an electric razor. I hope that I can pick up the pace and start writing more stories again because I enjoy it and I enjoy sharing the stories with people who seem to like them.

      Take care and have a great week,

      Steve

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  7. Hi Steve! As someone who grew up like you where grooming and dress was important, I must say that the bearded chin – especially yours – is well kept, closely shaven, and looks quite nice. No wild stray hairs and everything is evenly trimmed. Lookin’ good, my friend!

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    1. Oh, you flatter me, but you always do😉. It’s been a couple of weeks but I’m kinda liking it, if I keep it, I promise it’ll be neat.

      I was talking with a friend in my boxing class and he has a pony tail ( not my choice for a man) and his chin hair looks like the end of an artist’s round brush but it’s gray. Not my kind of fashion.

      By the way, we had a moving sale in our driveway today (and tomorrow) and several parents came whose kids I crossed for several years and we had a little love fest. It was great and they passed along comments from their kids. Even one of the students came and she’s a cyber security student now. It was a fun time chatting about the Curbside Classroom.

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      1. I only speak the truth, and your chin looks great. I know what you mean about pony tails and artist’s brush chin hairs. Not to my liking, either.

        Moving sale??? You’re moving? You gotta email me, Steve.

        Okay… your Curbside Classroom parents came and passed along comments from the kids. And one of the students came. Steve, that is HUGE! You absolutely have to write a blog post about this. You have to tell readers ‘after the fact’, because your Curbside Classroom posts are so important. Nothing is better than an epilogue. So, I know the post will be fabulous, and I can’t wait to read it and share it! Can you tell I’m excited??!!

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  8. I started growing a longer beard this year for the first time, but I have to admit that it wasn’t the best look. Now, I’m back to my few days stubble look. Beard styles and shapes seem to go in and out oof fashion.

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    1. Hey, Pete, how you doing? I agree, styles are like the tide, always changing. I grew this thing just to give my face a break. But I think every guy over 60 must be doing the same, they’re everywhere. I think I’ll only have it for a short time or until my wife says, “are you letting your beard grow?”

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      1. Doing fine, Steve. I haven’t seen you around much, but I’m not blogging as much either.My wife thinks my beard makes me look older. I don’t know how much I want to broadcast that.🤣

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      2. This recent story was my first in maybe a year. I have lots of titles and ideas but could not seem to focus, concentrate long enough to write. I truly believe it’s the Parkinson’s that just interferes with my cognitive skills. A woman in my boxing class loves my stories and I’ve shared lots of them with my class. Well, she kept insisting that I write a new one. I’m glad she did because it gave me a boost mentally. I hope I can continue.

        But taking a break from the writing, as you’ve done, is a good thing, too I tell people that writing is hard so a break is good to recharge.

        We just sold our house and have been selling lots of stuff to downsize. That’s not an easy task, either. If you’re thinking about doing it, don’t wait and start now because you realize you’ll find out that you have a lot more stuff than you thought you had. I sold a lot of stuff on Facebook marketplace and then this weekend both yesterday and today we had a moving sale in our driveway and I get rid of a lot of stuff there too. Is your wind down to the final hours of the sale, you start slashing prices and even giving a couple things away. I should write a story about it.

        Well, it’s almost 1030 here. Time to hit the hay. Have a great week, Pete.

        Steve.

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      3. My oldest brother also has Parkinson’s. When I visited him in New Jersey, he invited me to view one of his group boxing classes. It made sense to me from a logical point of view, both from a physical and cognitive sense. One of the exercises involved his coach calling out number patterns which corresponded to a series of jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts.

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      4. I do a boxing class every Friday and we do the same plus other exercises. Exercise is the best medicine for Parkinson’s.

        If you wonder what kind of gift to get for your brother, get him a JUKESTER (maybe IR). Look it up on the web. I have one and it’s great boxing practice. You don’t have to have PD to enjoy it. Check it out.

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    1. I had to grow it for the story. But, now that I have it, I’m getting more comfortable with it. It’s so nice not to shave the face and give it a rest or, maybe I’m just being lazy. Well, I’ll see how long it stays around. My wife hasn’t said anything about it so I think she’s hoping they’re all pressure myself to shave it. Maybe at the end of summer, I’ll let you know.

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