Bee-ard

Name: Freeman Richardson III

Occupation: 4th year at Res Life for USM, Gorham

Beard length: Approximately 7 in

Beard age: 30 years

When I walked into the Brooks Center in Gorham to get myself some much-needed coffee, I didn't expect to have a beard-sighting, but this guy was hard to miss. His white, full beard caught my eye and I stopped in my tracks. The second thing I immediately noticed about Freeman was that his hairy ensemble was missing a moustache. His omish-style full beard was too fantastic to pass up, and, strapped with only my moleskin and an iPhone, I prepared to conduct a spontaneous interview. 

I continued to check him out and wonder how old the beard was. "GREAT beard," I said with a beaming smile when he noticed my staring. "30 years!" he replied, apparently already on the same level. After explaining myself and my blog, I learned he was a USM employee (I've been trying to focus on USM students and staff). I asked him a series of the normal questions; how long he's had it, how often he trims it, it's low point, it's high point, it's original color (DARK RED! I love Ginger beards), etc. I learned that, like my macroeconomics teacher, his wife of 21 years and 3 Maine children have never seen him without a beard. This is something I can appreciate, since I've never seen my dad's chin either (does it even exist?). I also learned that he shampoos his beard to keep it a clean shade of white that obviously draws attention. Before this interview, I thought I knew everything about facial hair. But not once did I think about the shampoo-age of beards. After I post this I am googling 'beard shampoo', and if they don't have it I AM MAKING IT.

Freeman explained that he has never had any social problems with the length or style of his beard. He sometimes changes the style, usually by removing the mustache, but removing the entire beard is out of the question. "I'd freeze to death," he said. Yes, he has been mistaken for Santa. Yes, he has been offered the job and NO, he has never been a Santa. He let me in on a couple horror stories, like when the dentist "buffed" his beard instead of his teeth, winding the tool around his tiny, sensitive hairs (OUCH?). Finally, I asked him if he has ever gotten anything stuck in his beard that he had not noticed. "Why yes," he said, pondering a good memory. "One year at Cumberland Fair a woman came up to me and asked me if I normally kept bees in my beard." (At this point I was picturing it in my head and almost burst obnoxiously into laughter). "I said no and she pointed out the bee stuck in my beard. She told me that if I had the patience, she would sift through my beard and get the little guy out." 

Freeman allowed me to take a photo with my iPhone, which is now my new favorite spontaneous beard interview tool. He's got three kids out there in Maine, 2 of which are male and may possibly read this. Word of advice to Freeman's sons: Get on it. If your father can grow a beard like this, I know what to expect from you.

*If there is anyone out there with good "stuck in beard" stories, let me know. I'll put you up here (as long as you have an awesome beardy photo). ANIMALS stuck in beards are double points. 

Happy Friday!