This is how I looked in 1988.  I have this fantasy about losing years along with pounds.  Alas, I know my youth is paradise lost forever.  Although to be honest I still have the mindset of a thirtysomething.  Imagine my shock and disappointment every time I encounter a mirror.  On the other hand, getting older does have some benefits. Chief among them is that aging sure as hell beats the alternative.

The story behind the photo is that I was an “up and comer” in Postal Service management (alright, not that high a bar I admit) and my boss wanted to see if I had the right stuff for future promotion.  I was sent to Roanoke, Virginia to serve as the acting Director of Human Resources.  The previous Director had been fired for sexually harassing the woman in the photo and emotions were running high.  Half the staff supported my predecessor and the other half supported the victim.  It was a challenging assignment but I managed to get things squared away and the higher ups seemed pleased with my efforts.

I’m getting some kind of bullshit pin (probably for accumulating sick leave hours or years of service or some such nonsense).  Nancy Ara was my labor relations specialist and a good and kind person.  Sadly, she died of breast cancer a few years later.