Al Backofen biographical anecdotes (Marblehead house sale, Christmas tree farm, antique trade)

Backofen's retirement from MIT in mid-fifties, his $90,000 Marblehead house sale, his New Hampshire Christmas tree farm ($3/foot, ~10,000 trees/year, $50–60K income), and his antique-resale trade between New England yard sales and New York City. Tom's salary comparison: $15,000 as assistant professor.

Someday I have to tell you some stories on Al Backofen. He was an interesting guy. I'll tell you a couple of them right now. When I came back as a sophomore, I had worked 80-hour weeks that summer between freshman and sophomore year. It was during the Vietnam War, and I was lucky enough — I took the civil service test in Virginia Beach, where I grew up, to get a summer job. You had to be able to add two and three rather than just two and two — really hard questions — and I got above a 95, maybe a 98 or 99, which was high enough that I got hired as a postman.