UNE RÈGLE DE LA MAISON

#LaBelleEpoque #52

Cover for McSweeney's 10

©2002

Adapted from ?

#LaBelleEpoque #53

"A Child Again"

©2003 Michael Kupperman

Cover art for the story collection by Robert Coover

General Humbert sailed out of La Rochelle in 1798 (The Year of the French) with an expeditionary force in support of the United Irishmen Revolution.
His forces engaged a British regiment after he landed in County Mayo.  This encounter is forever known as the Races of Castlebar because the British ran away so fast.  Nevertheless, this was his only victory - which is why we speak English as a second language rather than French.

The General Humbert's Bar was not as welcoming as the Irish in Killala. They asked me to remove my hat - une règle de la maison.

The last time I was asked to remove my hat was in Saint Paul's Cathedral in London.  The sextant very officiously told me that it was god's rule that men must be bareheaded in church (God never actually spoke to me, but clearly the sextant had a better WiFi connection!).  I told him that if I was paying £8 to visit a museum I would wear whatever was most comfortable on my head.

I had a similar response for the bartender at the General Humberts.

Playlist:

Fare Thee Well My Own True Love
Mary Black and General Humbert