Napoleon, Donald and a Fishy Business

Hi Everyone

This week, I read an interesting headline which said: “What Trump could learn from Napoleon”. It did not persuade me to read the article, but I did decide to find out more about Napoleon's character to see what comparisons there were between the two men. Historians say that he was a small, highly intelligent man and was a superior organiser who could work efficiently for long hours. No comparison there then. He could charm people when he needed to, but could also publicly humiliate them and was known for his rages when his plans were frustrated. Now we seem to be getting a little closer. Apparently, once Napoleon dominated Europe, he became more intolerant of other views and surrounded himself with “yes” men. Get the picture. Finally, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba, just off the coast of Italy, from where he was able to escape, but later he was exiled by the British to St. Helena, a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean, where he ended his days. I am not sure whether all that Rubbish proves much, but I am sure that a quick search of St. Helena on Airbnb would result in a suitable room for someone with an orange complexion. Oh, and don’t forget that the island is still a British Overseas Territory, so that we could make the booking and take him there on one of our Royal Navy warships that he says are doing nothing to help him. Will history repeat itself?.

Back in the day, when the Senior Partner went to buy a dress in the half price sale at the local department store, she was followed everywhere by a slim lady shop assistant in a tight dress, high heels, and a buffon hair style. She would take the dresses from the racks for her to try on, and whether they were black, blue, red or polkadot yellow, she would tell the Senior Partner that “It was made for you” or “just your colour” or some other sales patter. I thought that those days were long gone until the Main Contractor went to have her eyes tested recently, followed by choosing new frames. This time, the lady was called a manager and was of more ample proportion but the words “that looks lovely on your face” or “that colour is perfect” were still trotted out in perfect precision, as it was probably repeated to twenty customers a day. Anyway, the Main Contractor’s new frames do look good because she chose them herself, with the ‘manager’ thinking that she had once again done a great job. 

It seems hard to believe that it is twenty five years since our son spent a year working as a teacher in North Carolina. We went as a family to visit him for Christmas and New Year, and during that time we decided to drive to one of the most beautiful cities in America, Charleston in South Carolina.  We booked into a Best Western hotel for a couple of nights before walking up the main street. We came to a fish restaurant. I looked at the menu before saying to the gang, “ I don’t know where you are eating tonight, but I am eating here”. I am telling you all this Rubbish as this week I saw a list of the 150 most iconic restaurants in the world. Hymans Seafood is number six on that list. The restaurant first opened in 1890 and is now in its fifth generation of the family. I remember ordering the most expensive fish on the menu, Flounder, as it was a fish I not eaten before. It was $14. Much of the restaurant has large wooden tables and bench seats. On each table were small plaques of famous people who had sat at that table. Included on our table was the rock band AC DC. Among many other famous names on the tables are Kevin Costner, Dolly Parton, Oprah Winfrey, Timothy Dalton, Mel Gibson, The Beech Boys, Antony Hopkins, Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, and Neil Armstrong. It opens from 11-00am to when the last customer goes home and it has a staff of 150. Flounder is still their signature fish on the menu and now costs $29.  A great meal and a wonderful memory.

Just a Thought: 

Napoleon - Proof that you don’t need to be tall to be a massive pain in the neck.  

My friend argued with a shop assistant this week, so she hit him with her labelling gun. Now he has a price on his head.

Hyman’s: Where the queue for the restaurant is longer than the history of the town.  

Brian