In which our hero dines out

[arisbe]

I had to deal with a work-related emergency last night, though most of my emergencies are more related to my not working.

About 4:30 I got an email from the Editor in Chief of the book I contributed to asking if I could be at Le Perigord at seven, as one of the original invitees had had to cancel. So it was necessary do a load of wash in order to have matching socks, and to give myself a shave when I had already showered, and of course to dine on Nouvelle Cuisine, even though the menu was based on the dinners eaten by the revolting peasants of the Vendee in honor of their martyred King and Queen. (I was used to the latter idea from John's occasional anti-Bastille-Day parties.) I did not realize until I made my way to my table, having primed the pump with a certain amount of red wine, that I was a last minute substitute for the infamous Taki. Nobody else but my editor knew, so there was no disappointment in me on that account, though I was at one of the tables at which one was expected to introduce oneself to the audience at large. (Unlike the ones where the admiral and the general were sitting.) I merely pointed out that I was a campus chapter leader of the Institute before it was the Institute. There was only one other veteran of the old days in the room.

I met some interesting folks, and even made some professional contacts which might prove useful; I seem to get on with the President of the Institute, a Reagan domestic policy advisor, who liked the patriotic tie I had bought shortly after 9/11/01, which he recognized as a variation on one of the Confederate flags. (It was in my coat pocket because I had worn it to the Russian Church dinner, as red, white, and blue were the Imperial colors.)

Good to see my name in print, even as Contributing Editor. I see that some of my favorite sentences didn't survive the final redaction. Such is life. If you ever need a college guide, or know someone who does, Choosing the Right College 2006 is the one.

I think I shall send my postmodernism piece to these folks for the scholarly quarterly which they publish now, in the hopes that they will go for a book version later.

I have at least satisfied myself that they are still in Paleocon hands, as I want nothing to do with the Neos. (I am otherwise at the point of letting the Bushies define me as a Liberal -- as if there were anything wrong with that.)

Comments

[kirwar4face.livejournal.com]

I was unacquainted with Taki, but it seems an honor to have been chosen to replace him, even if no one knew who you were supposed to be.

If the peasants of the Vendee were revolting, does it follow that their dinners were also revolting? I notice you don't mention the food...

[arisbe.livejournal.com]

I hope my neo-Confederate friends will forgive me if I quote Mr. Lincoln -- If you are the sort of person that likes that sort of thing, why that's the sort of thing you would like. The protein consisted of the insides of six tiny clams, a small brick of salmon rather like a piece of pastry with bits of green herbs inside it, and whatever goat cheese was in the cheesecake. Where's the beef?

[kirwar4face.livejournal.com]

And of such bricks was built the Bastille? As good an excuse as I've heard for serving plenty of wine with dinner.

[arisbe.livejournal.com]

My problem is that I'm not much of a fish eater. All those Catholic Fridays.