The food was delicious.
The company, entertaining and delightful.
And the rules . . .
Rules?
Yep. On the back of the menus the owners had reproduced the rules that, for anyone wishing to be a passenger on one of the famous Wells-Fargo stagecoaches, had been law.
In the 1800's.
Huh.
For your enlightenment, I have reproduced their reproduction:
1. Abstinence from liquor is requested, but if you must drink, share the bottle. To do otherwise makes you appear selfish and unneighbourly.
2. If ladies are present, Gentlemen are urged to forego smoking cigars and pipes as the odor of same is repugnant to the Gentle Sex. Chewing tobacco is permitted but spit with the wind, not against it.
3. Gentlemen must refrain from the use of rough language in the presence of ladies and children.
4. Buffalo robes are provided for your comfort during cold weather. Hogging robes will not be tolerated, and the offender will be made to ride with the driver.
5. Don't snore loudly while sleeping, or use your fellow passenger's shoulder for a pillow. He or she may not understand and friction may result.
6. firearms may be kept on your person for use in emergencies. Do not fire them for pleasure or shoot at wild animals as the sound riles the horses.
7. In the event of runaway horses, remain calm. Leaping from the coach in panic will leave you injured, at the mercy of the elements, hostile Natives and/or hungry coyotes.
8. Forbidden topics of discussion are stagecoach robberies and Native uprisings.
9. Gents guilty of unchivalrous behaviour toward lady passengers will be put off the stage. It's a long walk back. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Yep. From the 1800's.
Amazing how many are applicabale today.
I guess manners never go out of style.
I wish more modern transportation came with rules. On the bus don't hog a seat for 2 with just you, if no seats available give yours to the pregnant or old person, do not bring your pitbull on the bus, and #1, #2, #3, #5 and #6 still apply!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lotta rules ... pass that bottle.
ReplyDeleteDiane, sadly your post for Poetry Monday seems to have been brutalized by Blogger...would you mind letting me know here what next weeks theme is. Thanks.
I've tried and tried to fix it, Delores! I even deleted it and posted again. Weird! Our theme for next week is positive-ity. Ha-ha! Take that! :)
Delete"spit with the wind, not against it" - why, that's a life philosophy in just one sentence, is it not? These are excellent rules :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can fix your Monday post by reverting to a draft and then publishing it again?? That's the only thing I can think of to suggest.
I'll make up one for airline travel. Don't allow your phone to annoy a fellow passenger--ask first. Be considerate of other people's needs. Try to keep your children from kicking seat backs and screaming. LOL
ReplyDeleteI have to admit as much as I hate smoke, I'd rather be around someone who's smoking than someone who's spitting chewing tobacco.
ReplyDeleteHow I wish a mute button for snorers existed.
ReplyDeleteAnd that more people refained from spitting against the wind. Literally AND metaphorically.
Not that four letter words are unknown to me, but when I ride the bus I would really not hear people yelling them at the top of their lungs, especially when they are on the phone mad at the person on the other end.
ReplyDeleteNo buffalo robes, convivial bottles, or runaway horses on the NYC subway, but we definitely still have the odd person who falls asleep and then slowly leans over onto your shoulder. As long as they're clean I generally let it go, I just assume they had a really long day at work.
ReplyDeleteThese days with all the different viruses around, I certainly would advise against sharing the bottle, but all other rules still seem appropriate for today's times.
ReplyDelete