{"id":21196,"date":"2025-10-30T18:09:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T23:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=21196"},"modified":"2025-10-31T14:38:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T19:38:47","slug":"the-general","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/the-general\/","title":{"rendered":"The General"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>The General<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Penny Nolte<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A long time ago, Dad and his brother, who was the principal, found it hidden way under<br>the stage of our little school in upstate New York. They were scrounging around back there, no<br>doubt only because they could, and that\u2019s when they hauled it out, this life-size bust of General, later to be President, Ulysses S. Grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It was solid plaster, with a separate, fluted, plaster pedestal found alongside. Styled much<br>like idealized representations of historical figures one might see in the Capitol Rotunda, I can<br>just imagine the brothers blinking, then saying in unison \u201cHey, that\u2019s neat!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The bust must have stood in a place of honor at one time, in one of the dozen or so semi-<br>circular alcoves dotted throughout the halls of the old building. The alcoves at that point were<br>empty and used only by kids who jumped out of them to scare their friends. So Dad brought it<br>home, carrying the general in through our back door like he was giving Grant the Heimlich. The<br>bust was heavy, and Dad was a little guy, but he managed to set it up on the pedestal, at the<br>bottom of the stairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Mom would have said something like, \u201cGet that dirty old thing out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">While Dad would protest, \u201cOh it\u2019ll clean up just fine, you wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">And clean up, it did. First with soap and water, then with a brand-new coat of paint. The<br>General\u2019s intense stare was restored to its former power. Further intensified by an eerie light cast from the neighboring firehall\u2019s 24-hour spotlight that shone in on it. For little kids who during the night might feel the need for a sweet treat from the kitchen, the General\u2019s severe apparition, glowing slightly at the bottom of the stairs, was a deterrent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">My brothers can still send me into hysterics sixty years later, miming their horror at<br>encountering the General during nocturnal wanderings. One is a history buff, too, and so it was a little surprising when he wanted nothing to do with Grant as we were breaking up our parents\u2019 house in preparation for the sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Equally surprising was that his wife, who had not shown an interest in Grant before, did<br>want it and suggested they take him home to the mid-west. So, the bust was buckled safely into their Buick and I wonder what travelers parked next to them at traffic lights or passing on the interstate thought. Perhaps the General\u2019s judgmental gaze reminded them to come to a complete stop, or to drive within the speed limit. I can\u2019t help but wonder, too, what affect there was on the mood of both the driver and their human passenger, with this silent yet intimidating rider in back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Now, General Ulysses S. Grant has a place of honor with his back to a front window on<br>my brother\u2019s desk, watching over him as he works and providing shade from the afternoon sun.<br>Once a year, on the last day of October, Grant has another important job. He is turned to face<br>looking out the window. Where, with an eerie spotlight trained on him, he again casts a stern<br>gaze at little children. As they hesitantly approach the door seeking treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Penny Nolte<\/strong> creates gentle narratives of family and place. After a long pause from storytelling her new work is found in <em>The Avalon Literary Review<\/em>, <em>Macrame Literary Journal<\/em>, <em>Loud Coffee Press<\/em>, and <em>Dorothy Parker\u2019s Ashes<\/em>, among others. Originally from upstate New York, Penny now calls the Green Mountains of Vermont home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&lt;&lt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/deposition-answer-fragments\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/trick-or-treat\/\">Next<\/a> &gt;&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The General Penny Nolte __________ A long time ago, Dad and his brother, who was the principal, found it hidden way underthe stage of our little school in upstate New York. They were scrounging around back there, nodoubt only because they could, and that\u2019s when they hauled it out, this life-size bust of General, later&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[241],"tags":[75,173,247,14,232],"class_list":["post-21196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boodin-the-ticking-clock-oct-25","tag-boudin","tag-cnf-2","tag-creative-nonfiction-2","tag-cnf","tag-creative-nonfiction"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21196"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21250,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21196\/revisions\/21250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}