Mustached by Harriet Hill

Harriet Hill

Mustached

oil on wood panel

8 x 8 in (20.32 x 20.32 cm)

$175

I’m told I was cute as a little girl, complete with pipe curls my mother somehow had time to fuss with.

I was also very shy. I didn’t speak when adults paid attention to me, which only egged them on. “Cat’s got your tongue?” they asked. Which made me I feel shier. Could they just leave me alone?

My dad had two brothers who had immigrated to the US from the Netherlands. The three brothers and their wives celebrated birthdays together with all the pomp of the royal family: entire days visiting in the living room, the men with cigars, port for the women, whiskey for the men, dinners of the most exquisite variety they could prepare, adults only.

At these occasions, and anytime he visited, one of my uncles insisted that I kiss him on the lips.

And for whatever reason, he had bad breath, every time.

It was scary.