Whats hell? says Malachy.Youll know soon enough, says Delia.
The big women sit at the table with Mrs. Leibowitz and Minnie
MacAdorey. Philomena says its terrible what happened to Angelas lit-
tle baby.They heard all about it and youd wonder, wouldnt you, what
they did with the little body.You might wonder and I might wonder but
Tommy Flynn didnt wonder.Tommy said that Malachy from the North
got money for that baby. Money? says Mrs. Leibowitz.Thats right, says
Philomena. Money.They take bodies any age and do experiments on
them and theres not much left to give back nor would you want back
bits of baby when they cant be buried in consecrated ground in that
condition.
Thats terrible, says Mrs. Leibowitz.A father or mother would never
give the baby for something like that.
They would, says Delia, when they have the craving for the drink.
Theyd give their own mothers when they have the craving so whats a
baby thats dead and gone in the first place?
Mrs. Leibowitz shakes her head and rocks in her chair. Oy, she says,
oy, oy, oy.The poor baby.The poor mother. I thank God my husband
donhave no what you call it? Craving? Right,craving.Its the Irish have
the craving.
Not my husband, says Philomena. Id break his face if he came
home with the craving. Of course, Delias Jimmy has the craving. Every
Friday night you see him slipping into the saloon.
You neednt start insulting my Jimmy, says Delia. He works. He
brings home his wages.
Youd want to keep an eye on him, says Philomena. The craving
could get the better of him and youd have another Malachy from the
North on your hands.
Mind your own bloody business, says Delia.At least Jimmy is Irish,
not born in Brooklyn like your Tommy.
And Philomena has no answer for that.
Minnie is holding her baby and the big women say shes a lovely
baby, clean, not like this pack of Angelas running around this place.
Philomena says she doesnt know where Angela got her dirty habits
because Angelas mother was spotless, so clean you could eat your din-
ner off her floor.
I wonder why youd want to eat your dinner off the floor when you
had a table and a chair.
Delia says something has to be done about Angela and these chil-
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