The women stay outside the pubs talking. Mam tells Mrs. Meehan, The first telegram money order I get I’ll be in the shop buying a big breakfast so that we can all have our own egg of a Sunday morning. I look at my brother Malachy. Did you hear that? Our own egg of a  Sunday  morning. Oh, God, I  already  had  plans  for  my  egg. Tap  it around the top, gently crack the shell, lift with a spoon, a dab of butter down into the yolk, salt, take my time, a dip of the spoon, scoop, more salt, more butter, into the mouth, oh, God above, if heaven has a taste it must be an egg with butter and salt, and after the egg is there anything in the world lovelier than fresh warm bread and a mug of sweet golden tea? Some men are already too drunk to walk and the English agents are paying sober men to drag them out of the pubs and throw them on a great horse-drawn float to be hauled to the station and dumped into the train.The agents are desperate to get everyone out of the pubs. Come on, men. Miss this train and you’ll miss a good job. Come on, men, we have the Guinness in England.We have the Jameson. Now, men, please, men.You’re drinking your food money and you’ll get no more. The men tell the agents to kiss their Irish arses, that the agents are lucky they’re alive, lucky they’re not hanging from the nearest lamppost after what they did to Ireland. And the men sing, On Mountjoy one Monday morning High upon the gallows tree, Kevin Barry gave his young life For the cause of liberty. The train wails in the station and the agents beg the women to get their men out of the pubs and the men stumble out singing and crying and hugging their wives and children and promising to send so much money Limerick will be turned into another New York.The men climb the station steps and the women and children call after them, Kevin, love, mind yourself and don’t be wearing damp shirts. Dry your socks, Michael, or the bunions will destroy you entirely. Paddy, go easy on the drink, are you listenin’, Paddy? Dad, Dad, don’t go, Dad. Tommy, don’t forget to send the money.The children are skin and bones. 220