XII
Theres a letter from Dad. Hes coming home two days before Christ-
mas. He says everything will be different, hes a new man, he hopes
were good boys, obeying our mother, attending to our religious duties,
and hes bringing us all something for Christmas.
Mam takes me to the railway station to meet him. The station is
always exciting with all the coming and going,people leaning from car-
riages, crying, smiling, waving good-bye, the train hooting and calling,
chugging away in clouds of steam, people sniffling on the platform, the
railway tracks silvering into the distance, on to Dublin and the world
beyond.
Now its near midnight and cold on the empty platform.A man in
a railway cap asks us if wed like to wait in a warm place. Mam says,
Thank you very much, and laughs when he leads us to the end of the
platform where we have to climb a ladder to the signal tower. It takes
her a while because shes heavy and she keeps saying, Oh, God, oh,
God.
Were above the world and its dark in the signal tower except
for the lights that blink red and green and yellow when the man bends
over the board. He says, Im just having a bit of supper and youre
welcome.
Mam says,Ah, no, thanks, we couldnt take your supper from you.
He says,The wife always makes too much for me and if I was up in
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