Its a long walk from the graveyard to our room. Mam tells Dad,
These children need some nourishment and you have money left from
the dole this morning. If youre thinking of going to the pubs tonight
you can forget it.Were taking them to Naughtons and they can have
fish and chips and lemonade for tisnt every day they bury a brother.
The fish and chips are delicious with vinegar and salt and the
lemonade is tart in our throats.
When we get home the room is empty.There are empty stout bot-
tles on the table and the fire is out. Dad lights the paraffin oil lamp and
you can see the hollow left in the pillow by Eugenes head.You expect
to hear him and see him toddling across the room, climbing up on the
bed to look out the window for Oliver.
Dad tells Mam hes going out for a walk. She says no. She knows
what hes up to, that he cant wait to spend his last few shillings in the
pubs.All right, he says. He lights the fire and Mam makes tea and soon
were in bed.
Malachy and I are back in the bed where Eugene died. I hope hes
not cold in that white coffin in the graveyard though I know hes not
there anymore because angels come to the graveyard and open the cof-
fin and hes far from the Shannon dampness that kills, up in the sky in
heaven with Oliver and Margaret where they have plenty of fish and
chips and toffee and no aunts to bother you, where all the fathers bring
home the money from the Labour Exchange and you dont have to be
running around to pubs to find them.
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