ing on the cold sausage and drinking water my mother keeps in a milk bottle in the icebox. After we eat and drink we have to go to the lavatory down the hall but  we  can’t  get  in  because  Mrs.  Leibowitz  is  inside,  humming  and singing. She says, Wait, chiltren, wait, darlinks. Won’t be two seconds. Malachy claps his hands and dances around, singing,Wait, chiltren, wait, darlinks. Mrs. Leibowitz opens the lavatory door. Look at him. Little actor awready. So, chiltren, how’s you mother? She’s in bed, Mrs. Leibowitz. The doctor took Margaret and my father went for cigarettes. Oh, Frankie, Frankie. I said that was one sick child. Malachy is clutching himself. Have to pee. Have to pee. So, pee awready.You boys pee and we see you mother. After we pee Mrs.Leibowitz comes to see Mam.Oh,Mrs.McCourt. Oy  vey,  darlink.  Look  at  this.  Look  at  these  twins.  Naked.  Mrs. McCourt, what is mazzer, eh? The baby she is sick? So talk to me. Poor woman. Here turn around, missus.Talk to me. Oy, this is one mess.Talk to me, Mrs. McCourt. She helps my mother sit up against the wall. Mam seems smaller. Mrs.  Leibowitz  says  she’ll  bring  some  soup  and  tells  me  get  some water to wash my mother’s face. I dip a towel in cold water and pat her forehead. She presses my hand against her cheeks. Oh,  Jesus, Frankie. Oh, Jesus. She won’t let my hand go and I’m frightened because I’ve never seen her like this before. She’s saying Frankie only because it’s my  hand she’s holding and it’s Margaret she’s thinking about, not me. Your  lovely  little  sister  is  dead,  Frankie.  Dead.  And  where  is  your father? She lets my  hand drop. I said where is your father? Drinking. That’s where he is.There isn’t a penny in the house. He can’t get a job but he finds money for the drink, money for the drink, money for the drink, money for the drink. She rears back, knocks her head on the wall and screams,Where is she? Where is she? Where is my little girl? Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, help me this night. I’ll go mad, so I will, I’ll go pure mad. Mrs. Leibowitz rushes in. Missus, missus, what is it? The little girl. Where is she? My mother screams again, Dead, Mrs. Leibowitz. Dead. Her head drops and she rocks back and forth.Middle of the night,Mrs.Leibowitz. In her pram. I should have been watching her. Seven weeks she had in 37