noises and we laughed, everyone except Grandma, who pulled her
shawl over her head. Dad stopped and put the twins down so that they
could be closer to the flowers. He said, Flowers, and they ran back and
forth, pointing, trying to say Flowers. One of the boys with the trunk
said, God, are they Americans? and Mam said,They are.They were born
in New York.All the boys were born in New York.The boy said to the
other boy, God, theyre Americans.They put the trunk down and stared
at us and we stared back at them till Grandma said,Are ye goin to stand
here all day lookin at flowers an gawkin at each other? And we all
moved on again, out of the park, down a narrow lane and into another
lane to Grandmas house.
There is a row of small houses on each side of the lane and Grandma
lives in one of the small houses. Her kitchen has a shiny polished black
iron range with a fire glowing in the grate.There is a table along the
wall under the window and a press opposite with cups and saucers and
vases. This press is always locked and she keeps the key in her purse
because youre not supposed to use anything in there unless someone
dies or returns from foreign parts or theres a visit by a priest.
There is a picture on the wall by the range of a man with long
brown hair and sad eyes. He is pointing to his chest where there is a big
heart with flames coming out of it.Mam tells us,Thats the Sacred Heart
of Jesus, and I want to know why the mans heart is on fire and why
doesnt He throw water on it? Grandma says,Dont these children know
anything about their religion? and Mam tells her its different in Amer-
ica. Grandma says the Sacred Heart is everywhere and theres no excuse
for that kind of ignorance.
Under the picture of the man with the burning heart there is a shelf
with a red glass holding a flickering candle and next to it a small statue.
Mam tells us,Thats the Baby Jesus, the Infant of Prague, and if ye ever
need anything pray to Him.
Malachy says,Mam,could I tell Him Im hungry,and Mam puts her
finger to her lips.
Grandma grumbles around the kitchen making tea and telling Mam
to cut the loaf of bread and dont make the cuts too thick. Mam sits by
the table with her breath coming hard and says shell cut the bread in a
minute. Dad takes the knife and starts slicing the bread and you can see
Grandma doesnt like that. She frowns at him but says nothing even
though he makes thick slices.
There arent enough chairs for everyone so I sit on the stairs with
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