low skullcap and a black robe with a cross on his chest. Dad says he was
a Pope,Leo the Thirteenth,a great friend of the workingman.He brought
this picture all the way from America where he found it thrown out by
someone who had no time for the workingman. Mam says hes talking
a lot of bloody nonsense and he says she shouldnt say bloody in front
of the children. Dad finds a nail but wonders how hes going to get it
into the wall without a hammer. Mam says he could go borrow one
from the people next door but he says you dont go around borrowing
from people you dont know. He leans the picture against the wall and
drives the nail with the bottom of a jam jar.The jam jar breaks and cuts
his hand and a blob of blood falls on the Popes head. He wraps his hand
in the dish rag and tells Mam,Quick,quick,wipe the blood off the Pope
before it dries. She tries to wipe the blood away with her sleeve but its
wool and spreads the blood till the whole side of the Popes face is
smeared. Dad says, Lord above, Angela, youve destroyed the Pope
entirely, and she says,Arrah, stop your whining, well get some paint and
go over his face some day, and Dad says, Hes the only Pope that was
ever a friend to the workingman and what are we to say if someone
from the St.Vincent de Paul Society comes in and sees blood all over
him? Mam says, I dont know. Its your blood and tis a sad thing when
a man cant even drive a nail straight. It just goes to show how useless
you are.Youd be better off digging fields and anyway I dont care. I have
pain in my back and Im going to bed.
Och, what am I going to do? Dad says.
Take down the Pope and hide him in the coal hole under the stairs
where he wont be seen and hell be out of harms way.
I cant, says Dad. It would be bad luck. Coal hole is no place for a
Pope.When the Pope is up, hes up.
Suit yourself, says Mam.
I will, says Dad.
This is our first Christmas in Limerick and the girls are out in the lane,
skipping rope and singing,
Christmas is coming
And the goose is getting fat,
Please put a penny
In the old mans hat.
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