still Dad isnt home. Mam says its a long way to the cement factory
even if hes a fast walker. She says that but her eyes are watery and
shes not singing anymore. Shes sitting by the fire smoking a Wild
Woodbine she got on credit from Kathleen OConnell.The fag is the
only luxury she has and shell never forget Kathleen for her goodness.
She doesnt know how long she can keep the water boiling in this ket-
tle.Theres no use making the tea till Dad gets home because it will be
stewed, coddled, boiled and unfit to drink. Malachy says hes hungry
and she gives him a piece of bread and cheese to keep him going. She
says,This job could be the saving of us. Tis hard enough for him to get
a job with his northern accent and if he loses this one I dont know
what were going to do.
The darkness is in the lane and we have to light a candle. She has to
give us our tea and bread and cheese because were so hungry we cant
wait another minute. She sits at the table, eats a bit of bread and cheese,
smokes her Wild Woodbine. She goes to the door to see if Dad is com-
ing down the lane and she talks about the paydays when we searched
for him all over Brooklyn. She says, Some day well all go back to
America and well have a nice warm place to live and a lavatory down
the hall like the one in Classon Avenue and not this filthy thing outside
our door.
The women are coming home from the cinemas, laughing, and the
men, singing, from the pubs. Mam says theres no use waiting up any
longer. If Dad stays in the pubs till closing time there will be nothing
left from his wages and we might as well go to bed. She lies in her bed
with Michael in her arms. Its quiet in the lane and I can hear her cry-
ing even though she pulls an old coat over her face and I can hear in
the distance, my father.
I know its my father because hes the only one in Limerick who sings
that song from the North, Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge
of Toome today. He comes round the corner at the top of the lane and
starts Kevin Barry. He sings a verse, stops, holds on to a wall, cries over
Kevin Barry.People stick their heads out windows and doors and tell him,
For Jasus sake, put a sock in it. Some of us have to get up in the morn-
ing for work. Go home and sing your feckin patriotic songs.
He stands in the middle of the lane and tells the world to step out-
side, hes ready to fight, ready to fight and die for Ireland, which is
more than he can say for the men of Limerick, who are known the
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