What? If tis a thing I ever find out you did anything with my girl Ill
kill you.
I didnt do anything. Carried her case because twas heavy.
Dont look at her again or youre dead.
I wont, Gerry. I dont want to look at her.
Oh, is that a fact? Is she ugly or what?
No, no, Gerry, shes yours and she loves you.
How do you know?
She told me.
She did?
She did, honest to God.
Jasus.
He bangs on her door, Rose, Rose, are you there? and she comes
out, Of course, Im here, and I ride away on the messenger bicycle with
the sign on the basket that says Easons wondering about the way hes
kissing her now and the terrible things he said about her in the station
and wondering how Peter in the office could tell Mr. McCaffrey a
barefaced lie about me and my eyes when all the time he and Eamon
were looking at girls in their underwear and then going at themselves
in the lavatory.
Mr. McCaffrey is in a terrible state in the office.Where were you?
Great God above in heaven, does it take you all day to cycle from the
railway station? We have an emergency here and we should have Halvey
but hes gone off on his friggin holidays, God forgive the language, and
youll have to cycle around as fast as you can, good thing you were a
telegram boy that knows every inch of Limerick,and go to every bloody
shop thats a customer and walk right in grab whatever copies you see
of John OLondons Weekly tear out page sixteen and if anyone bothers
you tell them tis government orders and theyre not to interfere in
government business and if they lay a finger on you theyre liable to
arrest, imprisonment and a large fine now go for Gods sake and bring
back every page sixteen you tear out so that we can burn them here in
the fire.
Every shop, Mr. McCaffrey?
Ill do the big ones,you do the small ones all the way to Ballinacurra
and out the Ennis Road and beyond, God help us. Go on, go.
Im jumping on the bike and Eamon runs down the steps. Hey,
McCourt, wait. Listen. Dont give him all the page sixteens when you
come back.
347