When he sings he marches around the table, Mam cries and the
twins howl with her. She says, Go out, Frankie, go out, Malachy.You
shouldnt see your father like this. Stay in the playground.
We dont mind going to the playground.We can play with the leaves
piling up on the ground and we can push each other on the swings but
then winter comes to Classon Avenue and the swings are frozen and
wont even move. Minnie MacAdorey says, God help these poor wee
boys. They dont have a glove between them. That makes me laugh
because I know Malachy and I have four hands between us and one
glove would be silly. Malachy doesnt know what Im laughing at: He
wont know anything till hes four going on five.
Minnie brings us in and gives us tea and porridge with jam in it.
Mr. MacAdorey sits in an armchair with their new baby, Maisie. He
holds her bottle and sings,
Clap hands, clap hands,
Till Daddy comes home,
With buns in his pocket
For Maisie alone.
Clap hands, clap hands,
Till Daddy comes home,
For Daddy has money
And Mammy has none.
Malachy tries to sing that song but I tell him stop, its Maisies song.
He starts to cry and Minnie says,There, there.You can sing the song.
Thats a song for all the children. Mr. MacAdorey smiles at Malachy
and I wonder what kind of world is it where anyone can sing anyone
elses song.
Minnie says, Dont frown, Frankie. It makes your face dark and God
knows its dark enough. Some day youll have a little sister and you can
sing that song to her. Och, aye.Youll have a little sister, surely.
Minnie is right and Mam gets her wish.Theres a new baby soon, a lit-
tle girl, and they call her Margaret.We all love Margaret. She has black
curly hair and blue eyes like Mam and she waves her little hands and
chirps like any little bird in the trees along Classon Avenue. Minnie
says there was a holiday in heaven the day this child was made. Mrs.
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