Och, he would, son, he would.Thats the job of an angel, even the
one on the seventh step.
Dad goes for a long walk, Mam takes Michael and goes to see
Grandma, Malachy plays in the lane, and I have the house to myself so
that I can sit on the seventh step and talk to the angel. I know hes there
because the seventh step feels warmer than the other steps and theres a
light in my head. I tell him my troubles and I hear a voice. Fear not, says
the voice.
Hes talking backward and I tell him I dont know what hes talking
about.
Do not fear, says the voice.Tell the priest your sin and youll be
forgiven.
Next morning Im up early and drinking tea with Dad and telling
him about the Angel on the Seventh Step. He places his hand on my
forehead to see if Im feeling all right. He asks if Im sure I had a light
in my head and heard a voice and what did the voice say?
I tell him the voice said Fear not and that means Do not fear.
Dad tells me the angel is right, I shouldnt be afraid, and I tell him
what Mikey Molloy did to me. I tell him all about Great Bladdered
Emer and I even use the piss word because the angel said, Fear not. Dad
puts down his jam jar of tea and pats the back of my hand. Och, och,
och, he says, and I wonder if hes going demented like Mrs. Molloy, in
and out of the lunatic asylum, but he says, Is that what you were wor-
ried about last night?
I tell him it is and he says its not a sin and I dont have to tell the
priest.
But the Angel on the Seventh Step said I should.
All right. Tell the priest if you like but the Angel on the Seventh
Step said that only because you didnt tell me first. Isnt it better to be
able to tell your father your troubles rather than an angel who is a light
and a voice in your head?
Tis, Dad.
The day before First Communion the master leads us to St. Josephs
Church for First Confession.We march in pairs and if we so much as
move a lip on the streets of Limerick hell kill us on the spot and send
us to hell bloated with sin.That doesnt stop the bragging about the big
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