into his mouth like the rest of us when we win. He raises his hand, Sir, I’d like to give some of my apple away. The apple, Fintan? No, indeed.You do not have the apple, Fintan. You have the peel,the mere skin.You have not nor will you ever achieve heights so dizzy you’ll be feasting on the apple itself.Not my apple,Fin- tan. Now did I hear you say you want to give away your reward? You did, sir. I’d like to give three pieces, to Quigley, Clohessy and McCourt. Why, Fintan? They’re my friends, sir. The boys around the room are sneering and nudging each other and I feel ashamed because they’ll say I curl my hair and I’ll be tor- mented in the schoolyard and why does he think I’m his friend? If they say I wear my sister’s blouse there’s no use telling them I don’t have a sister because they’ll say,You’d wear it if you had a sister.There’s no use saying anything in the schoolyard because there’s always someone with an answer and there’s nothing you can do but punch them in the nose and if you were to punch everyone who has an answer you’d be punch- ing morning noon and night. Quigley takes the bit of peel from Fintan.Thanks, Fintan. The whole class is looking at Clohessy because he’s the biggest and the toughest and if he says thanks I’ll say thanks. He says,Thanks very much, Fintan, and blushes and I say,Thanks very much, Fintan, and I try to stop myself from blushing but I can’t and all the boys sneer again and I’d like to hit them. After school the boys call to Fintan,Hoi,Fintan,are you goin’home to curl your gorgeous hair? Fintan smiles and climbs the steps of the schoolyard.A big boy from seventh class says to Paddy Clohessy,I suppose you’d be curlin’ your hair too if you wasn’t a baldy with a shaved head. Paddy says, Shurrup, and the boy says, Oh, an’ who’s goin’ to make me? Paddy tries a punch but the big boy hits his nose and knocks him down and there’s blood. I try to hit the big boy but he grabs me by the throat and bangs my head against the wall till I see lights and black dots. Paddy walks away holding his nose and crying and the big boy pushes me after him. Fintan is outside on the street and he says, Oh, Francis, Francis,oh,Patrick,Patrick,what’s up? Why are you crying,Patrick? and Paddy says, I’m hungry. I can’t fight nobody because I’m starving with the hunger an’ fallin’ down an’ I’m ashamed of meself. 157