half a potato. He wont complain to Grandma because he hardly ever
talks outside of a snuffle or two.
Its better if I eat the other half potato so that he wont be asking
why he got a half. I might as well try the bacon and cabbage too and if
I eat the other potato hell surely think she didnt send one at all.
The second potato melts in my mouth and Ill have to try another
bit of cabbage, another morsel of bacon.There isnt much left now and
hell be very suspicious so I might as well finish off the rest.
What am I going to do now? Grandma will destroy me, Mam will
keep me in for a year. Bill Galvin will bury me in lime. Ill tell him I was
attacked by a dog on the Dock Road and he ate the whole dinner and
Im lucky I escaped without being eaten myself.
Oh, is that so? says Bill Galvin.And whats that bit of cabbage hang-
ing on your gansey? Did the dog lick you wit his cabbagey gob? Go
home and tell your grandmother you ate me whole dinner and Im
falling down with the hunger here in this lime kiln.
Shell kill me.
Tell her dont kill you till she sends me some class of a dinner and
if you dont go to her now and get me a dinner Ill kill you and throw
your body into the lime there and there wont be much left for your
mother to moan over.
Grandma says, What are you doin back with that can? He could
bring that back by himself.
He wants more dinner.
What do you mean more dinner? Jesus above, is it a hole he has in
his leg?
Hes falling down with the hunger below in the lime kiln.
Is it coddin me you are?
He says send him any class of a dinner.
I will not. I sent him his dinner.
He didnt get it.
He didnt? Why not?
I ate it.
What?
I was hungry and I tasted it and I couldnt stop.
Jesus, Mary and holy St. Joseph.
She gives me a clout on the head that brings tears to my eyes. She
screams at me like a banshee and jumps around the kitchen and threat-
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