The Italian says, Missus, you always pay your bill sooner or later and
you can have anything you like in this store.
Oh, she says, I dont want much.
Anything you like, missus, because I know youre an honest woman
and you got a bunch o nice kids there.
We have eggs and toast and jam though were so weary walking the
long streets of Brooklyn we can barely move our jaws to chew.The twins
fall asleep after eating and Mam lays them on the bed to change their dia-
pers.She sends me down the hall to rinse the dirty diapers in the lavatory
so that they can be hung up to dry and used the next day. Malachy helps
her wash the twins bottoms though hes ready to fall asleep himself.
I crawl into bed with Malachy and the twins. I look out at Mam at
the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette, drinking tea, and crying. I want
to get up and tell her Ill be a man soon and Ill get a job in the place
with the big gate and Ill come home every Friday night with money
for eggs and toast and jam and she can sing again Anyone can see why
I wanted your kiss.
The next week Dad loses the job.He comes home that Friday night,
throws his wages on the table and says to Mam, Are you happy now?
You hang around the gate complaining and accusing and they sack me.
They were looking for an excuse and you gave it to them.
He takes a few dollars from his wages and goes out.He comes home
late roaring and singing.The twins cry and Mam shushes them and cries
a long time herself.
We spend hours in the playground when the twins are sleeping, when
Mam is tired, and when Dad comes home with the whiskey smell on
him, roaring about Kevin Barry getting hanged on a Monday morning
or the Roddy McCorley song,
Up the narrow street he stepped
Smiling and proud and young
About the hemp-rope on his neck
The golden ringlets clung,
Theres never a tear in the blue eyes
Both glad and bright are they,
As Roddy McCorley goes to die
On the bridge of Toome today.
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