I cant. Hell kill me. If he says bring your mother you have to bring
your mother or out comes the stick.
She comes to see him and he talks to her in the hallway. He tells her
that her son Frank must continue school.He must not fall into the mes-
senger boy trap. That leads nowhere. Take him up to the Christian
Brothers, tell them I sent you, tell them he is a bright boy and ought to
be going to secondary school and beyond that, university.
He tells her he did not become headmaster of Leamys National
School to preside over an academy of messenger boys.
Mam says,Thank you, Mr. OHalloran.
I wish Mr. OHalloran would mind his own business. I dont want
to go to the Christian Brothers. I want to quit school forever and get a
job, get my wages every Friday, go to the pictures on Saturday nights
like everyone.
A few days later Mam tells me give my face and hands a good wash,
were going to the Christian Brothers. I tell her I dont want to go, I
want to work, I want to be a man. She tells me stop the whining, Im
going to secondary school and well all manage somehow. Im going to
school if she has to scrub floors and shell practice on my face.
She knocks on the door at the Christian Brothers and says she wants
to see the superior, Brother Murray. He comes to the door, looks at my
mother and me and says,What?
Mam says,This is my son,Frank.Mr.OHalloran at Leamys says hes
bright and would there be any chance of getting him in here for sec-
ondary school?
We dont have room for him, says Brother Murray and closes the
door in our faces.
Mam turns away from the door and its a long silent walk home.She
takes off her coat, makes tea, sits by the fire. Listen to me, she says.Are
you listening?
I am.
Thats the second time a door was slammed in your face by the
Church.
Is it? I dont remember.
Stephen Carey told you and your father you couldnt be an altar boy
and closed the door in your face. Do you remember that?
I do.
And now Brother Murray slams the door in your face.
I dont mind. I want to get a job.
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