On Christmas morning he lights the fire early so that we can have
sausages and bread and tea. Mam sends me to Grandma to see if we can
borrow a pot for the pigs head. Grandma says,What are ye having for
yeer dinner? Pigs head! Jesus, Mary an Joseph, thats goin beyond the
beyonds.Couldnt your father get out and find a ham or a goose at least?
What kind of man is he at all, at all?
Mam puts the head in the pot, just covered with water, and while
the pig is boiling away Dad takes Malachy and me to Mass at the
Redemptorist church. Its warm in the church and sweet with flowers
and incense and candles. He takes us to see the Baby Jesus in the crib.
Hes a big fat baby with fair curls like Malachy. Dad tells us thats Jesus
mother there, Mary, in the blue dress, and his father, St. Joseph, the old
man with the beard. He says theyre sad because they know Jesus will
grow up and be killed so that we can all go to heaven. I ask why the
Baby Jesus has to die and Dad says you cant ask questions like that.
Malachy says,Why? and Dad tells him be quiet.
Mam is in a terrible state at home.There isnt enough coal to cook
the dinner, the water isnt boiling anymore and she says shes demented
with worry.Well have to go down the Dock Road again to see if theres
any coal or turf lying around from the lorries. Surely well find some-
thing on the road this day of all days. Even the poorest of the poor dont
go out on Christmas Day picking coal off the road.Theres no use ask-
ing Dad to go because he will never stoop that low and even if he did
he wont carry things through the streets. Its a rule he has. Mam cant
go because of the pain in her back.
She says,Youll have to go, Frank, and take Malachy with you.
Its a long way to the Dock Road but we dont mind because our
bellies are filled with sausages and bread and its not raining.We carry a
canvas bag Mam borrowed from Mrs. Hannon next door and Mam is
right, there is no one on the Dock Road.The poor are all at home hav-
ing pigs head or maybe a goose and we have the Dock Road to our-
selves.We find bits of coal and turf stuck in cracks on the road and in
the walls of the coal yards.We find bits of paper and cardboard that will
be useful in starting the fire again.Were wandering around trying to fill
the bag when Pa Keating comes along. He must have washed himself
for Christmas because hes not as black as he was when Eugene died.
He wants to know what were doing with that bag and when Malachy
tells him he says, Jesus, Mary and Holy St. Joseph! Christmas Day and
ye dont have a fire for yeer pigs head.Thats a bloody disgrace.
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