The women stay outside the pubs talking. Mam tells Mrs. Meehan,
The first telegram money order I get Ill be in the shop buying a big
breakfast so that we can all have our own egg of a Sunday morning.
I look at my brother Malachy. Did you hear that? Our own egg of
a Sunday morning. Oh, God, I already had plans for my egg. Tap it
around the top, gently crack the shell, lift with a spoon, a dab of butter
down into the yolk, salt, take my time, a dip of the spoon, scoop, more
salt, more butter, into the mouth, oh, God above, if heaven has a taste it
must be an egg with butter and salt, and after the egg is there anything
in the world lovelier than fresh warm bread and a mug of sweet golden
tea?
Some men are already too drunk to walk and the English agents are
paying sober men to drag them out of the pubs and throw them on a
great horse-drawn float to be hauled to the station and dumped into the
train.The agents are desperate to get everyone out of the pubs. Come
on, men. Miss this train and youll miss a good job. Come on, men, we
have the Guinness in England.We have the Jameson. Now, men, please,
men.Youre drinking your food money and youll get no more.
The men tell the agents to kiss their Irish arses, that the agents are
lucky theyre alive, lucky theyre not hanging from the nearest lamppost
after what they did to Ireland. And the men sing,
On Mountjoy one Monday morning
High upon the gallows tree,
Kevin Barry gave his young life
For the cause of liberty.
The train wails in the station and the agents beg the women to get
their men out of the pubs and the men stumble out singing and crying
and hugging their wives and children and promising to send so much
money Limerick will be turned into another New York.The men climb
the station steps and the women and children call after them,
Kevin, love, mind yourself and dont be wearing damp shirts.
Dry your socks, Michael, or the bunions will destroy you entirely.
Paddy, go easy on the drink, are you listenin, Paddy?
Dad, Dad, dont go, Dad.
Tommy, dont forget to send the money.The children are skin and
bones.
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