I arrived up at the church, ready te head down the hill when I saw a crowd a people over at the bus stop beside the shops. An they were climbin up onta the back of army trucks. I rushed over. ‘Wha’s happenin, Mrs?’
‘They’ve brought in the army te get us te work.’
‘Where’s this truck goin te? Hey, Mister!’ I shouted te the soldier helpin the women up.
‘Inta town, me little darling!’ he laughed as he lifted me up an whooshed me through the air, landin me sittin on a bench beside a woman chinnin her head scarf up an down. I was delighted, lovin tha spin. An feelin very contented at gettin a lift inta town.
Another woman leaned herself down beside me, an the two of them leaned inta each other an started talkin. ‘Isn’t this grand, Mrs!’ said Chinny, restin herself on top a me.
‘Oh, it’s lovely!’ said the fat woman. ‘The blessins a God on the army! What would we do without them, I’ll never know.’
‘Ah! They’re grand all right!’ coughed an old man sittin on the bench opposite, chokin on his Woodbine.
‘Hey, sonny! Where’s this one takin us to?’ another man roared down the lorry te the soldier. Everyone waited fer his answer.
‘O’Connell Street, outside the Metropole!’
‘Lovely! Tha suits me fine,’ an everyone shook their heads in agreement, noddin te each other.
The lorry filled up, an the soldier slammed the back shut an jumped up beside the driver, an we took off, flyin inta town faster than the bus. I was lookin out through the back, an people were watchin us flyin past an wavin at us. The truck stopped, an the soldier helped everyone down. An I waited me turn an lifted me hands, an sure enough I got another spin, flyin through the air. An he landed me on me feet an patted the top of me head. An I laughed, feelin giddy from the excitement of it. Then I headed up Parnell Street an left up the hill, an slowed down before I hit the gates. I’m on time, an the lorries are pickin us up at five o’clock te take us out te Finglas. I can hang aroun till then, an Jackser will never know the difference. He’ll think I’ve walked!
There was very few childre at the school when I came in the school yard. The nun was ringin the bell, an only the childre from the city centre was here. I’m the only one from Finglas who’s come. They probably don’t know about the army trucks yet. The nun twisted her mouth up inta a smile when she saw me. ‘You must have left home at dawn to get in to school on time?’ she said, holdin her bell te stop it ringin.
‘Eh! Yes, Sister,’ an she shook her head, thinkin about this. An started ringin her bell again, shakin it in the face of young ones stragglin behind me.
‘Come along! Hurry, you lazy idlers.’
I went down the corridor, headin fer me classroom, smilin te meself. She thinks I walked in this mornin. Grand, let them think I’m great. It feels lovely when people like me.
33
I was just headin in the gate from school when Jackser whipped the front door open. ‘Here, you! There’s half a crown. Run up te tha van an get me five Woodbines. Hurry!’ he barked.
I took the money an flew. When I came rushin back, I saw me ma standin outside the gate. An Jackser was standin outside the front door, screamin at her. ‘Go on, ye whore! Get movin. Ye’re not comin back te my house!’
I came up te the gate, an Jackser roared at me, ‘Come on, you, get in here!’
Charlie an Teddy was standin behind him, screamin, ‘Mammy, Mammy! Don’t leave us.’
Me ma roared at me, ‘Don’t go in there, Martha! He’ll kill ye!’
‘Get in here, ye bastard!’ Jackser roared at me.
Harry came runnin out, screamin, an Jackser jerked him back by the neck of his jumper an landed him in the hallway. I hesimitated, not knowin wha te do. ‘Come on! Come wit me,’ me ma screamed at me, runnin down the road.
I threw the packet a five Woodbines in the gate an took off, runnin after me ma. When we got aroun the corner, we saw Charlie runnin behind us. I stopped, an me ma stopped. ‘Ye’re te come back,’ he said te me ma.
‘No!’ me ma said. ‘I’m not goin back there. Tell him tha.’
‘No, Ma!’ Charlie said. ‘Take me wit ye!’
I looked at him, his little face was white an he was shakin. ‘We’ll take him, Ma.’
‘No! He has te stay an watch the childre,’ an she turned her back an ran.
I hesimitated, lookin at Charlie an watchin me ma rushin off up the road, not knowin wha te do. ‘Go back, Charlie!’ I said, an turned te run after me ma. I looked back, hearin Charlie scream, wringin his hands. Then he turned an ran back te Jackser. He’s only six, he’ll have te do everythin! Jackser will kill him, cos he doesn’t want another man’s bastard. He hates poor Charlie as much as he hates me.