Me ma looked at me, chewin her lip. ‘Yeah! But, Martha, we’ve no money. We need te get our hands on a few pound. Then we could go te England! He’d never find us there.’
I felt me heart leapin. ‘Right, Ma. I’ve made up me mind. Follow me!’
Me ma laughed. ‘Where are we goin?’
‘Let’s just see, Ma. But first we need te spot a milkman.’
‘A milkman!’ me ma laughed.
‘Yeah! Wait an see, hurry!’
I left the coat on the stairs, an we made our way down, watchin our step, cos it was still a bit dark. The early mornin damp hit us, an I thought about runnin back fer the coat, but I’d only look like Mutt an Jeff wit tha thing trailin along the ground after me.
We left the buildins an headed up Talbot Street. I looked from one side of the road te the other, lookin in all the shop doorways. ‘No milk yet, Ma!’ We turned right up Gardiner Street, not meetin a soul. ‘It’s too early te be out yet, Ma,’ I whispered. ‘So we’re goin te be spotted an look suspicious. So keep yer head down if ye see anyone, an walk fast.’
Me ma looked aroun. ‘Come on, then, we don’t want te be arrested fer nothin. They pick ye up fer idlin,’ me ma said, hurryin.
We crossed over an down Parnell Street. ‘Look, Ma! He’s made deliveries.’
We looked over at a crate of milk bottles sittin outside a shop. ‘Great! Let’s move.’
I had a quick look. No! Only milk. We rushed on. ‘Ma! Ma! Look!’ I pointed over te a box. ‘Watch there’s no one comin!’ An I dived on the box. Butter! Twenty pounds. Jaysus! I grabbed the box, tryin te lift it, an then dropped on me arse an hoisted it up te me chest. ‘Anyone comin, Ma?’ I croaked.
‘Eh! No! No!’ Me ma’s eyes were swivellin in all directions.
I staggered off, tryin te hurry. ‘We have te get outa here, Ma, quick!’ I was gaspin fer breath. I heaved the box out in front of me chest, propellin meself across the road an turned right down Gardiner Street, not stoppin. I kept movin, me arms breakin, an me heart threatenin te burst in me chest. I kept goin. Left down by the Diamond an right onta Corporation Street. I stopped an dropped the box gently. ‘Ma! Can ye grab a hold of one end, an we’ll be faster.’
‘Jaysus! The weight of it,’ me ma puffed, liftin it awkwardly.
‘Lift it, Ma!’
‘I am! Wait!’ she laughed. ‘Come on,’ an we took off, walkin sideways. ‘Hold on, it’s slippin!’ me ma roared.
‘Grab it, Ma! If we’re seen wit this, they’ll know we’ve robbed it, an we’ll be arrested straight away.’
Me ma got a hold, an we rushed on, crossin the road an inta the buildins. ‘Head fer the stairs where the coat is, Ma.’ We hoisted the box up the stairs, me goin up backwards, an plonked it down on the step. ‘Cover it wit the coat. We don’t want it te be seen,’ I said, collapsin onta the step, tryin te get me breath back.
‘Oh, Jaysus! I’m glad tha’s over,’ me ma said, landin down beside me.
‘Yeah, Ma! We’re steeped in luck gettin tha butter. An not just tha, but it’s Friday, an me customers are expectin me.’
‘Jaysus! Tha’s grand altogether,’ me ma said, smilin. Then she said, ‘Eh! How much will we get, Martha?’
‘Eh, let me think. Three pounds an ten shillins.’
‘Oh, God! Tha’s great, tha’s enough te keep us goin, but we’ll have te go easy on it.’
‘Yeah! We can’t go mad,’ I agreed. ‘I’m wonderin, Ma, if I should leave the box wit ye an just carry aroun a few pounds or wha? It’s very awkward carryin the box without the shoppin bag.’
‘I don’t know, wha de you think? It wouldn’t look good if anyone sees me sittin here.’
‘Yeah,’ I said, thinkin.
‘An what if he finds us? He could be headin in here right now lookin fer us,’ me ma said, her eyes bulgin.
Me heart leapt wit the fright. ‘Yeah, ye’re right, Ma! He knows where te find me. Look,’ I said. ‘We’re goin te have te be very quick. We’ll wait here until everyone starts gettin on the move. An then I’ll start goin aroun te me customers. You stand up there, keepin an eye out over the balcony. An keep the box beside ye, covered wit the coat. Tha way, if anyone sees ye, they won’t pass any remarks. They’ll think ye’re waitin fer someone. An ye’ll be able te keep a watch out fer tha aul fella. I’ll be as fast as I can.’
‘Yeah!’ me ma said, worryin. ‘I only hope te God everythin works out an he doesn’t come lookin in here fer us.’