Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes(35)

‘Listen, Martha. Do ye want te come te the zoo wit us on Sunday? Go an ask yer mammy.’

Me heart leapt. ‘Is tha where they have all the animals from the jungle, Maizie?’

‘Yeah,’ she laughed. ‘Let me know wha she says, OK, Martha?’

‘Yeah, OK, Maizie.’ I shot out the door an down the street an galloped as fast as I could. The aul one behind the counter wasn’t in a hurry te serve me. She was leanin on her elbows wit her face in her hands, close te the other aul one who was stretched out on the counter wit her big milkers spread over her arms. An they were whisperin te each other. The shopkeeper threw her head back an roared, ‘Tha’s a terrible carry on!’

An the customer said, ‘I’m not tellin ye a word of a lie! As true as I’m standin here. Stark naked, he was!’

‘No!’ the shopkeeper said, an her eyes was bulgin. ‘Go on, tell us more!’ An they pressed their heads together.

‘Mrs,’ I said. ‘I’m te get five Woodbines an a bottle of milk.’

‘Hold yer horses!’ the shopkeeper roared at me. ‘Bloody kids.’ An she shook herself te get more comfortable an said, ‘Go on, Nelly, keep goin. I’m listenin!’

But the customer looked down at me, an her jaw was hangin. ‘Tha young one is listenin te everythin.’

‘I want me messages, Mrs,’ I said. ‘Me ma is waitin.’

‘Ah, serve her then an get rid of her. We’ve no comfort wit big ears here.’

When I got me Woodbines an milk, I checked me change. ‘It’s all there!’ the shopkeeper roared. ‘Nobody’s robbin ye!’ An the two of them watched me.

‘Thanks, Mrs,’ I said, an ran like the wind.

When I got back, they were waitin fer me. ‘Wha kept ye?’ Jackser roared.

‘The shop was crowded, Jackser,’ I said, an handed him his Woodbines. He snatched them an whipped open the packet an started snufflin. I let out me breath an let go of me shoulders. I put the milk on the table an gave me ma the change.

‘Where’d ye get the money?’ she asked. An I told them the story, leavin out wha the man said te me.

‘Tha’s the stuff!’ roared Jackser. ‘Never let them get the better of ye!’

I looked at Charlie, who was sittin on the floor eatin the cinders. ‘Them’s hot,’ I said, snatchin the cinders from his mouth. The babby’s mouth dropped open, an he started te cry. I picked him up te give him a kiss, an he gave me a wallop on the nose. I laughed.

‘Put him down!’ Jackser roared. ‘He was quiet until you came in.’

‘He’ll get burnt, Jackser!’ I said. ‘He’s eatin the hot cinders!’

‘No, he’s not, he got them from the bucket.’

I felt his arse an it was cold. So I carried him over te me ma an put him beside her in the bed. ‘Put him in the cot,’ she said. I looked over te the cot, an I could see she hadn’t aired his blankets. I went over an lifted his blankets, an they were soppin wet.

‘Ma, the babby’s blankets are all wet,’ I said.

‘Leave them! Just put him in,’ she said.

‘But they’re wet.’

‘Do as ye’re fuckin told,’ Jackser said te me. Then he went te the cot an whipped out the blankets. ‘Holy Jaysus, Mrs, she’s right, the young fella’s bed is soppin wet!’

‘Ah, he’ll be all right,’ me ma said.

Jackser started te put more coal on the fire te dry the blankets. An me ma said, ‘What are we goin te do fer more coal fer tomorrow? Tha’s the last of it.’

I looked at me ma an whispered, ‘Don’t start him off, Ma! Don’t say anythin.’

But she glared at me an roared, ‘This is all yer fault! Ye’re always causin trouble.’

I took the babby an went over te me own corner where me mattress was. It was a cot mattress, an it was lyin on the floor. An I sat down wit the babby in case Jackser went fer me ma, then we could dive under the bed outa harm’s way.

On Sunday, Jackser let me go te the zoo. ‘Go on, then,’ he said. ‘Yer mammy needs the rest anyway.’ An he winked at her an laughed. An she laughed back. I didn’t know wha was funny, but I was glad they were happy.

I clattered off down the stairs, cos me shoes were too big fer me an I kept leavin them behind. I couldn’t believe me luck! I was goin somewhere! An te the zoo. The only animals I’d seen were dogs an cats an horses an cows up in the convent.

I waited on the steps fer them te come out, cos when I’d rattled the knob an shouted in, ‘It’s me! I’m here!’ Maizie said they were gettin ready an would be out in a minute. When they came down, they looked lovely. All done up. Paddy was wearin a blue suit an a red shirt wit a white tie an Elvis Presley blue suede shoes. An his black wavy hair was combed back wit Brylcreem. He looked lovely an handsome. Maizie had her blonde hair curled an parted at the side an fallin over one eye in waves. An she had lipstick on an powder, an black pencil on her eyes. Her frock was white wit little red roses, an it had a belt at the waist, an then it stood out. She was wearin black high heels an stockins, an carried a white cardigan an handbag. They were holdin Chrissie’s hand. When I looked down at Chrissie, she was like a fairy ye’d see on top of a Christmas tree down on Henry Street. They put her in a pink satin frock wit pink lace an tiny ribbons, an it stood out so ye could see the layers of underskirts. An she had a wide ribbon, white satin it is, tied aroun her stomach, an a big bow hangin down at the back. Her jet-black shiny ringlets were tied up at the front wit a big white ribbon.