I was tongue-tied, an I couldn’t say anythin. Paddy looked at me an then looked at Maizie, an I could see she was disappointed. I was in me rags. I felt very ashamed when I looked down at meself. Me frock was too small fer me, an it was torn an filthy. An me shoes weren’t modern, I think someone left them behind in the famine! An they were huge. I was thinkin how I coulda made meself look better. I’d washed me face an flattened me hair down wit water. But I forgot te wash me knees, they were black. An me feet were all red an dirty from carryin me shoes when I got fed up runnin back te pick them up when they fell off. I’d no cardigan, an me arms were a holy show, dirty an skinny. I wouldn’t win a beauty contest, tha’s fer sure.
Maizie said, ‘Are we ready?’ An I said, ‘Yeah!’ an off we went. I could hear Paddy mutterin te Maizie, an I was sure he was ragin wit her fer bringin me. Poor Maizie, I pitied her. I was makin a holy show of her. An I’m sure she was worried people would think I belonged te her.
I decided te keep well back from them. When we got on the bus, I sat in a seat opposite them. But I didn’t pretend I was wit them until the conductor came up an rattled his money bag in me face. ‘Fares now, please!’
I didn’t know wha te say, an Maizie tapped him on the shoulder an said quietly, ‘I’ll get this.’
The conductor whirled aroun an shouted fer everyone, pointin at me, ‘Is this child wit youse?’
‘I told ye she was, didn’t I?’ Maizie roared, very annoyed. An everyone was gapin. They were all lookin at me, an then at the style of them, an tryin te figure this out.
‘Right, ye’s are grand. I didn’t think, tha’s all!’ an he gave Maizie the tickets an went off, hummin a tune. Paddy looked after the conductor an said te Maizie, ‘I’ll give tha fuckin red-necked culchie a dig in a minute if he doesn’t watch his step.’
Maizie said, ‘Don’t mind him, we’ll be gettin off in a minute.’
When we got te the Phoenix Park, there was crowds of people strollin in the gate. They were all dressed up in their Sunday clothes, an I didn’t see anyone like meself. I was lookin at the ducks in the pond an forgot te keep me eye on Maizie, an then I started te panic. I couldn’t see them in the crowd. I’m lost! Then I picked them out, turnin the corner, an I ran like hell.
We got inta the zoo, an I couldn’t believe me eyes. There were big birds on long legs struttin aroun like they owned the place. I pushed me way through the crowd at the gorillas, an when people looked down at me, they all moved away an gave me plenty of room. Maizie followed me, holdin Chrissie, an laughed. I looked at a gorilla scratchin his arse an thinkin, an I said te Maizie, ‘Tha’s like Jackser when he has no smokes.’
Paddy an Maizie laughed, an Maizie said, ‘Yeah, but tha gorilla has more sense, an he’s better lookin!’
On the way home, Paddy tickled me on me ribs an said, ‘Come on! Let’s go in an get fish an chips, an ye can have a big knickerbocker glory. It’ll put meat on yer bones.’ An we went inta Cafolla’s in O’Connell Street. Me belly was burstin from the food, an I was tryin te get all me ice cream down me, cos I knew this was me only chance. I wouldn’t see the like of this again fer many a day te come. An I was thinkin how I could get Maizie an Paddy te let me come an live wit them. I’d have te bring Charlie, too, of course. Me ma could stay wit Jackser. But I knew they wouldn’t let me do that. They need me te look after things, an I knew they wouldn’t look after everythin themselves.
I was outside playin when I spotted the two Legion of Mary women comin down the street. There was a gang a kids trailin them. Then I saw the young one who ate all the sambidges at the club. She was linkin arms wit another one. ‘Where ye’s goin?’ I asked, but she ignored me, an they went up the steps of the house next door.
‘We’re goin te Matt Talbot’s room te pray,’ roared one of the young ones at me.
‘Can I come, too?’ I shouted te the women.
‘No!’ the sambidge one roared. ‘Ye have te be holy te get in there, an you said fuck off te me.’
‘Well!’ I roared back. ‘Ye’re not holy either, ye just said fuck off te me!’
‘Children! Children! No fighting. You can all come up but two of you at one time. We don’t want you to wreck the place.’ An they all charged in the door an up the stairs, knockin the women outa the way. There was terrible fightin over who was goin te be first, an the women couldn’t get near the door te open the room, cos they were all squashed against it, tryin te get in first.