‘But ... excuse me, Sir, when will I get me money? I’ve nothin te even buy the child a bit of bread or a drop a milk.’
‘You’re wastin my valuable time,’ he barked at me ma. ‘I’ve already explained that to you. Bring the letter to me next week, and then we’ll see. Now get out of here and stop wasting my time. I’ve nothing more to say.’
We trailed out the door like two snails. Me ma was shocked. She didn’t think he’d find out an make trouble. ‘Tha’s it, then, we’re well an truly bet! What’ll we do now?’ I wasn’t listenin te her mutterins. I was too busy tryin te get sick. Me stomach is heavin an heavin, but there’s nothin comin out. Oh, me head, the pain is so bad. I just want te lie down, an I’m so thirsty. I need a drink a water. I drag behind her an start te cry. She whirls aroun an snaps at me, ‘What ails ye? Stop yer fuckin whingin, I can’t hear meself think.’ So I keep quiet an just follow behind.
She wanders up te Thomas Street, lookin fer her aunt who is a dealer an sells fruit an vegebales. ‘Well! Wha do you want?’ Lizzie asks me ma. Me ma gives a little cough an chews her mouth while she tries te think of the best way te ask Lizzie fer somethin te keep us goin.
‘Eh, Lizzie, would ye ever be able te lend me somethin fer a few days? I’ll pay ye back when I get me money.’
‘An why would I do tha? Do ye take me fer an eejit? It’s lockin up you need! Lookit the state you’re in again. This is yer third time te get yerself in tha condition. You’re bleedin populatin Dublin all by yerself! Well, this time ye’ve gone too far. Enough is enough! I’m now goin te take steps meself te have ye put away. I’m gettin ye put inta the Magdalen Asylum in Gloucester Street. That’ll put a stop te yer gallop! So it’s money ye want, if ye wouldn’t be mindin! Is there anythin else ye’d like? Go on, be off wit ye. I’ve no time fer you.’
‘I’m sorry I asked ye!’ me ma said, an turned te go.
As I turned te follow, Lizzie took me arm an put a half-crown in me hand, an she closed me hand over it. ‘Lookit you,’ she said, ‘you poor cratur. Are ye not well? What ails ye?’
‘I have a headache, Aunt Lizzie, an I feel sick.’
‘Bad cess te tha one. May God forgive her fer the way she’s carryin on. She’ll roast in Hell an the sooner the better. Bringin disgrace on everyone, she is. Here, eat this, it’ll build ye up.’ An she gave me an apple an a banana. ‘Go on, get after her,’ she said.
I rushed after me ma, who was now miles up the road an just turnin down onta Meath Street. When I got up behind her, I shouted, ‘Ma! Ma! Wait fer me.’
She half turned an then her head shot aroun when she saw me holdin up the money. Her face lit up, an she said happily, ‘Did Lizzie give ye tha?’
‘Yeah, Ma, an she gave me these.’
Me ma started te laugh happily, ‘Oh, thank God fer tha,’ she said. ‘I thought we were goin te have te go without.’
We spent another week at the hostel an made another visit te the office te talk te the aul one wit the steel-wool hair.
‘Make sure you come straight back here with the money you owe me. You won’t get in this door if you don’t pay it all. Do you understand this?’
‘Yes, Sister. Very well. I’ll be back here straight away wit yer money. There’ll be no hesitation about tha,’ me ma said. So we set off fer the relievin officer, me ma holdin on tightly te the letter in her pocket fer yer man. An he gave us two weeks’ money, cos Steel Wool told him te. She said she wanted te be paid fer the two weeks. So we were loaded wit money! He gave me ma a big ten bob note, it’s red!
‘Come on,’ me ma said, grabbin me an laughin.
‘Are we goin back now te the hostel, Ma, te pay the woman?’
‘Like hell we are! I’m not goin back te tha hell hole. No, we’re goin home.’
‘Home, Ma? But Nelly won’t let us in.’
‘She can’t stop us. It’s my home, too.’
We stopped in Thomas Street te get the messages. We went inta the Maypole an got Marigold margarine, the good stuff. An two ounces of tea, an half a pound a sugar, an me ma asked me if I wanted Marietta biscuits, an I said yeah. Then we went te St Catherine’s Bakery an got two fresh loaves, an we got a packet of cheese an two bottles a milk. The ma gave me the milk te hold while she fixed the messages in the bag. An I forgot I was holdin the milk, an I let me arm go, an the milk smashed te the ground! Me ma was very annoyed, an she said, ‘I told ye te hold them! What am I goin te do now? Tha’s the last of me money.’