Mom put together some stories based on her growing up in Ireland. She said she’d finish them one day, when she had time. Unfortunately she ran out of time before she could make it all come together, and all I have are a few short stories and story fragments. Still, I think it serves to give an idea of what life was like in Ireland all those years ago.
Enjoy this short snippet.
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Mary & Red (story fragment)
Mary was silent until one Sunday after mass when she stopped by the sweet shop to buy the Sunday paper and some sweets. Mrs. Summerville was fat and rosy behind the counter with a glowing smile for everyone. When it was Mary’s turn to be served Mrs. Summerville handed her the paper and while weighing the Dolly Mixture said to Mary and this shop full of people, “it is such a shame the way that wife of your da’s treats you all Mary. I hear she never turns a hand to anything and you have to take care of the lot yourself you poor child.”
Mary shocked everyone by sharply replying quick as a flash, “Well Mrs. Summerville, did you not all know that I had to take care of everything including the twins all by myself after my mummy died, and none of you thought it was all too much then or you’d have leant a hand. At least Red’s seen to it the twins are taken care of an off me hands.”
“The twins are off your hands, is it? And who takes care of them now may we ask?” said Mrs. Summerville in a half laughing voice as sort of who do you think you’re fooling tone.
“The Roman Catholic Church,” said Mary very clearly.
“And just what do you mean by that, Mary? Explain what you mean child.”
“Well,” said Mary, “Father Keegan kept telling us how blessed we were to have the responsibility of such a fine bunch of children and the twins as well, and Red got sick of that old song and she just bundled them up and took them to the early mass last Sunday and laid them at the alter, telling the priest that she was sacrificing these two of our blessings so that he could have them.”
“She did what?” someone gasped.
“You heard right,” said Mary as she reached into her pocket for the money to pay for the sweets and paper.
“But what on earth is the father going to do with the twins for God’s sake,” croaked Mrs. Summerville.
“Well I think he’ll probably share those two blessings with the people of the parish. He did say that he thought anyone with the heart and a Christian conscience would be glad of the responsibility,” chirped Mary, turning on her heal and walking quickly into the street.
She was laughing heartily to herself all the way home, thinking how they would all be in such a tizzy, fearful of it being themselves the good priest would bring the twins to.
