Willie Henry’s big rheumy eyes held me in their respectful gaze. “I was just coming back from the Don Bar there and me blood was up and I was going to give them boys in the police car passing in the street a piece of me mind and then I saw the big black bow on the door there and I says to meself Aw my God, that’s Master Coffey’s house. Aw my God, don’t tell me. I always member you warning me about me two boys and the trouble they were going to get in if I didn’t see to them. I always member that, Master. And they’re doing all right now so they are. Kevin’s down in Doherty’s butchers working you know and Hugh’s going to get temporary in the Castle Bar coming up to Christmas.”
“That’s great Willie. I’m glad to hear it.”
Father Swindells’s voice behind me. “Well now Jeremiah, if you could give me your attention for a moment. I have to be going.”
I turned to see the smooth shining face smiling superiorly up into mine. He’s forty if he’s a day and I’ll put on any money the man’s never used a razor.
“Thanks for coming Father,” I said mustering semblance of gratitude.
“Not at all Jeremiah. Sure what would you expect me to do when one of my parishioners dies? Eh?”
Not many people can make you feel foolish for thanking them but this boy can. And what’s this about my parishioners? He’s only a curate for Christ sake. But he’s the school chaplain and that makes him feel important. Charlie Chaplin Pearse calls him. He was hardly away when Susan and Mairead went too. I saw them to the front door and when I came back Willie Henry was standing uncertainly at the coffin. I went over to him and joined him staring down at the corpse. The way you do.
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The Wake - Table of contents
HumorTHE YEAR is 1968 and the Swinging Sixties are still swinging - though not in Ireland. But wait! An old woman dies in a northern Irish town and her wake becomes a rendezvous for lesbians, bisexuals and political revolutionaries. And in there among t...
