the derry girl || james maguire

twentynine

Niamh's pov

Today the President of the United Stated was coming to Ireland! Erin, Orla and I were up early, dressed for school and downstairs waiting for the news to come on.

"It's coming on, it's on." Erin yelled.

"The President of the United States, Bill Clinton, a committed supporter of the peace process, will visit with both sides of the community during his trip to Belfast before travelling to Londonderry."

"He's here! He's here! He's landed!" Grandpa Joe ran in.

"I know he has, Da! And look at the state of the place!" Aunt Mary said.

he's coming here? I very much doubt that.

"I better tell Jim across the road!" Grandpa said.

"Christ, I'm at my wits' end!"

"Firstly, he's not coming to Derry until tomorrow."

"Have you see the heck of those skirting boards, Gerry? I'd need a week to tackle them."

"And secondly, I think it's unlikely he'll call to our house."

"He might call, Gerry."

"Aye, he might take a notion." Aunt Sarah said.

"I think presidential visits are quite carefully planned. I'm not sure there's an awful lot of room for notion-taking."

"Hope you're right, Gerry."

"For it's like Beirut in here. I mean, when was the last time these were bleached? I couldn't hand Hillary that."

"I'd say she keeps her place shining, Mary. Sure she'd put you to shame."

"Right, we need to clear this table.
Jim's bringing his equipment over." Grandpa said.

"What equipment?"

"Them aul radio transmitters he collects.
Him and Daddy think they can tap into the CIA's system on them."

"Excuse me?"

"Jim really buzzes off radio contact."

"You canna tap the CIA, Joe."

"It'll make tracking Clinton down much easier."

"Right. I don't think the CIA enjoy people tracking the President down. I think they can get funny about that type of stuff."

"Let them try and bloody stop me."

"They will stop you, Joe. They're the CIA."

"I won't miss my chance! Not again! You hear me, boy?"

"What the hell is he planning to do?"

"When JFK came to Dublin, Uncle Colm met him, and Daddy didn't."

"Things are gonna be different this time, I tell you."

"JFK spoke to Colm? Christ, that man didn't have much luck, did he?"

"I'm not sure any of us will get to meet Bill or Hillary." Erin said.

"Some sense at last."

"They'll be far too busy. That's why we've decided to take Chelsea off their hands."

"What?"

what, since when?

"We're gonna bring her to Lisnagelvin swimming pool. The wave machine's been fixed."

"Aye I'm sure she'll enjoy that." I mumbled.

"Lovely."

"I hope she remembers her swimming cap, Erin. They've got dead strict about swimming caps."