Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes by Martha Long

Author:Martha Long [Long, Martha]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ma, he sold me for a few cigarettes, Dublin, seven stories press, 1950s, poverty, homelessness, Abuse, rape, labor, ireland, martha long, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography, series, History, poor, slums
ISBN: 9781609804152
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Published: 2012-12-03T14:00:00+00:00

24

I looked at the thrupenny bit in me hand, feelin the weight of it. I saved it up, doin all the messages fer the neighbours. I wanted te buy pipe cleaners te put in me hair te curl it. I couldn’t wear me lovely new frock until I had me hair done in big massive curls like Shirley Temple. We got a load a lovely good clothes when we knocked on a door on Phillipsburg Avenue on the way back from collectin the bread at the convents. The woman was a lovely person altogether. She looked at us fer a minute, thinkin, an said, ‘Do you know? I’ve just done a clear out, and I might have clothes that will fit you. Wait there!’ an she went in, leavin the door open a little, an me ma an me looked at each other an laughed wit excitement.

She came out wit a big bundle of clothes. Trousers an jumpers, coats an hats, shoes, vests an knickers. ‘They’d fit me brothers grand!’ I was sayin, lookin at them. The woman was smilin an helpin me ma te put them in the pram. An me ma was very happy an sayin, ‘God bless ye, Lady. Ye’re a very kind person.’

The woman looked at me an said, ‘I have a daughter about your age, and I have some clothes that will fit you. She’s grown out of them now.’ An she came back wit a load of clothes fer me. I got navy-blue knickers, socks an brown leather sandals, an I dropped down te the ground an whipped them on me, an they were a grand fit. The frock was dark-blue heavy cotton, wit an underskirt attached te make it stand out, an I’d be able te twirl in it. It had a lovely lace collar, an I stroked it, not believin me eyes. It was so lovely! She gave me a wool gaberdine coat wit a belt, an a black beret hat. The wool was so soft, I couldn’t wait te wear them. I’m goin te be mistaken fer a spy when I wear the hat an coat. Cos tha’s what all the spies wear in the fillums.

Then she came out wit a load of Bunty an Judy comics fer me. Me heart was flyin wit excitement. Me ma got a lovely green coat wit a big collar, an a load of summer frocks an winter wool pleated skirts an jumpers. Teddy had te squeeze up beside Harry, but they were happy, cos Harry was busy swingin the white rattler she gave him. An Teddy was holdin onta a big bunny rabbit, wit big ears. He kept rubbin it against his cheek. An Charlie was carryin a bucket an spade an a big red ball. ‘Ma! Will ya bring us out te the seaside? I want te build a big sandcastle wit me bucket an spade. Will ya, Ma? Will ya?’ Charlie kept askin me ma.

‘Yeah, we will,’ me ma said. ‘We’ll do tha when the summer comes.

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