After the Wake by Brendan Behan

Author:Brendan Behan [Brendan Behan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847177308
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2014-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Then most of the guests departed, and there was the noise of cars starting and shouts of who wants a lift here, and you move over there and take Noreen on your knees and no carrying on under the rugs please, keep your hands easy, I can’t get her started and you’re awful, get out and push, and then silence, and there was only a few of us left.

I found myself, as often I found myself before, in an armchair with Deirdre on my lap and her arms tangled round me, and in an adjoining armchair like the other half of a family group were Ciarán and Mairéad in a similar position. Mariéad was lighter than Deirdre. This I did not know from experience, because Mairéad was strict and impatient. Though frail and fair, she could repulse a pass from another fellow as effectively as she could a warning or advice about her affair with Ciarán.

She laughed at me as if I were twelve years old, except when I was talking about books or plays for she took me very seriously as a writer, but as a man, not at all.

I was not satisfied with this because, like everyone in this world, I wanted respect for other things besides those qualities I was sure of.

I suppose on balance I preferred Deirdre because I was not afraid of her.

But this I must say, that no two people even if one was as light as Mairéad, ever slept in eachother’s arms. There’s no sleeping about it, except in an armchair or the back of a car, and then only for the woman, for the man is a mattress for her. Lying here this night, I was cramped as the crucified, and then only able to move my arm, and yawn restrictedly.

I heard a steady snoring from the other side of the room, and some anguished muttering.

María was doing the snoring, and Uncle Hymie the anguishing; ‘Oh, Lord Jesus, into Thy Hands I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus take me to Yourself.’

‘Amen to that, you noisy old fucker, as quick as He likes, but do you want to wake up the other old bitch on us?’

María was stirring, like a dog digesting a dinner. Deirdre woke and whispered, ‘It’s very late, pet, you’ll stay the night?’ I nodded. My oath.

‘Mammy says you can stay with Ciarán. Mairéad is staying with me in my room,’ and she moved off and went to wake the others.

The others shook themselves up and we crept along to our rooms.

‘Goodnight, Brendan; goodnight, Ciarán; Mairéad and I are going to my room now.’

In our room I looked round and sat on the bed beside the wall next to the girls’ room.

‘No,’ said Ciarán, ‘the other bed is yours.’

I went to the other bed and sat down.

‘We’d better get into bed quick,’ said Ciarán. ‘That light is annoying me.’

‘I was waiting on the girls to use the Jacks* first,’ said I.

‘Never mind that. They can go upstairs if they want, though they’re probably waiting on us to use it.

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