Chapter 1 :: Page 5

   "I didn't know you played guitar." I looked at Mrs. O'Malley.
   James looked sheepish. "I wasn't offering to play it for you."
   I laughed. Mrs. O'Malley pulled on James's ear as she passed, smiling and rolling her eyes. We both imagined what he would sound like.
   I asked, "But how can you sleep there?"
   "Nothing is better than getting back off, that's fer sure. I've always done it."
   I nodded like I agreed with him. James had a habit to nudge the person he was speaking to a few times until they looked at him. He didn't think you could listen without seeing him say the words. I poured myself some juice and began to eat.
   He nudged me. "You want to go with me this time, Mick?"
   "No. I have a descent job now."
   "What'cha doing?"
   "Sweeping."
   James made a loud throaty sound and leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. "Shiyte!"
   Mrs. O'Malley shook her head. She rebuked him with her eyes.
   I ate my bacon and motioned for another towel, but Mrs. O'Malley had already brought me one. "Who is the other guest?" I asked her.
   "Cuz I'll tell you, Mick, sweeping ain't nothin'. Nothin' att'all. If you want to know, there ain't no one staying around here. Everyone's shipping off. You know it, Mick, you know." His finger poked my shirt sleeve.
   Mrs. O'Malley said, "It's Seanna Darryl's husband again."
   James snapped his head. "That drunk? Why'dya let him in here?"
   Mrs. O'Malley moved out of his poking reach, and moved back and forth from the kitchen to the eating room in graceful and productive motions. She hid her smile and winked at me.
   "You don't smell so good yerself?"
   James gulped down some juice and a piece of fried steak. "It's not bad. Jesus, I'm leaving soon. Don't have to be on my case. Tell her, Mick."
   He was serious and earnest and it made Mrs. O'Malley laugh. She put another piece of steak on James's plate before returning to the kitchen. Her hand waved sharply at James like it was nothing. The water turned on.
   "Don't you want to go with me, Mick? There ain't nottin' here, at'all. You can't make it doin' any ting these days if you got to put yer back into it. It's different now. Go with me. I mean, why you don't go back to the U.S. is beyond me anyways."
   I shrugged. "I don't have it in me."

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