Love on the Dark Side of the City

by Kennedy, Thomas

  “I think he still helps Eoin to train” Frank added to the conversation.

  “Yes but for some reason he won’t join Donore Harriers.” Brother McCormack said again regretfully.

  “Anyway they have all done the leaving Certificate, so we won’t have to worry about them next year. It’s end of term, summer break to follow. Next year is another batch,” Kieran said cheerfully, trying to switch the conversation by closing off the discussion.

  “I think its down to simple finances” Frank persisted, “if he joined Donore Harriers he would need kit, runners and bus fares and money to go to the fixtures. He had no home support.”

  “That’s a fact,” Brother McCormack confirmed. “I once went out to his home to talk to his parents about him after he was missing too many days at school, and his mother was a depressive, sitting in a filthy kitchen cum diner surrounded by unwashed dishes, clothes drying on chairs, poking the fire and talking in monosyllables and his father was off at some race meeting. Not a pleasant place to grow up I tells you.”

  “I had to get Eoin McKeon to lend him his school blazer for the interview,” Frank added with a pleased grin.

  “What interview?” Kieran asked, curiosity drawing him back into the conversation.

  “Well I decided that Robbo was to be my project for this year.” Frank explained.

  “So did the Wall” Brother McCormack, interrupted, using the nickname without worry this time as the Wall was famous in the school as the best footballer for many’s the year. “The Wall took him under his wing introduced him to the delights of Gaelic football.”

  “Did he do well?” Kieran asked,

  “The Wall, yes of course. The Wall has joined Ballyboden football club. I bet we will see him playing for Dublin in the seniors before long.” Brother McCormack said, again pleased, as he had made the arrangements with the Ballyboden scouts.

  “Not the Wall” Kieran corrected, “did Robbo do well at the football?”

  “No not really” Brother McCormack said, “we lent him an old jersey and some boots. He was very enthusiastic and very quick up the wings, but he really did not have a clue. But in fairness, I encouraged him.”

  “But he’ll not be a footballer?”

  “No, not a real talent in that department.” Brother McCormack spoke with the voice of one who had long experience in developing football talent.

  “Don’t write him off” Frank interjected. “He seems to have taken up a bit of studying in the last term so he should get a respectable leaving cert. I’d be amazed if he is not in the top five percent in math.”

  “Do you think he’ll get to University?” Brother McCormack asked doubtful.

  “Yes. I think he will get the points but that is not the problem” Frank replied.

  “No parental support, especially in the finance area.” Brother McCormack summarized the dilemma.

  “But you said you made him your project, what was that about a School blazer?” Kieran came back, still curious.

  Frank took a swig of his pint. He glanced at the TV, still at the pre-match talk in stage. He decided there was time for his story.

  “Robbo” he explained, “is really very good at mathematics. It’s his only real talent as I see it. Well maybe the running, but you can’t live by running. So I used some pull. You know this town.”

  “Yes” Kieran agreed, “not what you know, it’s who you know”

  “Up to a point” Brother McCormack ventured, but Frank interjected.

  “Friend of mine from my School days in Terenure College is an actuary in one of the big insurance companies. I meet him now and then at rugby matches.”

  “Rugby matches?” Brother McCormack sounded disapproving of a non-Gaelic game.

  Frank ignored the comment and continued. “I told him I had a very bright student from a deprived background. My friend, Matt is his name, is a sort of dinner party socialist, all talk and no real action in that department. So I challenged him to see what he could do.”

  ‘Did he do anything?” Kieran asked.

  “Yes, fair dues to him. He came through with an appointment for an interview. Young Robbo had to go to the Human Resources Department and be interviewed alongside the great and the good. I think they were testing about a hundred applicants.”

  ‘How many vacancies?” Brother McCormack asked.

  “Five, but that was not the first problem. The first problem was to get him washed and cleaned up. Then he had nothing to wear to the interview.”

  “Some chance” Kieran commented with a laugh.

  “I had an inspiration” Frank explained, “I talked to his friend Eoin McKeon and to the Wall. The Wall threw him into the showers after the football and Eoin lent his blazer and a clean pair of school pants. They almost fitted him. He looked quiet respectable.”

  Kieran and Brother McCormack were highly amused at the description and the others around the table were beginning to listen in and take delight in the conversation.

  “I saw them at it in the showers,” Brother McCormack interjected, “ it was a great laugh, they soaked him and threw buckets of cold water over him. In the end I threw a few buckets myself.”

  Kieran and Frank exchanged glances. There had been a lot in the papers about clerics and abuse of their charges. They had already heard a rumour that Brother McCormack was partial to using the strap, which was now outlawed, and now it could be argued that he was cavorting in the showers. They wondered without saying anything, if the day would come when Brother McCormack would step over the line.

  “How did he get on?” Sally, one of the teachers and the only girl at the party, asked, she too did not like Brother McCormack’s interjection and wanted to move the conversation on.

  “Well, I heard later from my friend Matt. Apparently he was up against stiff opposition. Good respectable boys from clean homes, but not the brightest, as they were the ones who were unlikely to go on to University. None the less, good candidates as they only needed five from the bunch.”

  “So he bombed out?” Sally asked.

  “No” Frank said with a grin, “He failed on appearance and apparently we forgot to get him to cut and clean his fingernails. Fortunately he bites them, but they were a bit gross. Afterwards Matt said he’d have to be talked to about his personal appearance.”

  “I’d have thought that would be enough to sink him in a company that deals with the public all the time.” Kieran suggested.

  “Normally yes,” Frank replied, “but because his mentor Matt is senior in the organization…”

  “Actuaries are very highly regarded in the insurance business, if not everywhere,” he explained unnecessarily and continued. “In the event they decided that they would let him through the first cull and get him to sit the tests.”

  “Tests?” Brother McCormack asked.

  “Yes, IQ, Perception that sort of thing. They have a battery of tests.”

  “And he got through?” Sally prompted.

  “Flying colours. They made him sit the math test twice. Thought it odd that he got a hundred percent, never happened before. On the second test he got Ninety eight percent.”

  “Brilliant” Sally said, she taught art and was not very mathematical herself.

  “So they felt they had to give him a job. He starts on the bottom, but if he gets through probation and keeps out of trouble he should be able to do the actuarial exams. My friend Matt was very impressed with his capacity for understanding complex formulae. He thinks young Robbo has a future in the insurance industry.”

  “Well done” Brother McCormack congratulated Frank in front of his peers.

  “Frank you see, you really do make a difference.” Sally said approvingly.

  “Enough of this nonsense” Frank said embarrassed. “Lets get in another round before the match starts; it looks like the players are coming out on the pitch.”

  “My round” Brother McCormack insisted, standing up and making for the bar, all anxious to be one of the lads.

&nb
sp; “When does he start work?” Sally asked, “Are they waiting for the results of the leaving cert?”

  “No they are afraid to lose him. They took my references on the likely leaving cert results and the Head Brother also gave him a reference. Not impressive but adequate, and they are going by the tests he took, not the leaving cert. Potential is what they want to measure, not history. So he starts next week. Eoin told him to keep the Blazer and pants, so he’ll have something to wear until he can buy himself a suit. I might try and find him a jacket for his first day.”

  Sally laughed at the thought. Then they fell back into the general conversation with the rest of the group, as the match got under way. Kieran went to the bar to help Brother McCormack carry back the drinks.

  ****

  At the match things were going swimmingly. Samuel and his party found themselves in a mixed group with some Polish fans behind them. Irish fans are generally good humoured and segregation is not necessary. The general atmosphere was benign. This was helped when Ireland took an early lead from a free kick just outside the Polish box. The game then settled into a relentless game of cat and mouse as Ireland tried to hang on to their lead.

  Samuel leaned back and listened to the Polish fans behind him. His father and mother had used Polish at home and so had he at times with his wife. Although a little rusty after five years without speaking the language, Samuel could understand their conversation.

  “Can you understand them?” Sonia asked observing that Samuel was more interested in what was behind them than the action on the pitch.

  “Yes, I’m Polish” Samuel explained, “so was my wife. It is like music to hear although I have never been to Poland, not since my parents took me over here before the war.”

  “I understand” Sonia said, putting her hand on his, having an empathy for his feelings. “I am the same when I hear Russian spoken after a long while only using English.”

  “It’s wonderful” Samuel agreed, “but I would not go to live there. Not now obviously, but not then either.”

  “I too seek a new life in this place,” Sonia said. “There is nothing for me in Russia, except my son Sergie. I must bring him to me before he is too old, while he still remembers me.”

  It was Samuel’s turn to be sympathetic. “You have a son. What about a husband?”

  Sonia watched the play on the pitch for a moment before she replied. “No husband. I had a lover early on when I first came into this business.”

  “The café business?”

  “No Samuel, I have a history. I had a lover who was a gangster in Moscow. One day, three years ago, he was found with his throat cut. I don’t know why.”

  “I’m sorry” Samuel said.

  “Not to be sorry, it was a long time ago. And when I look back it was inevitable. He was small time and too ambitious.”

  “Was Sergie his son?” Samuel asked.

  “No. Sergie was later. Sergie is only two years old. `I do not know his father. “

  “Was Sergie born in Russia?”

  “No he was born in London. After my lover was murdered I came to London to work for Solveig, another Russian who is cousin to my lover. He is a bigger fish and has places in London and Berlin as well as Dublin… But I went a little mad with my sorrow. I was foolish and got pregnant. But when Sergie was born I changed. I became a person for him. Now I work to bring Sergie to me. My parents are old and cannot look after him properly. I must bring him to a new life.”

  “If he was born in London then Sergie can claim to be British. He could get a passport and come here.”

  “Yes and I have to get a permit to stay in Ireland. At present I am here because Solvieg arranged it. In time and soon I must make my own arrangements.”

  “I’ll help if I can,” Samuel promised, though in truth he knew little of these affairs. Perhaps he would talk to his son Peter. Peter had migrant workers in the furniture business.

  “Thank you” Sonia said.

  “Would you and Sara like to join myself and John after the match for a cup of tea?” Samuel offered thinking the moment opportune.

  “No Samuel” Sonia declined with a smile. Both Sara and I have to get back to work. Sara works evenings and I have a second job in as house-manager in Morehampton road where I live. I have to get back to see if things are going smoothly.”

  “Not to worry” Samuel said deeply disappointed.

  Sonia sensed his disappointment. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. As she did so her soft breast pressed into his arm and her perfume filled his senses. Their eyes met after the brief kiss.

  “If you like” Sonia said gently, “if you really like you can ask me out again on another occasion. Not immediately but soon” she promised.

  “I’d love to” Samuel said simply. He felt he had a soul mate in Sonia and hoped the age gap would not be an insurmountable barrier to their friendship.

  The match petered out after an uninteresting second half where Ireland repulsed repeated assaults to retain the one nil lead. However the Irish fans were highly satisfied with the days work and sang their heads off.

  Back in Templeogue tennis club the mood was jovial. The victory of the Irish team set a high note for Kieran’s stag night to come.

  Padraig, another of the teachers drew Frank McGinley to one side and pressed an envelope into his hand. This is the kitty money for the night” he said, “you are the math’s expert, keep a track of it.”

  “What do I have to pay?” Frank asked, panicked.

  “Drinks” Padraig said simply, adding, “and maybe for a bit of fun after the drinks.”

  Frank leaned over to Padraig and whispered, “what about the strip-o-gram, did you get it organized?”

  “Couldn’t” Padraig said in a loud whisper, watching to be sure Kieran could not hear them.

  “I have a better idea,” he added.

  “What Padraig, what do you have in mind?”

  “After the drinks, we’ll go to a lap dancing club. Time Kieran saw a bit of naked flesh. Last time he’ll get a look other than his wife from here on in.”

  “But he’s getting married.”

  “Don’t worry Frank, it’s only a bit of fun. Nobody is allowed touch the girls in these clubs. Its just looking, it will be all right. Just be careful with the kitty, make sure we have enough to get us through the bouncers on the door.”

  Brother McCormack had had two pints before the end of the match and, unused to drinking, was merry and becoming dogmatically argumentative with one of the Templeogue club members on the merits of the Dublin County Board and the financing of the Gaelic athletic association.

  When Brother McCormack saw that his party was about to leave he quickly followed them making his apologies to the somewhat bemused Templeogue tennis club member who had realized he was loosing some argument but was not sure what it was about.

  The group gathered in the front car park of the Tennis club. Two taxi’s had arrived.

  “Enough for me,” Brother McCormack said shaking Kieran by the hand. “See you at the wedding” he said and departed with a wave to the rest of the group. Clearly Brother McCormack’s gate pass did not extend to beyond dinnertime and he was hurrying back to join his Brothers in the monastery attached to the school.

  “I am going too,” Sally said kissing Kieran good luck on the cheek. “See most of you after the school break,” she shouted to the rest.

  “Good luck Sally,” they said, climbing into the taxis. After today they were all free for the summer break.

  Frank as minder of the kitty hung back making sure all were aboard who were coming on to the Intercontinental.

  “See you Sally, any plans for the summer?”

  “Oh” Sally was dismissive. “My mother, I have to go to Donegal and look after her. I have to persuade her to get taken into care. She is too old and I can’t mind her from Dublin. There is none of us left in Letterkenny. All emigrated, we have to have a family conference about the mother.”

  “My mother is g
etting the same, she is well into her eighties,” Frank confided, and added, “old age is a terrible thing. Will you be down in Dublin at all?”

  “From time to time.”

  “Come on Frank,” Padraig shouted from the car, “the meter is ticking”

  “Coming,” Frank said, opening the door of the Taxi, adding to Sally, “Look me up and we might have a cup of tea.”

  Adding further as he climbed in, “ It would be nice to say a hello over the summer and I’d be interested on what’s available for old mothers if you know what I mean.”

  “Sure, I’ll give you a call, your number is on the school list. You’ll hear from me.”

  Sally waved them goodbye as they pulled out of the car park. She was old fashioned in that she did not want to attend a stag party. Leave it to the men she thought. She’d go to the pictures with her friend Brenda.

  “I think she has a soft spot for you.” Padraig said as they pulled out, “and you’re the only bachelor left on the staff”

  “Ah no” Frank said, “I could never fancy a teacher.”

  Chapter eight

  Ellen tightened the cloth belt on her woollen coat as she approached her two bed roomed council house. It was a nervous reaction, she did not want to go in, but she had to. He would be waiting for his Dinner.

  It was a cool wet evening and the walk from the bus stop had been uncomfortable. She opened the latch on the garden gate and let herself in, carefully closing it behind her. Originally public housing, she was very proud that they had been able to buy the house from the Dublin Corporation over the years and now it was their own.

  As she opened the door she called the names of her two younger children. These were, George, who was named for his father, and Alice, who was named after a movie she had seen called ‘A town called Alice.’ She had been pregnant at the time and had decided that if it was a girl, that was what they would call her.