The Butcher Boy Page #9

I sat down in that old kitchen...

and made a list of all the people

that were gone on me now.

Francie, for f***'s sake.

That's the best one yet.

Sure, how could Joe be gone on you?

Aren't you blood brothers?

I'm afraid he's gone, missus.

They're all gone.

First Ma, then Da...

then Alo, now Joe.

Gone where?

Bundoran.

You've given me an idea, missus.

- Hello there.

- Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

I thought you were the Communists.

- Any news?

- Turn back while you still can.

Come 12 tomorrow,

there won't be a bullock standing.

Khrushchev.

Did you see them rockets on the news?

Fit to blow up China.

Do you think I'll be safe in Bundoran?

Bundoran?

Where the fleas ate a missioner.

Can I help you, son?

You used to leave the key

under that mat there for them.

Benny and Annie Brady.

"The lovebirds," you called them.

Yes, we have them all here.

Over the Waves, Over the Waves.

This is where it all began.

I could still hear his music playing

through the dining room.

Da said they'd lie in the bed upstairs and

listen to the sea until it got bright.

We had musical evenings

to beat the band.

Lovely, lovely people.

You acquire a reputation, you see.

There they are, there they are, missus.

That's them.

The Bradys.

"The lovebirds," you called them.

The lovebirds, aye.

You used to leave the key

under the mat for them.

Yes, the key.

Well, some people come in

later than others, son.

Please, missus,

don't go like Mrs. Nugent on me.

Mrs. Nugent, was she with them?

Mrs. Nugent?

There was no Mrs. Nugents

in them days, missus.

They were here with the McGlones.

Too many people, son, over the years.

Sure, what would I know

about a couple like that?

A couple like what?

Lovely people, all of them.

- Youse tell me, missus, just tell me.

- Please, son.

You were saying, missus.

A couple like what?

What can I say about a man not sober

on a day of his honeymoon?

Poor Charlie McGlone, his holiday

ruined carting him out of pubs.

As for her, what could you do but pity

her? He treated her no better than a pig.

Oh, God, I'm sorry, son.

Excuse me, Jane.

Excuse me, Tarzan.

I want a word with you, please.

I want to sort out this matter,

for once and for all.

What? You have to make

an appointment, now, do you?

Youse f***ing bastards.

I'll take no more of your f***ing shite.

Who wants to be

Mr. And Mrs. Monkey, anyhow?

Yes, indeed, it was the end of the line.

Excuse me, moon,

have you got something to say...

or are you saying the rosary too?

Yep, Joe, it's the end of the line.

Francie's coming to get you out of this.

It's either them or us, Joe.

Hey, what the hell do you think

youse are doing up there...

putting out them lights?

How am I meant to find Joe Purcell?

What's all this?

A hundred sleeping bogmen.

Not for long.

Okay, bogmen...

nobody try any tricks

and nobody get hurt.

If anybody moves out

of their spermy little beds...

I'm gonna blow their f***ing

bogmen little brains out! Right?

You see, I just gotta find Joe.

You understand me, don't you?

- Where are you, Joe boy?

- What's he doing?

I'm here, Joe, come on, let's saddle up.

We'll ride out, Joe.

We can ride out to the mountains,

eh, Joe? We can track for days.

We can listen to the coyotes at night.

What the hell is going on in here?

Jesus, no need to curse, Father.

I'm just looking for Joe.

Can you find him for me, please?

- Sir, this guy messed...

- F*** all of youse.

F*** off, you spermy little bastards.

Joe. F***.

Excuse me, do you mind?

Joe, tell this sky pilot here

to step aside and we'll be out of here.

Purcell.

Come here a moment, would you?

There's gonna be

some craic now, eh, Joe?

The interrogation.

- Don't let them break you.

- Will you shut up?

Sorry, Father.

Purcell, do you know this person?

No, Father, how would he know me,

you know, I'm just his best friend.

Yes, Father. His name is Francie Brady.

Sergeant Francie Brady, B Company, sir.

And do you have any idea

what he's doing here?

- No, Father.

- Good trick, Joe.

Keep him talking,

we make a run for it, okay?

- Did you hear that?

- Yes, Father.

- Brilliant, Joe.

- What do you want?

What do you want me for? Are you deaf

or something, what do you want me for?

Don't give it too much,

they might start believing you.

- Don't you go overboard, Joe boy.

- This has gone on long enough.

For the last time, Purcell,

is this or is this not a friend of yours?

No, Father.

Joe. Please, Joe, don't pretend anymore,

just tell them straight.

- Joe! Please, Joe!

- Stop him.

What are you looking at, Nugent?

Why are you always looking?

Is that all you can do, you wanker?

Look, look, look, look, look.

- Get back to sleep!

- Why are you always looking?

Joe! Joe!

Be on your way, now.

That wasn't Joe, Father.

And who was it, then?

I know it looked like him...

but it wasn't.

Go home, son, for the love of God.

Maybe the Communists took him.

Or was it the Nugents?

Maybe the aliens.

One thing is for sure, it wasn't him.

Hey, boy, where you going

with them saints?

- If the priest sees you, you'll get it.

- Traynor seen the blessed Virgin.

She's coming with a message

about the end of the world.

Don't talk to me

about the end of the world.

I'd best tear on, Francie.

We've more to do than drink, the way

things are. There's praying to be done.

If only they knew.

Straining to see when she coming.

Might as well be waiting

for the aliens to arrive.

And, my God, they're here,

taking over the body of Mrs. Nugent.

The greatest alien of all time,

I do believe.

Where the hell have you been?

Meself and Dr. Boyd

were looking everywhere for you.

- On my travels, Mr. Leddy.

- You and your travels.

The hospital rang, looking for you.

Look, I'm desperate to finish here.

I want to go home,

get ready for Our Lady.

You go watch the end-of-the-world show,

Mr. Leddy.

- I'll look after things here.

- Fair play to you, son.

It's the least I could do, now.

Good luck, now.

She told young Traynor

she'd be here on the dot of 6.

This is the happiest day of my life.

Hello, hello. Testing, testing, hello.

So, what do you think, pigs?

Will Our Lady come or not?

She said nothing to me about it.

Did she say anything to you?

What?

What?

So she mustn't be coming, then, right?

It beats the hell out of me

why them idiots up there are praying.

Now we're right, missus.

Then off I went on me travels.

Everybody was all holy now.

We're all in this together,

people of the town.

Bogmen taking off their caps to women,

looking into prams and everything.

"This is the holiest town in the world."

They should've put that up on a banner.

I never saw the town looking so well...

and it looked like the brightest,

happiest town in the whole world.

Now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with thee...

- It's me, Mrs. Nugent.

- Oh, my God.

Don't worry, Mrs. Nugent.

You won. Joe's gone.

One little piggy went to the market.

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