The Ginger Man - J. P. Donleavy [63]
She was holding his hand, leading him. At this early hour in the morning. I must get home. And out of these dung smells. Mary pushed open the half broken door of a shed.
"Mind the bicycles. In here."
"What's that?"
"Coal."
"For the love of Jesus."
"What's the matter?"
"What's this, Mary?"
"A mattress."
The clatter of a falling broom. Mary whispering with fright:
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph."
And Sebastian, to be helpful.
"Pray for us, Blessed Oliver."
"It'll be all right. Would you like a bottle of stout?"
"Mary, I'll love you till your dying day. Where is it?"
Mary reached behind boxes and turf.
"It's the landlord's. He hides it back here for when the pubs shut His wife raises holy murder if he brings it in the house."
"This is good of you, Mary."
"Do you say a lot of things you don't mean?"
"What?"
"What you said"
"What did I say ?"
"When I said I had the stout"
"Come here and sit beside me while I open this bottle"
She came and sat on the mattress beside him, leaning against the wall, watching him with a flourish of wrist, pop the cork. We lay in the remnants of coal And a pile of turf. I happen to know that dogs and cats prefer coal and turf. And I don't relish finding myself sitting in it
"This is peace, Mary"
"It's quiet here"
"I need this, Mary"
"Why?"
"Lot of reasons. Little difficulties here and there. Misunderstanding mostly. A girl like you is a great comfort"
"It's not very clean or nice here"
"Come closer"
"I don't know what to say to you"
"I'm married"
"I know you are"
"I say, Good God, Jude, Joseph and a general variety of the blessed and saintly"
"But I don't care if you are. I don't think I'll ever get married"
"Don't"
"Why?"
"Might marry an Irishman"
"What's the matter with an Irishman?"
"They come home drunk and beat your head off. Jump on your arse every Saturday night and prod you to death with it Other nights too. Pigs. You don't want that Mary."
"I might"
"Far be it, then, for me to give you advice. Get me another bottle of stout."
"You drink fast"
"Got to with the lack of decency around us, Mary."
"What do you do?"
"Read law"
"Outside that?"
"Gardening. Collect stamps, horse brasses. I'm very interested in bird watching. I refuse to gamble. Absolutely refuse to bet on a horse."
Mary's eyes broody. Sebastian leaned over and pressed his lips to her ear. Mary came down on top of him. And I put my hands up under her sweater. These two mountains up out of the sea.
"Mary, would you like to come to England with me?"
"Yes. I'll go anywhere you want me to."
"We'll need a little money."
"I have thirty pounds in the bank."
"That'll do nicely."
"But I'm not sure I can get it out"
"It's in your name?"
"Yes."
"Bob's your rudd."
Dangerfield grunting for she was no lightweight But here was a girl good and strong, not afraid of work, I don't think. Willing to get her shoulder to the wheel. That's the trouble with the world, not enough of these people with shoulders to the wheel, letting others do the work. Kick some of the laziness out of them, out on Sundays, taking senseless rides in the country. It's painful to see them looking for something to do on a day off. I must roll Mary over on her back because lumps of coal are pressing through this mattress into my spine. Whee. Like turning turtle. Over you go. I don't think I'm quite up to this exertion. Circus, clowning, her sweater pulled up. Wow what a wench and puffing heavily. Do my most penetrating thinking just slopping around with someone else's body, penetrating to the root How many more interesting things can be done with thirty pounds than keeping it in the bank. Her breasts are all over her chest I haven't met with nipples like these before. A breast feeder for sure. There is a restaurant in Grafton Street called the Udder Shop served by hefty wenches from the country. Teat lunch a specialty. Stop this deprivation of the breast. Because in my own case I can't get enough of them and even though I am a little tired tonight I'm enjoying playing with this strange pair.
"I've never felt this way before, Sebastian. Purple inside. Do everything to me, all the things. I want you to do everything."