Tags:
History,
series,
LABOR,
Biography,
Memoir,
Poverty,
Autobiography,
Abuse,
Ireland,
rape,
Dublin,
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1950s,
ma, he sold me for a few cigarettes,
seven stories press,
homelessness,
martha long
off an we wait. After a while, he comes back again an brings us up the gangplank an onta the ship. The two women go off wit some sailors, an the man takes me an the ma an the babby down te a room wit seats all along the walls. He tells me ma te put us on the seats, an weâll be fine there. Then he tells her te go wit him. She turns te us an says, âYou stay there, Martha. Iâll be back in a minute!â An then she goes off. I was a bit worried about bein left alone in a strange place, but I didnât follow her, cos I couldnât leave the babby. I sat there waitin, an people started te come inta the room wit their suitcases an sit themselves down. They were givin me odd looks, but nobody said anythin. I wanted te ask someone te find me mammy, but now they were just ignorin me. The babby was curled up beside me, an he was fast asleep. I kept puttin me hand on him te mind him, an I was very frightened.
It was now in the middle of the night, an the other people were sleepin. I kept creepin out an up the stairs te see if I could find her. But I was afraid of gettin lost, an I wouldnât find me babby. So I kept lookin back te make sure I knew where I was. An when I got te the top of the stairs an turned right, there were crowds an crowds of people, all drinkin an laughin. I couldnât see anythin, an I was just walkin through peopleâs legs. They were knockin me down, cos they couldnât see me, an I was panickin an shovin peopleâs legs outa the way. I wanted te get back down again te me babby brother an me seat, an I started roarin, cos I lost me way fer a minute. I was runnin aroun tryin te find me way, but nobody would listen te me, cos they were all drunk. I did find me way back down the stairs an found the babby. An I never moved again.
The next mornin, people started te get ready te leave the ship. An when we docked, the people started te leave the room. I started te shake wit fright, cos me ma didnât come back, an we were goin te be left here. When everyone was gone, I rushed out the door an up the stairs an started screamin, cos everyone was gone an only a man was sweepin up. I ran aroun shoutin fer me mammy, an the man wit the brush came over an asked me where sheâd gone. I said sheâd gone wit the sailor an she didnât come back. He took me back te the babby an told me te wait. Then me ma came, an she didnât look too happy. She gave us nothin te eat or drink. I was hungry an thirsty, an the babby was starvin. But she didnât bother. We left the ship an walked inta the city. The women went inta a shop an came out wit a bar a chocolate, an they were laughin. I donât know why, but I didnât see anyone give money fer the chocolate. Me ma went te Social Assistance, an they gave her the boat ticket te go back te Ireland or theyâd put us in a home. So we came home on the next boat.
When we got te our flat, the door was broken, an our stuff was gone. Me maâs handbag wit all her papers was thrown aroun the room. An some were missin.
âAll me stuff is gone! Me papers are missin!â An she was in a terrible shock. Any bits an pieces we had left from me granny was all gone. Our clothes were gone, even the babbyâs stuff. They took his cot an smashed up our bed. The spring, wit all the spokes stickin up, was thrown against the wall. The teapot an cups an plates were gone. We had nothin left, nothin!
I took the babby an carried him outside, an we sat on the landin. I didnât know wha we could do. I heard me ma crunchin aroun on the broken china an talkin te herself. âI know whoâs fuckin responsible fer this,â she said. An then she marched outa the room. She went past me an down the stairs. I didnât get a chance te ask her where she was goin, so I picked up the babby an dragged him down the stairs. He was too heavy fer me te carry. I didnât know where sheâd gone, so I kept on goin down, draggin the
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