My Short Stay in Paradise p.3
(With Apologies to The Provincial Lady)
October 24th. — Mum acquires two-bar electric heater. In the morning she brings bowls of cornflakes and electric fire to bedroom so that Sister and I can leave our sleeping bags and change into school uniforms without acquiring frostbite.
Return from school to find fresh crop of mushrooms on bedroom wall. Flee to Aunt’s house. Have to bang on back door, which is usually open, but today is strangely locked.
Grandma caught in bomb blast. Arrives at Aunt’s house with blood streaming down her face. When asked why she didn’t go to hospital she says darkly, ‘Others were far worse than me’. We spend evening picking out specks of glass from her nose, cheeks, chin and forehead.
October 27th. — Sister acquires boyfriend with cassette radio and corduroys. They rendezvous in the gas cupboard on the ground floor of the block of flats. I say, ‘Isn’t that dangerous?’ and Sister laughs and says, ‘This is Belfast,’ which I think strange and inadequate answer. We have quick catfight.
November 1st. — Golden day! Mum mysteriously acquires money and takes Sister, Brother and me to town. In Littlewoods, she buys apple pie, sausages, soda bread and potato bread as well as platform…
