Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes by Martha Long Page A

lane, he turned an came runnin back. The horse lifted its legs high in the air an was beginnin te break away from him. I broke away from the wall I was pressed against an dashed inta the stables. Jackser skidded te a stop outside, pullin on the horse’s head. ‘Whoa! Easy! Easy!’ he said, an petted the horse. ‘She’s a lovely mare, ye’d know she’d been a racin horse,’ he said te the men.
    â€˜Ye would at tha!’ one man said, squintin through the smoke of a Woodbine an suppin his mug a tea. I was sittin on the sacks of oats, watchin the other man sweepin out the horse manure an the wet hay. He swept it all up inta a corner of the lane, an when he was satisfied it was all clean, he put the brush away an started te put down new hay.
    I had a bad headache now, an it was gettin worse. The man wit the Woodbine noticed an said, ‘I don’t think tha young one is lookin too well. Maybe ye should get her home.’
    Jackser looked at me an said, ‘Wha’s wrong wit ye?’
    â€˜Me head is painin me. I feel sick!’
    â€˜Yeah, OK. I’ll get ye back in a minute.’
    When we got back, Jackser told me ma I wasn’t well. But she wasn’t listenin. ‘Go down te the shop an get me an onion. I’m goin te fry it fer his tea. An get me a bottle a milk.’
    â€˜Ma, me head is painin me. I don’t feel well.’
    â€˜Go on! Hurry up, then, he’s waitin on his tea! I don’t want him te start.’
    I took the money an went down the street, an then me stomach started heavin. I was bringin up the tea an bread I’d had tha mornin, an it was all water now. I couldn’t bring up any more, but me stomach continued te heave. I held on te the railins an then had te sit down on the step. Me head was burstin, an I knew I’d have te move. Jackser would be down after me, an he’d kill me if I took me time. He’d be waitin fer me te get back.
    The next mornin, he woke me te get up. I was sittin on the side of the bed an couldn’t move. The room was spinnin, an me head was worse. Jackser came over an said, ‘Come on! Get dressed.’ I made a move te get me shoes offa the floor an keeled over. Jackser picked me up an put me sittin back on the bed. ‘Wha’s wrong wit ye?’
    â€˜Me head is painin me bad,’ I said.
    â€˜Right! Go down te the dispensary an ask tha doctor te come up an see ye,’ he said. I slowly left the room an headed down the street. But instead of goin down te Summerhill, I sat down on the steps of a house an waited. I was six years old, an I knew it was foolish te ask the doctor te come up te the room te see me when I was the sick one.
    When I got back, I said the doctor would be up, an they put me te bed. I lay at the head of the big bed on me own. I must have dozed, cos when me eyes fluttered open I saw Eddie, Jackser’s brother, lookin down at me. I closed me eyes again. It hurt te open them.
    â€˜Ah, the poor young one looks bad! Do ye think she’ll be all right?’ Eddie asked.
    â€˜Ah, she’s in the best place. She can’t go wrong there. As long as she gets plenty a rest, she’ll be fine,’ Jackser said.
    I don’t know how many days have passed. But this evenin I’m feelin better. Jackser put me in a cot shoved over inta the corner. We’ve moved inta the front room, which faces out onta the street. This room is bigger, an the family who lived here moved out, leavin this cot behind. I can’t stretch me legs an am all doubled up, but it’s better than sleepin wit them. Now Jackser can’t kick me any more, tellin me te move over when I was sleepin at the end of the bed an draggin me from me sleep when I was wettin the bed.
    The two of them are gettin ready te go out. Me ma is wearin the new red coat she bought fer thirty bob when she collected the childre’s allowance an he collected the labour money. He bought himself a