CC 116: A Public Option

But you could never tell whether they’d been out there or not by the time the morning came, the young shadows, unless you took your case to the footpaths to inspect the gutters and the spaces between life and last night.  Did someone have their head handed to them outside Mullens?  Any front rooms invaded by rat-faced scum on the prowl?  You can’t see now from the car window – the town seems innocent and quiet, like it has never heard the howling of wolves in the evening.  The other cars move past one another in a friendly system.  The few people out walking are guaranteed to have a hello ready for the next one they encounter.  Everything seems very still and normal.  Like a very boring but beautiful painting that wouldn’t sell for very much but you could still admire greatly. 

‘Here we are,’ says the driver, as he parks outside 25 Cuchullain Terrace.  ‘That’s the one,’ I say to him, and as I rummage around in my pockets for something to pay him with, my eyes turn to note how pale and lonesome the old place looks now.  The For Sale sign would be up soon – no doubt.  Perhaps when that goes up, the house will have something to look forward to, so it might look less forsaken, even if its spirits remain down.  But for now, no signs.  No sound.  Though mute as the building is now, I can hear us inside.  All the conversations we ever had, good and bad, migrating from room to room, like the whole thing was just one long conversation we took to every corner of the residence, broken by good mornings and good nights and sorries and fuck-offs.  Poor old place.  I hope it’s served better by whoever graces its rooms in the future.

 ‘Take me to Murphy’s,’ I say to the taxi driver sharply, postponing payment.

‘Murphy’s,’ he says.  ‘Church Street, yeah?’

‘Yeah.’

‘It won’t be open yet, pal.  You might be waiting about an hour or so.’

‘That’s fine,’ I say.  ‘I’ll wait outside.’

‘You’re the boss,’ he says, and we pull away from that old house, and head for one that will soon be open to the public.  Yes, it shouldn’t be too long until it opens, so I can wait, surely.