Angela's Ashes: Chapters 7–10

Mr.Timoney was told this and cried and laughed so hard the doctor came and said he was gone beyond recall so they carted him off to the City Home, where they keep old people who are helpless or demented.

I know if you say anything the grown-up people will tell you, Never mind, you’re always gawking, none of your business, go out and play.

I sit and wait upstairs, knocking the fleas off my arms and legs, wishing I had Dad here, thinking of my little brother and his foreign name, Alphonsus, an affliction of a name.

I said come down this minute for if I have to climb these stairs I’ll warm your behind and you’ll rue the day.

We will have the Gifts of the Holy Ghost: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, the Fear of the Lord.

She says when boys go from the one number year, which is nine, to the two number year, which is ten, they’re changing and prone to the nosebleed.

There’s to be no laughing for you could be doing serious damage to your internal apparatus.

You know the singing could lead to a relapse in these patients.

The new rich people go home after Mass on Sundays all airs and stuff themselves with meat and potatoes, sweets and cakes galore, and they think nothing of drinking their tea from delicate little cups which stand in saucers to catch the tea that overflows and when they lift the cups they stick out their little fingers to show how refined they are.

I know it sounds extravagant but I’m going to light the fire and make more tea for it isn’t every day your father goes to England.

We’ll all have new boots and coats to keep off the rain so we won’t be coming home from school famished.

They know he might turn them over to Mr. Coffey and he’s notorious for saying no to everything.

Mam tells Mr. Kane that Dad is in Coventry and nowhere near Piccadilly and Mr. Kane takes off his glasses and stares at her. What’s this? Are we having a little contradiction here?

That would teach Mam a lesson for marrying a man from the North with sallow skin, an odd manner and a look of the Presbyterian about him.

She tells me I have to push Alphie through the streets, she can’t manage the pram with that bockety wheel that makes it rock back and forth and besides ’tis a disgraceful-looking object she’d be ashamed to put a mangy dog in.