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The newest 'merican
After many hours Seamus was suddenly roused from sleep. It seemed as though the entire world shaking and shaking and he wondered when it would end. His heart was beating faster than ever. What was going on? He threw off the blanket and fairly ran out into the kitchen just as the shaking stopped. Just then Paul came out of his room and Seamus breathlessly asked him,
"What is going on here?"
Paul smiled and said,
"Welcome to California, Seamus! You've just experienced an earthquake. They don't have these back in Ireland, do they?"
"Earthquake? I have never heard of such a thing! What is it?"
"Well, I am sure that the fancy people at the university in Berkeley could tell you some proper explanation of what just happened, but all I know is that once in a while...
"Often?"
Paul held up his finger as if to tell Seamus to wait for a moment and then he continued,
"...once in awhile the earth just seems to decide that it wants to wake us up and make us remember that God's in charge of things and that we can't get too soft. Anyway, they don't happen very often, but Seamus by the time that you are as old as I am, you will experience many more earthquakes. But for right now, just go back to bed. It isn't even dawn yet."
Seamus was not too sure what to think so he just turned and went back to his bed. He tried to get back to sleep, but now his mind was wide awake and wondering what other new and exciting things awaited him in his new home. We thought that he would like to have gotten dressed and gone out to look around Port Costa, but it was still dark and he was afraid of getting lost. As he lay there in bed, he began to think about his family back in Ireland. He had no idea what time it was back home and what his family was doing. He wondered if they missed him or had forgotten what he looked like. He wondered what Brian and Harry, Liam and Pat were up to. Did they miss their friend now that he was in America? Seamus reminded himself to find the stone from Dromid Church that had their names engraved on it. He wanted to put it in a prominent spot so that he could easily think of his friends.
As be began to think of his friends in Room 104 on the Baltic he slipped back into sleep. It was not until almost 10 O'clock in the morning that he heard Paul knocking on the door of his room and calling,
"Seamus! Get up! Let's go see your new home!"
Seamus yawned, wondering what time it was and how long had he been asleep. He sat on his bed, stretched his arms and looked around for his clothes. He pulled his pants on and then looked out the window. The ski was bright and blue. This was going to be a very good day to explore Port Costa. After putting his shoes on, he combed his hair and felt ready to face the day.
When he came out of his room, he greeted Paul,
"Good morning! Good morning!"
Now that it was light, Seamus looked around the room and saw that some bottles had fallen off a shelf and broken. Paul was cleaning up the mess as he smiled at Seamus and said,
"Good morning to you! Did you sleep well your first night in America?"
"Indeed I did, but what happened with those bottles?"
"Ah, well, that's what sometimes happens when you have an earthquake like we did this morning. The earth shakes and bottles fall. Thanks be to God, anyway, that it was not too big of an earthquake. It could have been worse. You must be hungry! You fell asleep and never had anything to eat! Would you like something to eat now? There is some good bread and butter here and I have some coffee that I made or do you like tea?"
"Yea, well, I guess I was pretty tired. I'm sorry for doing that, really I am!"
Paul waved his hand telling Seamus,
"Don't worry about it! You had a long trip, but now you can settle down and get used to new things. But first, have something to eat."
Seamus sat down at the kitchen table and prepared some bread with butter and jam. He drank several cups of coffee and even a big glass of water. As he was watching Seamus, Paul wondered if the boy had a bottomless pit for a stomach. However, he was only sixteen years old and so Paul figured that he could not worry too much about how much Seamus ate. He himself most likely had a healthy appetite when he was Seamus' age.
"Seamus, how old are you now?"
"Sixteen, sir, but I have my birthday coming up pretty soon."
"Really now! When is it?"
"End of June, the twenty-seventh of June. I'll be seventeen then."
"Seventeen you say! Well, that was a long time ago for me, I'm afraid."
"How old are you?"
Paul smiled at Seamus and shook his head.
"Boy, when you get to be as old as I am, you stop worrying about these things. Some day I'll figure out how old I am and tell you. But right now, finish your food and I'll show you around a little bit. But then I have to go to work and you'll be on your own."
"What do you do, Paul?"
"Well, back in Ireland I was a teacher, but here in America I work for the railroads. When the train comes through here in a little while I have to get on the train and go into Oakland."
Seamus looked at Paul as though that sounded familiar, but he did not know where it was so he asked,
"Oakland? Where's Oakland?"
"Where we got off the ferry and took the train out here to Port Costa, that's Oakland and that's where I work in the Oakland Train Station. Are you ready? Let's be off then!"
Seamus put his dishes on the counter in the kitchen. Paul had finished cleaning up the mess that the earthquake had made earlier that morning. He grabbed his hat and led Seamus out the door for Seamus' first view of his new home, his new life in America. They headed back down the street towards the water and the railroad tracks. Once there, Paul explained the layout of Seamus' new home. He told him that it would be impossible to get lost. If he seemed to be lost, just find the water and head back to it. Nad he could not get lost.
Just then they heard a train blowing it whistle. Paul took out his pocket watch and said,
"Well, then, it looks like the train from Martinez is a tad early today, but that's ok. Do you have any questions before I leave you on your own?"
"Does this water here have a name?"
"Oh my, yes, this is called the Carquinez Strait. The train we came in runs right along side the Strait and then when the Strait empties into San Francisco Bay where you came in yesterday, the train will turn left and go to Oakland. Anyway, this is called the Carquinez Strait. Just head this way if you think you are lost. Now, will you be all right? I won't be back until about Eight O'clock tonight."
"I'll be find, Mr. Walsh. Thank you!"
Paul playfully frowned at Seamus who, for a moment, did not know what he had done. As Paul continued to frown at him, he realized what he had done so Seamus smiled and said,
"I mean, PAUL, I'll be fine. Thank you for everything!"
As the train continued to blow its whistle, Seamus looked down the tracks and watched the train come around the bend. As the train pulled into Port Cost he stepped back and waited for it to come to a complete halt. Paul boarded the train and waved at Seamus through an open window. Once the train was out of sight, Seamus turned around and simply looked in amazement at his new home. He saw that Port Costa was not a very big town. In fact, it was more like a small village in Ireland, but it was as green as Ireland and that was nice. He walked over to the edge of the Carquinez Strait and wondered why it was called "Strait" when it seemed to curve ever so slightly this way and that.
Seamus continued to try to see everything that was near the water, the Carquinez Strait. He then turned and headed up the street. He passed the Post Office, smiling when he remembered that he did not have to say the "American" Post Office. He noticed several pubs and stores that sold food. To his left as he headed up the street Seamus saw a small blue church that had white trim. Seamus wondered if this was a Catholic Church. The sign on the church did not exactly say what kind of church it was, but since the church was named in honor of Saint Patrick it must be, he figured, a Catholic Church. This made Seamus feel a little more at home so many miles away from his country, the country that the Blessed Patrick had preached in. He would liked to have gone inside, but the church was locked up. He looked to see if there was a priest house nearby, but the church seemed to be standing all alone. He would have to ask Paul about Saint Patrick's later.
As he continued up the street. He saw a large stone building at a fork in the road. Children were playing behind a fence and having a good time. Just as Seamus got close enough to read the carving over the doors, a lady came out and rang a large brass colored bell and the children immediately quieted down and got into neat lines before heading through the door into what Seamus saw was "Port Costa School." Seamus made a note to write and tell Yvonne about this. She would be happy to know that there was a school near his new home but he knew that he would have to be careful in telling Yvonne about this. If he didn't watch what he said, she just might start to "yell" at him that he needed to get and enroll. Right now, he just did not want to be going to school. There were other things on his mind.
For the rest of the day Seamus walked all over Port Costa, up and down its streets. A few older women looked at him and smiled as he walked past their homes. He smiled back and said to all of them,
"Good day to you, ma'am!"
By late in the afternoon Seamus was feeling hungry and so he decided that he would return to Paul's house and see what he could eat. He didn't know where he was so he looked around and found the waters of the Carquinez Strait there in the distance and headed towards them. He was then able to find Paul house where he went in and found something to eat. Still very tired, Paul decided that he would lie down for a nap. He fell fast asleep and did not wake up until Paul came home that evening.
When Paul arrive back at about Eight O'clock that night, Seamus had just gotten up. He came out and greeted Paul and asked about his day. Assured that he had had a good day, Seamus started to tell Paul what he had done that day. Paul smiled and then told him,
"Come on, Seamus. We need to go to the pub and get something to eat."
For Seamus this was a treat. He had never eaten in a pub before or had something to drink there either. He had seen pubs in Cahirciveen, but they were too expensive for him so he had never done more than look in their door. Now he was actually going to go inside of one. Seamus could not help but wonder what more surprises would this place have for him?
For the next few days Seamus would walk all over Port Costa, trying to become familiar with his new surrounding. He began to recognize people and they began to recognize him. Several people asked him if he was new in town and where he had come from. Although he tried to act like an American, as soon as he opened his mouth, people always said,
"By the sound of your voice you must be from Ireland. Are you new here?"
Paul was very proud to tell them how he had just come from Ireland and that he was going to live here in America. The people always smiled and said that they hoped he liked it here in Port Costa. Seamus always smiled as he told them that he was sure that he would like it here because it was so beautiful.
On Saturday, after they had finished the evening meal, Paul told Seamus that the Mass would be said up at Saint Patrick's the next morning at Eight-thirty. He reminded Seamus that if he wanted to go to Holy Communion he needed to remember not to drink any water after he went to bed. Seamus told Paul that he had been able to go to Mass a few times on the Baltic and he would remember to keep the fast before Holy Communion.
That first Sunday in Port Costa was not a very clear day, but Seamus was excited anyway. He was happy that he did not have to go far for Mass. In fact, it would be easier to get to Saint Patrick's than it was to go to Mastergeehy Church. Seamus was also glad about gong to Mass because he might finally be able to meet some people that lived in Port Costa and actually learn their names. It was hard to be walking around the town and not know anybody's names.
At about Eight-fifteen Seamus heard the bell of Saint Patrick's start to ring, calling people to Sunday Mass. Seamus had put on the best clothes he had and when he came out of his room, Paul said that he looked as though he were ready to go court some young lady. Seamus blushed and said,
"Well, I don't know about courting anyone yet. I don't even have a job!"
"Seamus, my boy, there's more to life than a job. If you wait for a job to find your lass, you may just loose out to the next guy. You never know."
Seamus wasn't sure what to make of this so he just said nothing. He remembered that he had told Michael Moriarity that there was a girl waiting for him in California to come so that they could get married. However, it just did not seem right to think that you went to Mass to meet a girl. Oh well, strange things do happen, Seamus thought, but if he did get going to Mass, he would be late and he knew that his dear departed father back home would not approve of that.
Since the weather was not perfect, Seamus was grateful that Saint Patrick's was close by, closer than Mastergeehy Church was to his home in Ireland. With Paul right behind him, he headed out the door and down the street. Though there were not as many people coming to Saint Patrick's as to Mastergeehy, he felt very much at home. The sound of the bell brought him back to the Valley of Cummeragh and he wondered what was happening that very morning at the Mass Father Kennedy's was saying back home.
As they turned down the short street to Saint Patrick's something struck Seamus as very odd. Father Kennedy always wore black robes, but the priest who was greeting people at the door this morning was wearing white robes. Was this some special American Custom? And his robes had a hood on them with a funny kind of apron. Seamus just could not figure out what kind of priest this was. As he came up the steps of Saint Patrick's, the priest greeted him, saying
"Good morning. I'm Father Cervera. You're new here."
"Good morning, Father. I'm Seamus Gilchrist and I just arrived from Ireland"
"From Ireland? Well, well! From Ireland! How long are you going to be here?"
Seamus looked a little uncomfortable and said finally that this was now his home and he guessed that he would be here forever.
"You see, Father, my father died last November and my Ma told me that I had to leave and have a better life here in America. So here I am and that's it!"
"Well, young man, I think that you will like it here in America. I am sorry that it was your father's death that brought you here, but you will be happy I am sure. I'll talk to you some more after Mass. Anyway, welcome to Saint Patrick's, Seamus."
As Father Cervera continued to greet the people coming to Mass, Seamus and Paul went inside and found a place near the front of the church, on the Saint Joseph side. They knelt down and said a few prayers privately before sitting until Mass began. When the bell at the sacristy door finally rang, the people in the church stood and Seamus started to get very confused. This seemed like the Mass he knew in Ireland, but Father Cervera seemed to do things differently. First he came out wearing his hood over his head. He did not wear the funny square hat Father Kennedy wore. Then right at the beginning of the Mass, just when he went to the altar, Father Cervera put the water and wine into the chalice. Even though Seamus did not want to be a priest himself, he knew that this was not done until later in the Mass. What was he doing up there? And then some of the prayers that were said were different from what Father Kennedy used back home. But wait a minute, thought Seamus, wait a minutes. This was now my home. I guess even here there are some new things to get to know. Becoming an American was not going to be easy, but he was going to do it. He would make his father and the rest of his family proud.
At the end of Mass Father Cervera turned to the people with a few announcements. They would be having the Mother of Perpetual Help Novena this coming Thursday (Hmm, Father Kennedy had the Perpetual help Novena on Wednesday!) and a pot luck dinner would be held Saturday evening to raise some funds to help with the First Communion celebrations that would soon be coming up. (What was a "pot luck dinner?)
Just when Seamus thought Father Cervera was finished with his announcements, he said to the people,
"Brothers and sisters, we have someone new to us here this morning. I just met him before Mass. Seamus Gilchrist over here, the red-head (Seamus blushed redder than his hair as he listened to Father Cerevera describe him.), has just come from Ireland. His father died a few months ago and he is here to make his fortune in America. When you see him after Mass outside of the Church, make him feel welcome, will you please?"
Seamus saw that a number of people in the Church turned and looked his way. He smiled at them and wanted to sink into the floor. He would like to have gone out the side door of the church, but Paul motioned that Seamus should follow him outside. As they were standing outside of the Church, Seamus felt as uncomfortable as he had when Father Kennedy made him stay with him at the door of Mastergeehy Church after telling the folks back home that he was going to America. At least this time he did not have to stand and greet everyone that came out of Saint Patrick's. Even so, many people did come over and welcome him to America, to the United States. Many said that they hoped he would enjoy his time in America and if they could help in any way, they would be happy.
One family asked Seamus if he knew what kind of work he would like to do. Seamus told them that his father had been a carpenter and had taught him some things, but that right now he just wanted to learn about his new home and maybe make some friends. He wanted to tell them about his friends back in Ireland or his friends from Room 104 on the Baltic, but he thought that they might be offended so he did not mention them at all.
One family introduced themselves to Seamus and asked,
"Are you going to eat some breakfast? Would you like to join us?"
The Martins told him that they had lived in Port Costa for about ten years after moving from Virginia. Robert Martin was the local sheriff while his wife Mary took care of the family at home. They had three boys, aged four, seven, and nine. Their daughter Beatrice was sixteen just like he was. She very shyly smiled at Seamus as he told Mr. Martin that he would go and ask Paul Walsh if he minded.
"Paul, would you mind if I went to have breakfast with the Martins over there? They invited me to join them."
Paul had noticed Beatrice smiling at Seamus and he wondered if this might be Seamus' first American love. Who knows? Is this love at first sight? Seeing how anxious Seamus was to go with the Martins, he simply said,
"Seamus, you'd be a fool not to accept their invitation. The sheriff is a good man and his family looks pretty good too. I'll see you later. Enjoy yourself!"
Just then Father Cervera came out of the Church and called Seamus over.
"So, you're just from Ireland and your getting settled here in a new place. Well, my boy, if I can help you in any I certainly will. I live across the Strait in Benicia at Saint Dominic's Priory..."
"Priory? What is that? Is that like the Priest House back home?"
"Well, it's something like that. You see, I am a Dominican Father and we're like monks. We live together in a large priory, but we take care of smaller places like Saint Patrick's. Anyway, if I can help you in any way, I want you to come and talk to me and we'll see what can be done. All right?"
"Father, thanks so much! I really do appreciate it, but right now I have to go I think. The Martin Family invited me to join them for breakfast."
"Well, get moving then. Mary Martin is one of the best cooks in these parts. She'll certainly enjoy feeding you. It looks like you need to eat a lot of her cooking!"
Seamus laughed even as he blushed. He did not like people talking about how skinny he was. He knew he had a good appetite and he was not starving so he was not worried.
As he walked to the Martin's house, he and Beatrice were enjoying a good conversation. She told him what it was like to live in Port Costa and how she liked it and hoped that he would too. Seamus was sure that he would like living here, especially now he told her,
"since I am finally meeting some people and not just waving at them from a distance. Now maybe I can be at home."
Beatrice again shyly smiled at Seamus and said,
"Well, I hope so too. I'm glad you could come with us today, Seamus."
When they arrived at the Martin's house Seamus was glad that he had met the Martins and even happier to be able to eat with them. Maybe they would be good friends like the McGintys back in Ireland.