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Farewell
It's really happening! It's really happening. In the days after returning from booking his passage on the Baltic to America Seamus could hardly think of anything else. He was really going to America! His brothers and sisters kept asking him questions about what is life would be like in America and what he would do in this mysterious place called Port Costa. Yvonne kept expressing her concern about Seamus going to school while Martin was pleased with the idea that Seamus was going to be able to live in a place where the Queen meant nothing. His mother generally said very little these days, knowing that Seamus' mind was almost ready to explode with all of the advice he was getting. She constantly prayed that the angels would watch over him and protect him always.
Ever since his father's death and burial, Seamus had frequently, often daily, gone to Old Dromod Cemetery to tend to his father's grave. But more than simply taking care of the grave, Seamus would sit on the grave or walk around it, all the while talking and praying. Knowing that it was the right thing to do, many times he prayed for the happy repose of the soul of his father. But just as often, he talked to his father and told him about what he was doing in these last days in the valley of Cummeragh. Seamus was glad enough that the ruins of old Dromid Church blocked the view of onlookers, thus giving him much privacy. He told his father that sometimes he felt guilty about leaving his mother and family behind to start all over again in America. Other times he told his father that he was excited about his trip on the Baltic to that far, far away placed called California. He told his father that he would not forget him and would always pray for him, even if he was far from his grave.
In these last days at home, Seamus spent a lot of time with his friends. Brian and Harry McGinty had lived near by from the very beginning and so close to them was he that people often joked they were really brothers. Liam Crosby and Pat Fitzgerald lived further away than the McGinty's, but they too were close to Seamus. Most days the five of them would just set off on their bicycles and doing very little beyond remembering the good times that they shared together and wondering how they would stay friends with an American.
"But, hey, I mean I'm going to America, but we're still friends. Maybe some day you will come to America and visit me. Or maybe some day I will come back here for a visit. Who knows?"
"Come back? Sure! I had a cousin who went to England and he said that he would come back, but he never did," Liam said one afternoon.
"But I'm not your cousin, Liam. I'm your friend. If I was your cousin, then that means that we couldn't do anything about it. We were stuck with each other. But we're different. We're friends and that means something different. Hey, I would like nothing better than to stay here in Ireland, but my Ma says that I have no future here. I guess she is worried about how she is going to feed all of the mouths at home now that my Pa isn't around any more. I tired to tell her that I could get a job, but the day that we buried my Pa she said that I had to leave this place and go to America. So, the Wednesday after Easter I leaving from Queenstown over in Cork and taking the Baltic all the way to San Francisco in California."
With a mock tone of indignation Pat shook his finger at Seamus and said,
"You'd better come back and see your friends, you old fool! You better!"
As they playfully starting hitting Seamus, he first began to laugh, trying to say, "I will be back, I promise!" But quickly his laughter turned to tears and Seamus' friends began to feel quite guilty. The last thing they wanted to do was to make their best friend feel bad about what they knew must be done. Brian and Harry, Liam and Pat, just took turns patting Seamus on the back as he wept, wondering if he would ever see them again.
When he was finally able to wipe away the tears, Seamus tried to apologize for what he thought was this childish display of emotion. But they pulled him close to them in a tight embrace and in their name, Brian said,
"Listen, you old fool, we know that we're friends and we know that you'll not forget us. Well, we'd never let you do that, would we?"
Seamus' friends all nodded their heads in agreement as Brian continued,
"Seamus, we'd like to go with you, but we can't. We're just glad that we can be together right now."
"Listen, guys," Seamus said, "can you be coming to my place the Monday after Easter, March 26th? That night my Ma is going to cook Colcannon and she said that you all could come and eat with me before I leave for America."
When they started to hem and haw about whether or not they would be able to come, Seamus added,
"But you gotta come. My Ma even let me have some money to buy some Guinness that she said we could have!"
Together they cried,
"Guinness? You've got to be kidding! We don't believe it!"
"Well, believe it, guys, because it's true. We're going to eat Colcannon and drink some Guinness. Can I count on you? Will you all, my best friends ever, come and have dinner with me? I need you to be there with me."
They assured Seamus, "We'd wouldn't miss it for anything! We'll be there, even if your ma wasn't going to have Guinness, but Guinness does make it a better deal! We'll be there for sure!"
With this guarantee, Seamus grabbed his friends and held them even tighter than before and just kept repeating, "Thanks!"
By the time that he arrived back at home, his mother asked him,
"Where have you been, boy? It is getting a little late, you know. You're still here and so your mother still worries abut you."
"Ma, I'm sorry, but I was with Brian, Harry, Pat, and Liam. They'll be coming over for dinner on the 26th. Ok?"
"Of course, it's ok. I knew you'd be asking them. You almost grew up with the McGintys and the other two are good boys."
Seamus knew that if they could hear his mother talk about them being good boys they would be pretty embarrassed. They might be only sixteen or seventeen years old, but all four of them already were taller than Margaret. In fact, at sixteen Liam was already six feet three inches tall and liked to look down on people who were shorter than he was and pretend he was some kind of giant looking down on some small creature.
"Now, Seamus, we're almost ready for dinner. Go out and get cleaned up. I didn't raise you to be a pig!"
Seamus smiled and headed towards the outdoor facilities. Just then his mother asked him,
"Will you please call your brothers and sisters in? They are playing out in the field."
Seamus nodded and started yelling when he was just outside of the door,
"Hey you, Ma's almost ready for dinner. Get in here now!"
Margaret smiled to herself and wondered how, indeed, she would get along without Seamus. But that was in God's hands she knew and so she should could not worry about that, at least not worry too much!
As the days went by, people stopped by the Gilchrist's place to say good-bye to Seamus, if they were lucky enough to find him at home. Many asked him to look up a friend or relative in America. He always promised that he would try, but he would not make any promises. He had no idea of where California was in relation to Nebraska or Vermont or any other place that he was asked to look into. However, understanding that his neighbors were concerned about their family and friends, Seamus always smiled and said he would do what he could.
Seamus' brothers and sisters seemed to enjoy well enough the attention that came to their family, though one day Margaret overheard Martin to say,
"And what about us? He's going away, but we have to stay here."
On Spy Wednesday of Holy Week, just before they headed off to Mastergeehy Church, Margaret gathered her young family at the kitchen table for a discussion of what she feared might be growing discontent in her children.
"Now listen to me, all of you. Do you all remember that day when he buried your dear father?"
She looked around the table and waited until she saw each one of them nod indicating that they remembered the day of their father's burial in Old Dromod Cemetery. She then continued,
"Do you remember what I said that terrible day? Do you remember that I said no matter what, we were a family. And what do you think that means? We are a family. What does that mean?"
Breda spoke up,
"That we have the same Ma and Pa?"
Margaret smiled and said,
"Indeed, it does mean that, but it means more than that. Yes, it means much, much more than that. What does it mean? We are a family."
For what seemed like a very long time Margaret looked around at her children. Finally she stood up and said,
"Children, now you must listen to me and never forget what I say. Yu had a wonderful father, the best father."
At this Seamus interjected,
"Ma, we have a wonderful father. He may be buried there in the cemetery, but he is still our father."
"Yes, you have a wonderful father and that is the point. Your father is no longer with us. God called him home that terrible day last November. Oh, how I wish that he had never gotten into his mind that he wanted to go out fishing. We could have made do with things here, but he wanted to get us some fresh fish. Well, what happened happened and we just have to follow God's blessed will as best as we can. Anyway, he's your father no matter where he is. He's there now in Old Dromod right next to his father and nearby where someday you might lie in peace."
At this reminder of their own mortality, the Gilchrist children winced, but Margaret continued,
"Now Seamus is the oldest in this family."
With a smile on his face, Seamus spoke up
"Outside of you, Ma!"
Amid the giggles of his brothers and sisters, Margaret tapped him on the side of his head and said,
"Watch what you say, boy. But, yes, outside of me, you are the oldest. That means you have special responsibilities right now. And you've been a blessing to me and to all of us. You dug your dear father's grave. You've helped me here at home. You've done so many things."
With a word of thanks on here lips, Margaret walked behind Seamus and kissed him on the top of his head.
"Aw, Ma, don't be getting mushy on me!"
"I'll get mushy on you if I want!"
Margaret continued,
"As I was saying, Seamus is the oldest, me excepted, and that means that he has to do things different from the rest of you. Maybe you will do the same things later, but right now he has to do these things sooner than you. I cannot tell you all how much I have fretted about this, but I know that there is no other way. They say that America is the place to go for opportunities. That where Paul Walsh went after his wife Clare died a few years ago and that is where Seamus will go in just one week's time. He will go to America and he will have a new life over there. What he will do and how he will live, that is in the hands of the Good God and His Blessed Mother, that's for sure. But listen to me, all of you. This does not mean that Seamus is no longer part of our family. He is and will always be a Gilchrist. Right, Seamus?"
"Ma, what else could I be?"
With a touch of playful sarcasm in her voice, Yvonne wondered,
"A McGinty maybe? You're with Brian and Harry all of the time!"
Seamus glared at his sister, but his mother quickly continued,
"Now listen, we all need and have our own friends. Seamus has the McGinty boys and you all have your own. That's what helps make life more pleasant and happy, especially when you have to suffer something like last November. But my point is that no matter where Seamus or any of you go, you will always be Gilchrists. You will always have each other as brothers and sisters. And maybe some day, far in the future, you will have your own children and I'll have grandchildren, but you'll have nieces and nephews and they'll all be cousins.
And if you are all Gilchrists, then that means that you have to help everyone in the family. You do that when you clean up around here and do your other chores. Families help each other. That's the way it is, they help each other. Now listen, Seamus is a big boy and he's learned a lot of things from his father and part of being a family means that at sometime you need to move on. Now each of you is going to do this, I know. I would want to keep all of you here, but I know I can't. Now it is Seamus' turn, he's only the first to go, but this is his time and I know that it is hard for him and I want all of you to help him like a family. He's still your brother and make him fell like he is your brother, will you please? Can you please help him remember his family here in Ireland as he is over in America? Do you think he wants to remember a bunch of bickering people back in this place? Don't you think he would want to remember that he has you back here loving him and praying for him? Martin? Yvonne? Paul? Breda? Tomas? Seamus?"
One by one the younger Gilchrists nodded their heads. Though they were all a little embarrassed that their mother had to sit them down like this, they loved Seamus and so they agreed with the nod of their heads, that they would act more like a family.
With twinkling eyes that indicated something was coming, Martin asked,
"But, Ma, can I ask you something?"
"Yes, Martin, what is it?"
While pointing at his brother Paul, he asked,
"When Seamus goes, can I have his bed so that I don't have to share one with him?"
They all laughed and Seamus swatted him on the shoulder saying,
"What are you trying to do, shove me out the door and get rid of me as fast as you can? Come on, Martin!"
Margaret tried to quiet their laugher and said,
"Now all of you go and get ready. We have only a few minutes to get up to Mastergeehy before Father Kennedy begins the novena before the holy days start. Get movin, all of you!"
While her family scurried about getting ready to leave for the church, Margaret turned her eyes to heaven and prayed,
"Dear God, may your angels watch over all of them!"
Easter Sunday dawned a slightly overcast and hazy, but by the time the bell of Mastergeehy Church rang out to call the Valley of Cummeragh's residents to Easter Sunday Mass, the skies had turned a beautiful shade of blue. As Margaret shepherded her family out the door of the house towards the Church, she thought that the sky must be the color of the Blessed Mother's veil. Margaret was sure that this must mean that Our Lady was watching over her family and would especially watch over her dear Seamus, since this was his last Easter Sunday at home.
As he was making the announcements after the Easter Mass Father Kennedy called Seamus up to the pulpit. Seamus wondered what was going on, but he did not dare refuse Father Kennedy and so he left his pew, genuflected as be went in front of the altar, and stood right next to Father Kennedy. Father Kennedy continued,
"Now, my dear people, you know that in just a few days time Seamus here will be leaving us for the shores of America. He is going to live with Paul Walsh who went to California just after his beloved Clare died. You know that Seamus' father, Colm, died last November, God rest his soul, and now the boy is going to become a man and take his father's example and make his family proud in America. So, Seamus, kneel down, will ys and I'll give you my special blessing that God watch over you on your trip and in your new life in America."
Seamus blushed a deep red as he listened to Father Kennedy pray over him in Latin. He hadn't a clue what Father Kennedy was saying, but again he figured that as long as God in heaven knew what was being said, that was all right. When he stood up Father Kennedy reached out and shook his hand saying,
"Good luck, son, good luck! I'll be praying for you!"
"Thanks, Father!" Seamus whispered.
As he headed back to his family, the people who had come for Easter Mass did something that had never been done before. They all stood and clapped their hands. Many made the Sign of the Cross and Seamus looked confused at Father Kennedy as he stood beaming in the pulpit. Father Kennedy mouthed to him,
"Good luck, son!" And he too began to clap for Seamus.
Seamus was relieved to get back to his family in their pew. Remembering his words about "getting mushy on him," Margaret nonetheless bent over and kissed her son while his brothers and sisters continued to clap for their brother, soon to become an American.
After Mass Seamus wanted to run quickly away and avoid all of his freinds and neighbors, but Father Kennedy called out to him,
"Not so fast, boy! Get yourself back up here! You may be going to America, but you will always be Irish and from the Valley of Cummeragh. Don't run away from your family now!"
Seamus stood next to Father Kennedy at the main doors of Mastergeehy Church and smiled and shook the hands of the people as they left the Church that beautiful Easter morning. Seamus did not know what to say to anyone and so he just kept smiling and saying "Thanks! Thanks so much!"
When at long last Seamus was alone with his family and Father Kennedy all he do was to again say,
"Thanks, Father. I sure did not expect that."
"Neither did I, boy, but that's all right! You deserve it. Just make your Pa proud as he watches you from heaven and make us proud too. You're still one of us."
"Father, I'll do my best for sure."
"I know you will, Seamus, and I will certainly pray for you and your father and your family. I know that just knowing you are making a good life for yourself over there in America means that they will know that you have learned your lessons well. But never forget your family back here in this place. And one more thing, will you promise me that you'll always go to Mass? Your Ma and Pa did not raise you to be a slacker!"
"Father, I promise. Don't worry about that. I have heard the stories about when Dromid Church was taken away from us and how they told the minister in the old days that they did not want him since knew the right way to pray. I know how they risked everything to bury their dead in that holy place and if they could be faithful, Father, so can I! But, Father, I do know that maybe while I am on the Baltic I might not be able to go to Mass. The White Star people told me that they did not know if there was going to be a priest on that trip. What about that, Father? Is that a terrible sin?"
"Seamus, my boy, you do not need to be worrying about that. You can't do the impossible. If there is no Mass, then just say your rosary for the special intention of your family back here in your home and that will take care of it. All right?"
Seamus smiled and said, "Ok, Father, I will do that. And now will you do something for me?"
With a quick glance at his mother and seeing her nod of approval, he asked Father Kennedy to come to his house tomorrow night for his going away dinner.
"My mother is making Colcannon and she even let me buy some Guinness so that me and my friends could have a sip of it before I leave. Will you please come, Father?"
"Guinness is it? Hmmmmmm, I do not know about that!"
Seamus smiled from ear to ear as Father Kennedy said,
"Son, I would not miss your dinner even if the Pope himself were coming to Mastergeehy! I will be there, but I wonder if your mother would let this old man have a sip of Guinness too? Or is it only for the young people?"
They all laughed as Margaret tried to assure Father Kennedy,
"Father, you can surely have some, at least if those boys don't drink it all themselves!"
As Father Kennedy headed back into the Church, the Gilchrist Family headed back to their home. As they often did after Sunday Mass they first stopped at Old Dromod Cemetery to make a visit to Colm's grave. They were all very much aware that this might be the last time that they were all together and so they were in no rush to leave. Even little Tomas stayed with the family as the knelt at his father's grave.
Easter Monday was a glorious day and most of Margaret's time was spent getting ready for Seamus' dinner that evening. She was pleased that in spite of the earlier rancor that seemed to threaten her family's peace, everyone was working very hard to make this day as memorable as possible. The yard was cleaned up, the house swept. Paul even made his bed. When he told his mother this, she replied,
"Paul, that's wonderful, but you know, they will not be going up to your room."
"I know, but I wanted to make sure that just in case someone did go upstairs they would not think I live in a barn."
Margaret smiled as she silently rustled his hair. That afternoon was busy with all of the peeling of potatoes and the shredding of the cabbage for the Colcannon. Several of her neighbors came by to leave some special food for Seamus' long ocean trip. As Mary McCarthy left some of her famous Soda Bread, she told Margaret,
"Now we don't want that boy of yours to starve on his trip, do we?"
"No we don't, but I wonder if he will get fatter than a pig by the time that he gets to California."
"Well, that'll be all right. That boy needs some meat on his bones, he does!"
Margaret smiled and took Mary's soda bread and put it aside for the moment and continued her preparations for the evening meal with Seamus' friends. She prepared her favorite Honey Parsnip dish and then cooked some apples for dessert. She barely had a moment's peace, but Margaret felt a peace in her heart that amazed her.
While all of this work was going on downstairs Seamus was upstairs packing and re-packing his clothes and other belongs that he would bring to America. The McGintys had given him a fine satchel for his belongings as a going away gift. He did not know how he would squeeze everything into it, but he would do his best. He was going to bring along an additional cloth bag his mother had given him. This would hold some food that he could eat if he got hungry during the day or if the Baltic did not serve big enough meals.
Feeling guilty that his mother was working so hard preparing his dinner, he came downstairs and asked what he could do to help her. Margaret smiled at him and said,
"Seamus, this dinner is for you. All I want is for you to enjoy your friends because too soon you will be going away. Seamus, come here!"
Seamus went over to his mother who just held him tight to her breast without saying a word. Seamus began to cry and his mother said,
"Now listen, you got to get ready for your friends. They'll be here in an hour. Go and wash your face and put on a clean shirt. You'll not be looking like a pig in my house. In your house you can do what you want, but here you'll like a gentleman. Go wash up now."
Seamus did not know what to think at this moment. Here he was going to leave his home and his mother was celebrating. His best friends were coming over and he was going to have some Guinness. He just could not imagine leaving his home for good, but it was really happening. He was going to America.
Finally Seamus' friends started to arrive. First Brian and Harry McGinty came in and a few minutes later Father Kennedy came down from Mastergeehy Church. Father Kennedy went in to talk with Margaret and the rest of the Gilchrist family while the boys talked outside. Finally Liam Crosby and Pat Fitzgerald showed up. They were apologetic and explained that one of the valley's sheep farmers was blocking the road as he led his flock back to the barns. They kept yelling that they had to get moving, but the farmer just smiled at them and pointed to his sheep while shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, you're here now and that's all that matters. Thanks for coming! I don't know what I'd have done without you guys and I do not know what I will do away from you."
"Ah, well," Pat piped up, "You'll be watching all of the pretty girls in America and be discovering some more gold. You won't have time for the likes of us anymore."
Seamus felt like punching his good and hard. He felt terrible that he was leaving behind his friends and even though he knew the Pat was joking, it was still hard to even think about leaving Brian, Harry, Liam, and Pat behind.
Liam wanted to know,
"Is it true that we're having some Guinness tonight?"
"Would I lie to you about something like that? Yes, we're having Guinness and Colcannon and I do not know what else. My Ma hasn't let me help her at all today, but we're going to have a fine dinner tonight."
Liam then looked around with a secretive manner that made the others wonder what he was up to. He put his finger to his lips as if to tell them to be quiet and then he took some cigarettes out of his pocket. In a whisper he told his companions,
"Listen now, if we're going to have Guinness tonight, then we ought to have a smoke together with our new American friend."
Seamus had never smoked before and he was not sure if this was something that he wanted to do. However, he figured that if he was going to have some Guinness, it would be ok to have a cigarette. They all lit up and tried smoking for the first time. Seamus really did not know what to do and so he just sucked in on the cigarette so deeply that he began to cough. He made so much noise that his mother came outside and demanded to know,
"Now what are you five up to?"
Seeing the cigarettes, she slapped it out of Seamus' mouth and said,
"As long as you are here you will not do this foolishness. That is an expensive and stupid habit and I'll have none of it. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, mam! Ok! That's the end of it!"
"Well, then, dinner is almost on the table. You'd better go in and...
"Wash your hands!" Seamus added, much to his mother's amusement.
As he went by his mother, Seamus hugged her and said that he was sorry about the cigarettes and that he would never smoke again.
"Seamus, I know that sometimes you have to try things, but I also know that I know a few more things than you and smoking is not a good thing. Don't waste your money it."
"I won't, Ma. Don't worry. They tasted terrible, just like liver. I'll never do that again."
"Good, then go in and wash your hands and sit down. I don't want to be serving a cold dinner to all of you this evening."
Once everyone was gather around the table, Father Kennedy said the blessing which to Seamus' relief he said in English and not in Latin. The formalities over, a splendid banquet was served. Barley Soup, Soda Bread and fresh butter, Colcannon, Parsnips, Carrots, tea, baked apples and fresh cream. Seamus could not imagine anyone eating so well. Even though he had thought before that cooking was woman's work, he wished that he had learned how to make some of these things. He wondered if he would ever eat some of these dishes that his mother knew so well how to prepare. So he asked,
"Ma, when I get to America I will write you a letter and tell you about everything, but will you write me back?"
"Now Father Kennedy, have you ever heard so stupid a question in all your days? Will I write this boy when he is in America? Seamus, what do you think? Of course I will write to you."
"Ma, the reason I was asking about that is that I wondered if you might sometime write down some instructions on how to make some Colcannon and this other stuff we're eating so well tonight. I mean, maybe they will not know how to do that in America."
Brian McGinty laughed and said,
"Well, buddy, you are just then going to have to be very careful and when you start courting some fine lass, you can check and see if she can cook. If she can make Colcannon, then you marry her. If she can't, tell her to go cook for the Queen!"
Martin, the most politically minded of the Gilchrist children, said,
"And if you send her over there to cook for the Queen, tell her to burn everything and make the Queen sick!"
"Martin, my boy," Father Kennedy said, "That doesn't sound too Christian to me. Do you really think that we should make someone else sick?"
"Father, why should I worry about the Queen when she doesn't give a hoot for me?"
"Martin, I don't care much for the Queen myself. She's caused a lot of trouble and heartache for the people of Ireland. Ireland should be free, just like it says on your father's gravestone. I just don't think that we should be wanting to make people sick."
While Seamus appreciated his brother's feelings about the Queen, he did not want to be talking about politics. In less than two days he would be on the Baltic somewhere out on the ocean. He looked at Father Kennedy and asked him,
"Father, have you ever been out of Ireland?"
"I once went to see my brother and his wife after they moved to London and then after we visited for a few days, I went off to see Rome."
Margaret was amazed and said,
"Rome? Really? Is it like they say it is?"
"Well, I don't know what they say it is, but I can tell you that I have never seen such magnificent places. Churches on every corner and the sites of Ancient Rome. It is hard to imagine that this is where Peter and Paul preached and died for the faith."
Seamus asked,
"Father, did you see the pope? What is he like?"
"Seamus, I only say him from a distance as they were carrying him into Saint Peter's for some solemn function or another."
Yvonne wondered,
"Carried him in a chair? Why would they do that? Wouldn't it be easier for him if he walked by himself?"
"well, I suppose that it would be faster for the pope to walk on his own, but this way more people could see him. You can see that I am not as tall as Brian McGinty here and so the only way that I could see him was for them to carry him in a chair. It didn't look too comfortable to me, but I wasn't up there and he did not seem to be minding too much.
Margaret looked around the table and asked, "has everyone had enough to eat? There's plenty of food here!"
When everyone said that they were satisfied, Margaret then said,
"Well, then, I guess it is time for some baked apples and a sip of Guinness? Who'd like some?"
As the entire table raised their hands, Margaret frowned at her younger children and said,
"You can raise your hands all you like, but you'll not be getting any Guinness tonight."
"Ma!"
"Don't Ma me now. Will you just clean off the table while I get the apples ready?"
Since they knew that they would never get any Guinness, and since they really were only joking when they asked for some, the Gilchrist children were not upset. They were having too good of a time right now to worry about that.
Margaret set a bowl of delicious baked apples in the middle of the table. With the apples she also put out a pitcher of fresh cream and some extra sugar. While they were serving themselves their apples, Margaret carefully poured out the Guinness that Seamus had purchased some time ago in Cahirciveen. She set a glass first in front of Father Kennedy and then one for Seamus. She then served Seamus' friends Brian, Harry, Liam, and Pat. It was Pat who held up his glass and said,
"I propose a toast to the newest American here, but an American that had better never forget that he is first an Irishman. Or else I will come and beat the daylights out of him. No, to Seamus, may you have a safe trip to America and never forget your family and friends here in your home!"
Together they all held their glasses high, whether glasses of Guinness or milk or water and cried with one voice,
"To Seamus!"
They all then sipped their drinks and began to eat the apples. For the rest of his life Seamus would always remember this night and how he prayed and thanked God for giving him such a good family and such good friends.
Finally Father Kennedy stood up and said,
"Margaret, I don't even my own mother could have served such a dinner this night. But I have to say the early Mass and so I'd better be off now. God bless you all!"
With that Father Kennedy went over and patted Seamus on the head and said,
"You know that you always have a home here, boy. You'll have a nice home over in America, but this is your home. You're one of us. Never forget that and you'll always be strong. God night all!"
As Father Kennedy headed out the door Seamus followed him, closing the door firmly behind himself. Margaret went to the window and looked out, wondering what was going on. She saw Seamus kneeling next to Father Kennedy, just outside the fence. She saw him make the Sign of the Cross and then she knew that he was going to Confession before his trip. "Ah, thanks be to God! Seamus is a good boy. May the angels watch over him always."
Paul asked,
"Ma, where's Semaus?"
Margaret just waved her hand at Paul, knowing that this was something private and that Seamus had to be left alone right now.
Only a few minutes later Seamus came back in and stole a smile at his mother. She said,
"Sit down, Seamus, and visit with your friends. You'll not being seeing these four much longer. And the rest of you, scoot! Go outside and leave your brother alone with his friends."
Seamus' brothers and sisters knew well enough that this was not the moment to argue with their mother so they went outside while she went upstairs. Seamus and his friends talked and talked and talked. Though he was never able to remember everything that they talked about that night, Seamus never forgot how good he felt and how glad he was to have these friends. He just hoped that he would have some good friends like them in America.
"But, guys, I'll never have such good friends like you. You've been the best. You were always there when I needed you, especially last November. Brian and Harry, I will always remember that you helped carry my Pa back into this room so that we could pray the Rosary for him in his own home. I'll never forget that. And Liam and Pat, I will always remember the times we went off riding our bicycles and had fun together."
For the group, Brian stood up and said,
"All right, now, we'd better be getting home, but Seamus, we want you to remember your buddies back here in Ireland. So, we got this rock from the Dromid Church and had our names carved on it. Take it with you and when you see it, think of us back home, Ok?"
Seamus began to sob and sob. Before he had tried to hide his crying from his friends, but this time he couldn't. While his friends sat silently, Seamus cried his heart out. Margaret looked down the stairs, wondering what was going one. See that this was not a moment for her to interfere, she went back to her room and closed the door. Finally, the McGintys and Liam and Pat stood up and said,
"Seamus! Come here and stop that! You're going to make us cry too! What will our mothers think then? You don't want them to think that we had a bad dinner here now do you?"
Seamus wiped his eyes and tried to say,
"I don't know what I'm going to do without you guys. But this is something that I will always treasure. I will never forget you. And please don't forget me either!"
With that there was much hugging and slapping of the backs. Seamus walked with them out to the gate and waved at them as they headed towards their homes. When he came back inside, his mother told him,
"You've had a long day. Go to your room now. When I finish here I will go to bed too. Tomorrow we've plenty to do and you will be needing your rest."
Seamus went over to his mother and hugged her and again began crying,
"Ma, everything was perfect. I could not have asked for anything better. How can I thank you?"
"You can thank me by going to bed now and then getting up and finishing all the things you need to do before we go to Queenstown at sparrowfart on Wednesday."
"Sparrowfart? Sparrowfart?" Seamus couldn't help laughing. "What do you mean sparrowfart?"
With a mock haughtiness Margaret said,
"You know very well what I mean. My dear grandmother used to talk about sparrowfart being so early that you could even hear the sparrows farting. Anyway, you boys do enough of that farting in my house. At least now I don't have to worry about the worst of the lot anymore. From now on you can smell up your own place and I don't have to worry about it anymore! Get to bed now!"
Seamus continued to laugh as he went up stairs. He just could not imagine his mother talking so easily about farting. That seemed so unlike her. He had a good mother, for sure.
When Margaret finished cleaning up the dining table, she called her other children in from the yard and sent them to their rooms. Once the last of them were safely tucked in, she carefully opened Seamus' door and saw that he was so tired that he had simply fallen on his bed without taking off his clothes. She pulled a blanket over him and quietly prayed,
"May the angels watch over you, Seamus, and may the Blessed Mother always protect you in America!"
With that she closed the door and went to her room. She did not even want to think about tomorrow, much less Wednesday. It was all in God's hands now.