On December 26, at about 9 A.M., I and a couple of Irish folk waited at a streetcar stop. Father Flannigan was among us, for he was the one who orgsnized this little party.
The red streetcar rolled along the track in the middle of the street and then stopped. It was big and red and had signs on the sides advertising some products. One by one, each of us boarded the streetcar and took a seat in the front.
The streetcar operator suddenly started yelling and cursing. Apparently, he was telling us to go to the back for the front was reserved for Negroes. We refused to move until the streetcar was on its way.
And then the police came in their cars, and they surrounded the streetcar. They were all yelling at us over loudspeakers.
One of the cops came over to the streeetcar, and it turned out to be the detective who interrogated me at the police station.
"Well, well," he said to me. "If it isn't that Irish vagrant. The judge told you to stay out of trouble, boy, but you Irish never listen. You always have to cause trouble."
"We paid our fare, and we are just sitting quietly waiting to reach our stop," I said.
"Go sit in the back, Irish."
"No. I paid my fare, and I am just going to sit here until I reach my stop."
"You Irish belong in the back."
Would the cops bust in here and try to forcibly remove all the Irish on board? The detective spoke with the streetcar operator.
The detective then left the streetcar. A few seconds later, I felt the streetcar move.
So we all rode in the front. I watched the buildings and the cars and the people on the sidewalks. The sky overhead was covered in clouds, and I could feel a cool breeze, for the streetcars were open-air vehicles.
Then the streetcar stopped at the next stop. Father Flannigan got up and led us out. We all stood at the streetcar stop, wondering if the police would come and arrest us for sitting in the front while Irish.
Fortunately, there was no activity for police.
Father Flannigan then addressed us.
"This all worked out rather nicely," said Heather.
We all then walked back to the Little Dublin neighborhood. Some of the Negroes walking along the sidewalks watched us.
Heather and I later ate at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. It was a rather nice restaurant, described by Heather as one of the best in the city. The floor was covered in a red carpet, and the tables were covered in white tablecloths. There were fish tanks with golsfish swimming in them. Most of the people in the restaurant were Chinese with red dragon emblems on their sleeves, although there were a few Negroes. Heather and I were the only Irish in the restaraunt that night.
We ordered Chow Mein and Black and Green Pepper Beef Steak. We had sizzling rice soup for our soup.
"So you'll be leavin' tomorrow," said Heather.
"I can't help it," I said. "And it is very unlikely I'll be coming back."
"Well, I certainly don't regret knowing ya. What will ye be doin'?"
"I'll move on, and try to find my brother. He's the only family I got."
"Tell me about some of the places you visited."
So I did. Heather certainly was interested.
"You know," I said, "i rarely get to eat in fine restaurants, on account I can't take my money with me. Most of the time, I go to McDonald's or Burger King."
"What?" asked Heather.
"Oh, they don't exist here."
And so we managed to finish our food. Finally, fortune cookies were served. I ate mine. I looked at my fortune, and it was not in English.
Heather read it for me. "Ye will learn the truth of yer family," she said.
Finally, it was time to go. I had gotten a bag of chips and a bottle of water for the next world.
"So ye'll just disappear right in front of me?" asked Heather.
"Yes," I replied. "You should not touch me, lest I take you with me."
She kissed me. "I hope ye find yer family."
"I know I will," I said.
I looekd at my watch. Only ten seconds left.
Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
And then I seeped throiugh the dimensional barriers and continued my journey.
The red streetcar rolled along the track in the middle of the street and then stopped. It was big and red and had signs on the sides advertising some products. One by one, each of us boarded the streetcar and took a seat in the front.
The streetcar operator suddenly started yelling and cursing. Apparently, he was telling us to go to the back for the front was reserved for Negroes. We refused to move until the streetcar was on its way.
And then the police came in their cars, and they surrounded the streetcar. They were all yelling at us over loudspeakers.
One of the cops came over to the streeetcar, and it turned out to be the detective who interrogated me at the police station.
"Well, well," he said to me. "If it isn't that Irish vagrant. The judge told you to stay out of trouble, boy, but you Irish never listen. You always have to cause trouble."
"We paid our fare, and we are just sitting quietly waiting to reach our stop," I said.
"Go sit in the back, Irish."
"No. I paid my fare, and I am just going to sit here until I reach my stop."
"You Irish belong in the back."
Would the cops bust in here and try to forcibly remove all the Irish on board? The detective spoke with the streetcar operator.
The detective then left the streetcar. A few seconds later, I felt the streetcar move.
So we all rode in the front. I watched the buildings and the cars and the people on the sidewalks. The sky overhead was covered in clouds, and I could feel a cool breeze, for the streetcars were open-air vehicles.
Then the streetcar stopped at the next stop. Father Flannigan got up and led us out. We all stood at the streetcar stop, wondering if the police would come and arrest us for sitting in the front while Irish.
Fortunately, there was no activity for police.
Father Flannigan then addressed us.
"This all worked out rather nicely," said Heather.
We all then walked back to the Little Dublin neighborhood. Some of the Negroes walking along the sidewalks watched us.
Heather and I later ate at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. It was a rather nice restaurant, described by Heather as one of the best in the city. The floor was covered in a red carpet, and the tables were covered in white tablecloths. There were fish tanks with golsfish swimming in them. Most of the people in the restaurant were Chinese with red dragon emblems on their sleeves, although there were a few Negroes. Heather and I were the only Irish in the restaraunt that night.
We ordered Chow Mein and Black and Green Pepper Beef Steak. We had sizzling rice soup for our soup.
"So you'll be leavin' tomorrow," said Heather.
"I can't help it," I said. "And it is very unlikely I'll be coming back."
"Well, I certainly don't regret knowing ya. What will ye be doin'?"
"I'll move on, and try to find my brother. He's the only family I got."
"Tell me about some of the places you visited."
So I did. Heather certainly was interested.
"You know," I said, "i rarely get to eat in fine restaurants, on account I can't take my money with me. Most of the time, I go to McDonald's or Burger King."
"What?" asked Heather.
"Oh, they don't exist here."
And so we managed to finish our food. Finally, fortune cookies were served. I ate mine. I looked at my fortune, and it was not in English.
Heather read it for me. "Ye will learn the truth of yer family," she said.
Finally, it was time to go. I had gotten a bag of chips and a bottle of water for the next world.
"So ye'll just disappear right in front of me?" asked Heather.
"Yes," I replied. "You should not touch me, lest I take you with me."
She kissed me. "I hope ye find yer family."
"I know I will," I said.
I looekd at my watch. Only ten seconds left.
Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
And then I seeped throiugh the dimensional barriers and continued my journey.