Chapter 23 Part 1 Chapter 3 Dear Papa (2)

"Folks, let me tell you," he said, "I have two wonderful kids at home, and a beautiful wife. Listen, folks, I'm not fit to be a father, and I'm not fit to be a husband." "Don't think so." A friend patted him on the shoulder. Francie heard a few people outside the circle of waiters talking about Papa.A little man said: "Listen to what this guy said about his wife and kids. You know. The kid is hilarious. He takes his wages home to his wife. Keeps tips for drinks. He has a funny deal with McGarrity's. He turned in all the tips. McGarrity gave him drinks. Now he doesn't know if McGarrity owed him or he owed McGarrity. But it worked for him. He was always drunk .” The men then left.

Francie felt a dull pain in her heart.However, seeing that the people standing around Dad liked him, laughed when he spoke, and listened carefully, the pain eased a little.She knew that everyone liked Dad. Yes, everyone loves Johnny Nolan.He's a love song singer, he sings love songs.From ancient times to the present, who doesn't like singers among themselves?Especially the Irish.His waiter buddies really liked him, his guests liked him, his wife and kids liked him.He is still lively, young and handsome.The wife has not yet complained about it, and has spoken ill of him.The children are still ignorant and don't know how to be ashamed of him.

Francie withdrew her thoughts from the day she went to union headquarters and listened to her father chatting.Dad is remembering. "Just take me. I'm nothing." He calmly lit a nickel. "When the potato harvest was bad, our family came here from Ireland. The man who drove the ship company said that he could take my father to the United States, and there was something waiting for him there. He said he would pay for the ship ticket first, and use his salary to pay for it later. That's it. , my parents are here." "My father, like me, can't do anything for long." He smoked quietly for a while.

Francie ironed her clothes in silence.She knew he was just talking to himself.Nor did he expect his daughter to understand this.He just hoped someone was listening.He said the same thing almost every Saturday.The rest of the week he was drinking, coming in and out of the house, and barely speaking.It's Saturday, and it's his time to talk. "No one in our family can read. I was only in sixth grade myself. I stopped school when the old man died. Lucky you kids. I promise you'll finish your books." "Okay, Dad." "I was twelve years old. I went to bars and sang to drunks, and they threw pennies at me. Then I went to bars, restaurants... entertained people..." He mused for a while without speaking.

"I've always wanted to be a real singer, dressed up and on stage. But I'm not very educated, and I don't know how to be a stage singer. Do your job, your mother said. And she said, You don't know how lucky you are to have something to do. That's how I got into waitress and singer. It's not a steady job. I'd be better off being a normal waiter. That's why I drink." He spoke incoherently. She looked up at him as if to ask a question.But after thinking about it, she swallowed it again. "I drink because I'm fucked, and I know it. I can't drive a truck like other men; I'm not the size to be a cop. I have to drink beer and sing when I feel like it. I drink, yeah Because I'm too small and my burden is too heavy." He paused for a moment, then whispered, "I'm not happy. I have a wife and children, but I'm a lazy person by nature. I never wanted to have a family."

This made Francie's heart ache again.He didn't want her, or Neeley? "What does a man like me do with a family? But I'm in love with Katie Romley. Well, it's not your mother's fault," he said hastily. "If it wasn't for her, I'd marry Hill too." Dee O'Dell. You know, your mother is still jealous of her now. When I met Katie, I told Hilty, 'From now on, you and I will go our separate ways.' ' And then I married your mother and we had a baby. Your mother was a good person, Francie, don't forget that."