360.
I finish, flush and go outside. She takes my hand and leads me into a bedroom, puts down her gla.s.s, locks the door, pushes me down on the bed. Sheas fumbling at my fly. d.a.m.n b.u.t.tons. Donat you have zippers in Ireland? She pulls out my excitement climbs up on me slides up and down up and down Jesus Iam in heaven and thereas a knock on the door the priest Frank are you in there Frieda putting her finger to her lips and her eyes rolling to heaven Frank are you in there Father would you ever take a good running jump for yourself and oh G.o.d oh Theresa do you see whatas happening to me at long last I donat give a fiddleras fart if the Pope himself knocked on this door and the College of Cardinals gathered gawking at the windows oh G.o.d the whole inside of me is gone into her and she collapses on me and tells me Iam wonderful and would I ever consider settling in Poughkeepsie.
Frieda tells the priest I had a bit of a dizziness after going to the bathroom, thatas what happens when you travel and youare drinking a strange beer like Rheingold, which she believes they donat have in Ireland.
I can see the priest doesnat believe her and I canat stop the way the heat is coming and going in my face. He already wrote down my motheras name and address and now Iam afraid heall write and say your fine son spent his first night in America in a bedroom in Poughkeepsie romping with a woman whose husband was away shooting deer for a bit of relaxation after doing his bit for America in the war and isnat this a fine way to treat the men who fought for their country.
The First Officer and the Wireless Officer return from their tours of the house and the garden and they donat look at the priest. The women tell us we must be starving and they go into the kitchen.We sit in the living room saying nothing to each other and listening to the women whispering and laughing in the kitchen.The priest whispers to me again, Bad women, bad women, occasion of sin, and I donat know what to say to him.
The bad women bring out sandwiches and pour more beer and when we finish eating they put on Frank Sinatra records and ask if anyone would like to dance. No one says yes because youad never get up and dance with bad women in the presence of a priest, so the women dance with each other and laugh as if they all had little secrets. Tim Boyle drinks whiskey and falls asleep in a corner till Frieda wakes him and tells him take us back to the ship.When weare leaving Frieda leans toward me as if she might kiss my cheek but the priest says good night in a very sharp way and no one shakes hands. As we walk down the 361.
street to the river we hear the women laughing, tinkling and bright in the night air.
We climb the ladder and Tim calls to us from his little boat, Mind yourselves going up that ladder. Oh, boys, oh, boys, wasnat that a grand night? Good night, boys, and good night, Father.
We watch his little boat till it disappears into the dark of the Poughkeepsie riverbank.The priest says good night and goes below and the First Officer follows him.
I stand on the deck with the Wireless Officer looking at the lights of America twinkling. He says,My G.o.d, that was a lovely night, Frank.
Isnat this a great country altogether?