Gavin Corbett: This Is the Way

Conchita wanted to go in Dublin I wanted to go in Dublin with her. I says to her this time I will drive the both of us in Dublin, I will find a place to park the car. She said she did not want to go in the car she wanted to go on the bus. I said I would go on the bus. I went out the house with her, I said to her I would go in the shops with her. I looked at her I says we will go in the shops what shops will we go in but she said she did not care about the shops, the shops in Dublin were not like the shops in Spain. At the bus stop she says bye. I says we only just got to the bus stop why you saying to me bye.

She says I’m going to meet my friend from school.

I says I’ll go with you.

Conchita says no.

The bus came and she got on it, she had a card she put in the machine. She rushed on the bus she didn’t look behind her, she shot up the stair of the bus. People were getting off the bus, a slow old one and an old man. I went in around them, I went in at the machine. When I was in the bus I felt in my pockets I didn’t have the coins. I says to the bus man I have a friend up the stair I’ll get the coins off her give me a minute.

The bus man had sun glasses on him he says you fucking will not.

I says to the bus man don’t you use language with me.

He says get off the bus now or I’ll ring the guards.

I went to try get the coins anyhows I thinks to hell with him. The bus man turned off the engine and came out his seat.

He says get off the bus now.

A man in the bus says to me get off the bus and the other people on the bus were giving out, another man says don’t be holding us up you.

I walked back up the bus toward the door and the bus man went back in his seat behind the glass. When I went past him I thumped the glass my fist, I was annoyed with him. I got off the bus, he shouted at me. I went to shout at him, he closed the door on me. It hissed, I says don’t hiss that thing at me.

When Conchita came home from Dublin it was late in the evening. I says to her did you meet your friend in Dublin she says yes.

She says was there trouble on the bus.

I says what.

She says the bus driver said on his microphone that he was sorry about the trouble.

I says what trouble he say.

She says he said a man jumped on the bus and he made people afraid.

I says what else he say.

Conchita says he didn’t say more.

I says what else he say, Conchita says he didn’t say anything more, I did not believe her.

Conchita stayed after school some of the days to be with her friend. I said it to my father about it, my father did not say anything about it.

I says to him she’s staying after school with this friend, she’s coming back to the house late it’s not good, my father said nothing, he made a noise.

Conchita met her friend the Saturdays too and one of the Sundays. I says to her when I meet your friend Conchita.

She says she smiling at me she says I don’t know.

I says I don’t mind to be talking Spanish I’ll learn the Spanish I’ll talk to your friends. I says to Conchita is your friend from Spain.

She says no my friend’s from Ireland.

I been thinking about the trouble on the bus I says to Conchita did you say to your friend about me on the bus.

She looked confused, I didn’t know if she was putting it on. She says no I didn’t say anything about you on the bus.

I says to her don’t say nothing to your friend about me on the bus.

In the evening Conchita went in at the television where my father was, she says Mister Sonaghan I’m going into Dublin to meet a friend for a few hours. She said nothing to me and she left the house. It wasn’t until one o’clock in the morning she was back in the house, I was lying in bed listening, I was brewing.

The next morning we had a row I says to her why you been keeping your friend away from me she says you wouldn’t be interested in my friend.

I says your friend isn’t interested in me.

Conchita says what do you mean don’t be stupid you don’t even know my friend.

I says your friend thinks she knows it all about me and don’t be telling lies you told your friend about me hitting the bus. I says your friend is the same as the bus man she thinks I’m the scum on the earth so she does and she been telling you lies about me and that’s the reason you been keeping your friend away from me and me father you’re shamed of us so you are.

Conchita says I don’t understand I says fuck yourself I says.

After Conchita came back from school she says I’m sorry Anthony. She says are you sorry.

I says I haven’t got nothing to be sorry about.

She says well I am sorry. I would like you to meet my friend she says.

I says you sorry you bring your friend to the house to meet me.

Conchita says okay I will.

I says I want to meet your friend I want to talk to your friend.

She says I will bring my friend to the house.

On a Monday so I was at home, nothing to do, I been driving all day. I was not expecting Conchita to bring her friend with her to the house this night but this night was the night she did it. My father was away for the evening this night, he was away meeting with Mister FX and their group doing charity was their thing on this night. Conchita knew this, she knew this for a while Monday evenings, and this why she brought her friend with her to the house on this night. She could get away with it she knew and it was something she wanted to be getting away with because her friend was not a girl, it was a boy.

Conchita says Anthony this is my friend Fintan, he teaches me English in the school.

This fella was standing there in my television room. I was shocked and I did not like it, I was expecting a girl. I looked at Conchita she was smiling up at this fella. I did not get up from my seat. I looked at him once and quick then I looked back at the television.

He went to sit in my father’s seat and Conchita sat on the couch. He’d had drink and so had Conchita, the minute they sat down I could smell it off them. I thought what kind of a fella is this fella. I looked at him the side of my eye, I seen the way his knees were high and pointing in the air he was a tall fella.

He says anything good on.

I says there’s nothing on.

What are you watching says the fella.

I did not say anything because he could see what I was watching, I was watching the inside of the stars’ houses.

He says hey and I looked over at him. He was leaning over at me. He had his hand out he wanted me to shake it. I will shake someone’s hand if they put it out I shook his hand.

Anthony right he says.

I looked at Conchita she was watching the stars’ houses on the television. I says to him yes Anthony.

We looked at the programme, after two minutes he says are you really watching this mate.

I did not say anything to him he says there’s something better on the other station.

I says to him nothing then I says it’s a funny name all the same Fintan.

Fintan I seen had the hair and beard like Francis of Assisi and a sick look like Francis of Assisi, thought himself looked very smart but he was not a religious man, and Conchita was not a religious girl.

Conchita says Anthony you still have beer in the fridge don’t you.

I says we do.

Conchita got up, the fella followed her, they didn’t ask me could they have the beer. They came back in the room with the beer, they sat on the couch. The fella says cool house I like it, I like the statue in the kitchen.

When they were settled we watched more of the programme then I pressed the button on the control to turn off the television.

I says I been thinking about what you were saying and it’s true I’m not watching this programme it is shite what it is.