The Barrytown Trilogy (70 page)
—Mission acc-accomplished, he said. —Come on, Jim.
He bailed out. Jimmy Sr heard the splash. Jimmy Sr did the same. He lowered himself down (—Jeeesus!!) into two feet of water, freezing fuckin’ water; it lapped up to near his bollix.
—Aaaahh! Jesus; shi’e!
He’d never felt soberer.
—Where are yeh, yeh fuckin’ eejit?
He found Bimbo behind the van, pushing it, trying to get it further into the water, getting nowhere.
—Give us a hand!
Jimmy Sr waded over and put his arms around Bimbo’s waist and lifted him away from the van.
—Come on, he said.
Bimbo didn’t fight.
Jimmy Sr let him down.
—Come on.
They waded, then walked, back to the shore. Jimmy Sr looked back. They’d only come about thirty yards. He could see the top of the van’s wheels; the water only reached the bottom of the burger sign. When the tide came in though, it would disappear then.
He took his shoes off.
—I did it, said Bimbo.
He sat down. In a half inch of water.
—I did it, Jim.
—Good man, said Jimmy Sr. —Come on before we die.
Bimbo stood up. He caught up with Jimmy Sr. He put his arm around Jimmy Sr’s shoulders. Jimmy Sr shrugged it off. He tried again. Jimmy Sr shrugged his arm away again.
When they got to the dry sand Jimmy Sr turned to look. Bimbo was ten yards behind him; he’d turned sooner. The van seemed to be deeper in the water.
—You’ll be able to get it when the tide goes out again, Jimmy Sr told him.
Bimbo said nothing.
Jimmy Sr turned back and headed up to the dunes.
* * *
Veronica woke up while he was getting his clothes off. She smelt the sea in the room. It was getting bright outside. He sat on the bed beside her.
—Give us a hug, Veronica, will yeh. ——I need a hug.
When a Man Loves a Woman
, words and music by C. Lewis/A. Wright, © 1966 Pronto Music Inc./Quinvy Music Publishing Company; and
Knock on Wood
, words and music by Eddie Floyd/Steve Cropper, © 1966 East Publishers Inc., reproduced by kind permission of Warner Bros Music Limited.
Superbad
, words and music by James Brown, © 1970 Crited Music;
Get Up, I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine
, words and music by James Brown/Bobby Byrd/Ronald L. Lenhoff, © 1970 Dynatone Publishing Co.; and
It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World
, words and music by James Brown/Betty Mewsome, © 1966 Dynatone Publishing Co., reproduced by kind permission of Intersong Music Limited.
Out of Sight
, words and music by James Brown, and
Night Train
, words and music by Washington/Simpkins/Forrest, reproduced by kind permission of Carlin Music Corp.
Walking in the Rain
, words and music by Spector/Mann/Weil, © 1964 Screen Gems–EMI Music Inc., USA, sub-published by Screen Gems–EMI Music Ltd, London WC2.H oLD. Reproduced by permission.
I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better
, words and music by Gene Clark, © 1965 Lakeview Music Publishing Co. Limited, 19/20 Poland Street, London W 1V 3DD. International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Reach Out I’ll Be There
, words by B. Holland, L. Dozier, E. Holland, © 1966 Jobete Music Co., Inc.,
JOBETE MUSIC
(
UK
)
LTD
. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. International Copyright Secured.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
, words by P. Riser, J. Dean, W. Weatherspoon, © 1966 Jobete Music Co., Inc.,
JOBETE MUSIC
(
UK
)
LTD
. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. International Copyright Secured.
Chain Gang
, words and music by Sam Cooke, reprinted by permission of ABKCO Music Ltd.
Let’s Twist Again
(Mann/Appell) used by permission of Carlin Music Corporation, Iron Bridge House, 3 Bridge Approach, London NW1 8BD.
Barbara Ann
(Fassert) © Warner Chappell Music Ltd. Reproduced by permission.
Hippy Hippy Shake
(Chan Romero) © 1959, Jonware Music Corp, USA. Reproduced by permission of Ardmore and Beechwood Ltd, London WC2H oEA.
California Girls
(Brian Wilson) © Irving Music Inc. Used by permission of Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
Give It a Lash, Jack
used by permission of GOAL.
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Version 1.0
Epub ISBN 9781409078166
Published by Vintage 1998
36 38 40 37
The Commitments
first published in Great Britain 1988 by William Heinemann Ltd
Copyright © Roddy Doyle 1987
Thanks to Mick Boland, John Condon, Enda Farrelly, Darren Gallagher, Louise Hamilton, Caroline Jones, Lorraine Jones, Kenneth Keegan, Kevin McDonald, Brian McGinn, Jimmy Murray and Michael Sherlock.
The Snapper
first published in Great Britain 1990 by Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd
Copyright © Roddy Doyle 1990
The Van
first published in Great Britain 1991 by Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd
Copyright © Roddy Doyle 1991
The right of Roddy Doyle to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988
This collection published in Great Britain by Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd 1992.
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