Walking home in the winter with a bottle of whiskey for company
Wee Walk Home From The Off License
By Paul McCann
It was a Saturday night and she asked me to go and get her a wee bottle from the off license . You know sometimes life was just like this . I grabbed my hat and coat and she blew me a kiss . It was a cold night and I had not mush time to spare as the wee shop was closing soon . I walked double time along the icy path with armoured cars cutting through the grey concrete and I could feel their eyes looking at me through the open slits , I heard them scream out and I’d clench my fists and kept walking . There was no one around . I made it just in the nick of time as your man wa about ready to shut the door .
” A bottle of Bushmills “
I said and he replied ,
“Do you want me to warm it up for you “
“No I take it as it is and put in in the inside pocket close to my heart”
He placed it in a brown bag and I handed the right money .
“’It keeps you warm on a cold night “
He said and I replied .
”I’ve got my love to keep me warm .Have a good night “
‘Good night . Safe home “
I walked out the door and hadn’t walked more than a dozen steps when one of them said .
“Stop right there “
I closed my eyes and whispered a silent prayer ,
“ Lord If they should search me now, keep that bottle safe there somehow. Lord I know you understand so I’ll put that Bushmills in your hand , you know it keeps me love happy and the cough away in the winter . Sure Lord its hard when you’re old”
“:He’s ok , leave him be “
Said the officer in charge .
“Thank you Lord I whispered the off I went like Billyo along the footpath and back through the side streets to home . All the street lights were out and I heard some cats crying in the dark . The sound of the cat crying went through my head like a banshee wailing and the more I listened , the more my mind wandered . I started to think that somebody I know is going to die . I prayed for their soul whoever it was and then had to remind myself it was only a cat . Then I thought maybe the cats had cut its paws on the broken bottle tops above a back yard wall . Funny thing those coloured broken bottle tops . They had their place I suppose and still why bother I thought .
The cats crying got louder and that started a few barking dogs . God it never stops . The wind had a howl and I began toi feel a little lost on a Saturday night . I tried to rush and think of a song I liked to help me relax and calm down and the song that came that came into my mind was “Rock This Town” by Stray Cats .
Belfast had been well rocked now for a few years so I though ok that will do and hummed the tune as I walked through the streets . I imagined I was a stray cat
with the full moon high in the sky . I imagined was it was to be all alone with no home and nobody to put me down in front of the fire and pat me on the head .
Then I saw dog prowling around on the other side of the street and nearly run off with a bitter wind blowing in my face .
Sure it was a cold old night indeed and I came to the conclusion that Belfast cats are tough and they always make it through the night . I walked along where angels feared to tread keeping out of sight with my eyes open and mt feet froze
I made it back to the wee house, safe and sound and she said ,
“It never took you too long .Did you get me the wee black bush”
I smiled sat her and we drank the night away together ,me and her .
I can’t change the weather, but our love keeps us warm and our faith keeps us strong and we’ll shorten the winter with a drop of the wee creature that won’t mourn for us when we’re gone .
Tomorrow never comes and there’ll be changes from now on . I hope for the best .
Spoken Word
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Wee Walk Home From The Off License
