as he limps to the Walk In centre
at the General; an Xray
shows no broken bones.
The nurse tuts as she cleans him up:
You’re lucky, just missed your eyeball,
as she sticks on butterfly strips
It’ll hurt a bit. Don’t be alarmed
when the bruising comes out,
you’ll look quite colourful.
Use paracetamol it it gets too bad.
She sends them off with a leaflet
on concussion.
What am a gonna tell Dad?
Paddy looks at him:
What d’yer mean?
Frankie hesitates:
Well, yer kna, why I was picked on?
Paddy shrugs:
Lads are always kicking off
on match day. It’s nowt.
Oh my god!
Mam sees Frank’s face
his half-closed eye,
his taped-up brow
and bloodied nose:
What happened?
Mam turns his face gently
examining it -
Oh pet, you don’t deserve it.
Suddenly she’s sobbing
holding a tea towel up to her eyes,
Mam. Don’t.. says Frank,
he’s never seen her cry like this,
he puts an arm around her;
muffled by the tea towel she says,
The last few months. All too much.
I’m ok. Really. Nothing broken.
Why? Who did this?
Paddy cuts in:
Stupid radgies – drunk
in football strips.
Lucky I came along.