No. But that’s not the point, is it. The government just announced their new environmental policy, did anyone take this into account when they decided to shut down the mail centre.
What’s the post office got to do with an environment policy.
Well how many trucks are going to be on the road now bringing the letters to the nearest depot, wherever that will be. It’s another nail in the coffin for rural Ireland. The hearts of communities are being ripped out. Not just the hearts, it’s a decapitation of our society.
What are you going to do about it.
I’ve spoken to Bonnie—
Who’s Bonnie.
Bonnie Murphy, she used to be the post mistress over there in Glencar before they shut her down. We’ve been working on this for weeks now, I told you. We’re going to organise an association for saving post offices, we’re going to mobilise.
But how are you going to do that, with no car. To mobilise, you need to be mobile. Posie says you’re still not back at choir practice.
Posie doesn’t know all my comings and goings, I’ve made sure of that, her son is a civil servant in Dublin, they can’t be trusted. And you don’t need to worry. I’ve been on to the insurance frauds for the past two weeks and they’re fixing the car electrics, they’ve given me a temporary car until it’s done.
But Pops, I spoke to them numerous times, they wouldn’t believe me about the rats. They pretty much said scrap it.
Aha, Allegra, that’s the thing about these corporations, you can’t let them win, you can’t give up. You don’t take no for an answer. The last thing they’ll do is replace the car, of course, but they’ll spend their time and money rewiring it.
So you’re out and about again, with this woman, Bonnie.
I am. Somebody has to, or before we know it everything will be shut around us and we’ll be nothing but rats, nesting in our own deserted towns.
I smile. Sounds great, Pops. I’m glad to hear you’re back. For a worthy cause, of course.
Well. He relaxes. Any news.
I know what he means. Have you seen her yet, spoken to her yet, does she know yet.
Well, yes actually. We’ve been talking.
He’s quiet for a moment. A dubious, yes.
And I’m just judging my moment, Pops. I’m going to help her out with something, with an event she’s organising. I’ve invited Minister Ruth Brasil.
So that’s what your letter was about. They say she’ll be next Taoiseach, the way this government is going. What’s the event.
For women in local businesses.
And she’ll go, will she.
Yeah. I think so.
And you think that will win her over, do you.
I hate his cynicism. I want to get off the phone. I didn’t say anything about his stupid quest to save post offices.
Yeah. Yeah, I do, Pops, I snap.
All right, love, all right. Keep me in the loop, as they say. But don’t write it in a bloody letter or I’ll never find out down here.
I laugh. Okay, Pops. Love you.
Love you.
While I’ve been talking, a text comes through from Becky, asking to meet me at seven-ish when she’s home. The spring in my step just doesn’t stop. Pops is on the mend, I’m working on my mother, with the help of the Justice Minister, which is like killing two birds with one stone. Everything is finally looking up.
You look different, Becky says as I enter the kitchen from the back door.
Thanks, I smile. I got my hair done.
I can see that.
There’s a bottle of wine open on the expensive worktop that glistens as if concealing diamonds, it’s breathing in a fancy decanter. She sends the boys out of the room to play their computer games, kind of barks at them, agitated. Cillín asks for my phone because there’s a game on it that he likes to play.
Out out, she hurries him.
He moves away from the kitchen to the couch, in his own world. I feel apprehensive about them all being sent away like that. By her mood.
I look outside to the garden room to see if Donnacha is there, working on his solo exhibition.
He’s not here, she snaps.
She pours us both a glass of wine, which should technically be a nice gesture but it feels aggressive. She’s tense, she pours clumsily, the red wine splashes over the rim. She bangs the bottle down on the countertop.
I clear my throat because she’s all of a sudden making me feel nervous.
Before I forget, I say, you might be interested in going to this. I retrieve a leaflet about the women in business event and place it down on the counter.
She doesn’t pick it up.