Christmas eve at Mulligan's

by Marie Irish

Enter Mrs. Mulligan

Mrs. M.:

Now, Peter man, what’s the trouble that’s botherin’ ye so’s that ye look like as if there wasn’t a patch o’ sunshine as big as a pinhead left in the world? My, my, can’t ye look a bit merrier than this on Christmas eve? An’ whin Dannie who’s niver looked out of his eyes all the years he’s lived, bless ’im, is gettin’ ’em fixed so’s he can see.

Mulligan:

But Nora darlin’, when a man’s got sich a fine wife an’ sich fine childer as I’ve got, an’ likes to do well by ’em, it comes awful hard not to give ’em a bit of a treat at Christmas. [Sighs.]

Mrs. M.:

[putting hand on his shoulder] Now, Peter, not a bit more of that! We are going to have a wonderful Christmas, just in havin’ Dannie come home so he can see. Shame to think we need any prisint but that.

Mulligan:

[sadly] Oh, Nora, that’s one thing that’s a botherin’ me. I wint over to the hospital tonight ’fore I came home an’ they wouldn’t let me see ’im, not a-tall a-tall, I’m that worried fer fear he ain’t a doin’ jist right that I scarce know if I’m here or there, sure now.

Mrs. M.: