He sits in an old armchair in the corner covered with bits of blankets and a bucket behind the chair that stinks enough to make you sick and when you look at that old man in the dark corner you want to get a hose with hot water and strip him and wash him down and give him a big feed of rashers and eggs and mashed potatoes with loads of butter and salt and onions.I want to take the man from the Boer War and the pile of rags in the bed and put them in a big sunny house in the country with birds chirping away outside the window and a stream gurgling.
Frank McCourtI appealed to my mother. I told her it wasn't fair the way the whole family was invading my dreams and she said, Arrah, for the love o' God, drink your tea and go to school and stop tormenting us with your dreams.
Frank McCourtThereโs no use saying anything in the schoolyard because thereโs always someone with an answer and thereโs nothing you can do but punch them in the nose and if you were to punch everyone who has an answer youโd be punching morning noon and night.
Frank McCourtThe master says itโs a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says itโs a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if thereโs anyone in the world who would like us to live.
Frank McCourt