James Claffey — The Monarch Review

3 Stories – James Claffey

Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:04 — 3 Comments

Rare Glimpse The Old Man travels home on the ferry from Stranraer, catching the night train in Belfast and arriving for breakfast. Mam is grilling Denny sausages and Galtee rashers to beat the band before he’s taken his pea coat off. “Come here to me, son,” he cries, sweeping me off my feet and dangling me upside down, my hair brushing the linoleum. “Did you miss your Da? Did you?” “I did, Da. Yes.” I smell the whiskey mixed with his Old Spice aftershave, even from my distant position near the ground. After righting me and giving my shoulder a […]