School was an ordeal for me until I got the hang of it (and it got the hang of me). For dverse.

First day at school I am put on the bus because mother has a new baby father’s at work and Grandma is minding the other two so I travel with Seán Leamhnach and his big boots to the stop at the stop of Steep Hill and I avoid his boots till we reach the school and he goes to his class and I go to the baby class where I sit in uncomprehending silence watching from the sidelines never joining as if it’s optional and dinnertime sitting next to Conn Ó Donohue who plays war with his peas and mashed potato so the peas go on the floor and he doesn’t have to eat them and Bernadette Duffy says she can’t eat the carrots because they have bones…