Merrick

I got back to my apartment, very conscious of the time factor. My time out, Merrick’s

fookin sulk time, all in all, I figured, we were nearly four days behind the edge we’d

nearly had.

I was playing The Saw Doctors, from Tuam, just outside Galway, and cross me

bedraggled heart, the favorite band of no less than…………….Jodie Foster.

And me.

Train…………their latest single was dynamite.

Rock, longing and loss, what better metaphor for the Irish psyche.

Paranoia, a lingering echo of the stress that nearly wiped me, was biting at my heels. I

had the Sig Sauer on the table, beside the six pack of Guinness. Knock on the door.

I moved up close, asked

‘Who is it?’

A pause.

Then

‘Ryan, it’s Merrick.’

I opened, and there he was, in his resplendent contrition, said

‘I screwed up big time Ryan, yet again, I’m sorry.’

I waved him in, said

‘Jesus wept, you going to spend your life apologizing, let it go, ok?’

He saw the gun on the table, asked

‘You were expecting me?’

I pulled a Guinness from the pack, said

‘Enough, alright, we have a psycho to catch and I think we’re already seriously out of

time.

He sat, took a hit of The Guinness, said

‘Fuck Ryan, it’s warm.’

Caught the look from me and added

‘Which is exactly how I…..am………….like it.’

And we had a moment then it passed.

He reached in his seriously battered leather jacket, took out a small package, said

‘You gave me your Mother’s Yeats so, this is I hope, as significant, you catch the drift.’

I opened it.

The American Flag came out.

He explained

‘Betsy Ross was a daughter of The American Revolution and sewed the first flag. The

stars in a circle represent the thirteen American colonies. The stars now represent each

state and the stripes each original colony. My wife, Judy, is related, on her father’s side to

Betsy Ross. Judy, on her Mom’s side, is part, I swear on the flag, part Chippewa Indian.

You can’t get more American than that.’

Shona might argue that toss.

I said

‘I can’t……..take this.’

‘Judy sent it, and I as Rabbi, confirm you as an American of the soul.’

How could you stay mad at the guy?

I said

‘Thank you…………………absolutely.’

I managed to pin it on the wall, then stood back, said

‘Cross me heart Merrick, I’m delighted to any part of America.’

Meant it, Ireland, in her wild wisdom had rendered outcast so, The USA was sheltering

me, giving me work, treating me like I mattered.

Who you going to plead allegiance to?