Kathleen: The Celtic Knot

The Cake from Jacob’s

When everyone gets home, Mam is up and dressed. She’s sitting in an armchair by the window, looking pale, but with a little smile on her lips. When they come through the door and Mam asks them what happened, Kathleen says that they’re all very tired. It’s a long walk from Church Street to Pimlico. Mam and Dad continue to push her to talk about how she did at the dance. The girls all stand around and stuff their fists into their mouths to keep them from laughing. Madge, nodding, says that Kathleen did quite well. Patsy shrugs and says she didn’t do too bad. Only Lily, who can’t keep it in anymore, shouts out that Kathleen won a medal. She dances around the room holding Eddy’s hands. Perhaps she’ll be a great dancer someday, too.

Kathleen pulls her medal out of her coat pocket. It has a lovely Celtic design on one side, and it gleams and shines in the light of the afternoon sun. Mam smiles and says that Mother Rosario was right when she said Kathleen was talented. They’ll have to sew the medal on a sash right away. Da says that this is only the first of many.

Polly says that while this may be true, but they’ll have to have their tea first. There’s a large cardboard box standing on the table. Kathleen can’t figure out how Polly had known she was going to win. Polly opens the box and draws out the biggest white cake she has ever seen. It’s covered in smooth white icing, decorated with perfect icing rosebuds and silver balls.

Everybody stares at it. None of the Murphys have seen anything like it. Polly says it is a wedding cake. A Jacob’s wedding cake. In fact, Polly got married that morning at the six o’clock morning Mass. The whole family erupts in questions and then crowds around Polly.

Kathleen stands back. She feels let down with a clunk, as if someone said they were going to take away her medal and give it to someone else. What was Polly thinking of? What about their lovely plans to be old maids together? Kathleen turns away and tucks her metal into a drawer in the dresser. It’s lost its shine for Kathleen. Polly calls her name and Kathleen turns around. Kathleen can’t say what she feels, but she has to say something. She says that she hopes Polly and Bill will be happy together.

Polly shakes her head. She didn’t marry Bill. She married Shamy Macnamara. Kathleen is very confused. Polly explains that Shamy is a grand man, and they’re going to go to America. Polly will be like Scarlett O’Hara in no time.

Mam is shocked. America is a terrible long way away. Polly explains that next month, they’re to go to America on a ship. Two red spots of excitement are high on her cheeks. Shamy has an uncle over there and he can get them both jobs. They’ve already bought their tickets, and they’ll have a cabin all to themselves. Polly says they waited until Mam was well, but Lent is starting next week and then they can’t be married for a whole six weeks and the ship would have sailed without them. So six o’clock this morning was the only time the priest could fit them in. But Polly didn’t want to announce that she was getting married on Kathleen’s big day! It would have taken the wind out of Kathleen’s sails entirely.

Kathleen dabs at her eyes and tries not to sniffle. She doesn’t want to cry on Polly’s wedding day. But the announcement had taken the wind out of Kathleen’s sails, even if Polly had tried not to. Kathleen asks what happened to Bill. Polly seemed to really like him. Polly quietly says that he was no good. He’s a right bowsie, and had been two-timing her.

Just then, Polly changes the conversation and starts shouting out orders. Madge is sent to get the best china they have. Lily is set to put out the cups. Da is told to wet the tea. But Kathleen notices that she is not in the tea preparations.

As everything is moving around the house, Polly comes over to Kathleen and says this is what grown-up people do. They make a life together. Polly doesn’t actually want to spend the rest of days making biscuits and being poor. This is a new start for her. And Shamy is a good man and he loves her. Kathleen hugs Polly. She tries to forgive her for abandoning their plans to be old maids together. Polly is right. She can’t live on fantasy anymore.

Seconds later, Shamy arrives. He’s introduced by his real name: James Aloysius Macnamara. Shamy looks at the ground the whole time. He’s dressed up in a brown suit and stiff collar, and he doesn’t look very comfortable. He shakes Mam’s hand, looking red. Polly hands him the bread knife and says they have to cut the cake together. It’s how the whole marriage thing is.

Together, they cut the cake. It makes a groaning sound as the knife slices through it. Da picks up a teacup, and toasts to the bride and groom. They chink their cups and drink, trying to look as pleased as they can for Polly.

Then, Polly turns to Kathleen and says, “And the Irish dancing champion! The first-place medalist, heading for stardom.”

After the family finishes cheering for Kathleen, she takes the opportunity to try to ask Polly a question. If Polly is a Mrs. now that she’s married, but yesterday she was a Miss, and if Shamy is a Mr. and he’s married now too, why wasn’t he a master yesterday? Polly thinks for a minute, and then she responds, “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies.” Polly is turning into one of those grown-ups who won’t answer questions! It must be a marriage that does it.

Kathleen knows that she will miss Polly terribly, but surely she’ll be home on holidays sometimes. and maybe Kathleen can go over to America to visit her when she gets older. Kathleen isn’t going to give up on her dreams just because Polly has decided to become Mrs. Shamy Macnamara. When she is an old maid, Kathleen’ll need space for her dancing classes in her house. Kathleen’s going to be a better teacher than Mrs. Maguire, and she’ll teach girls how to fly while only charging a shilling per lesson. She’s not going to be poor any more than Polly was. And most importantly, her home would be garnished with gleaming Irish dancing metals that she’d won at feiseanna all around the country. She’s going to be a medal millionaire!