RDP Thursday: BANSHEE

Her Grandmother used to say that when Bridie McCann opened her mouth and laughed, she sounded like a screeching monkey. She also said that Bridie not only sounded like a screeching monkey, she looked like one when she smiled.

” You should probably keep your mouth shut Bridie- for your own good.”

Bridie nodded solemnly and after these little chats and Nesta turned her back on Bridie, Bridie didn’t scowl or cry or protest.

She would put her hand over her mouth and she never said a word.

 

Bridie didn’t have a lot to say and most of the time she looked down and let her hair fall all against the sides of her face.

” You should do something about that hair of Bridie’s ” Nesta said to Bridie’s Mom. ” It looks like a rats nest. ”

Bridie would put her hand to her mouth and she didn’t look up and she never said a word.

 

Then a few years ago theMcCann’s were celebrating the Fourth of July and just as their family and friends should up bearing food and firecrackers to add to Bridie’s parents already generous spread, Nesta decided to go upstairs to the guest room for her red, white and blue sun hat with the big floppy rim.

Halfway down the stairs she saw Bridie standing on the bottom step with her hand over her mouth.

” Do something about your hair Bridie- it looks like a rat’s nest.”  she barked. “And don’t ask your poor mother to help you. She had enough to do today without worrying about you. ”

Bridie looked up and Nesta looked down into her Granddaughter’s screeching monkey face with her mop of rat’s nest hair.  Her lip curled over her teeth. ” Go on – scoo- ”

Bridie took her hand away from her mouth and in that second  Nesta’s foot shot out from under her and she missed the step and she tumbled down the staircase.

The last thing Nesta McCann heard on this earth was  Bridie wailing – which surprised Nesta because she had always known Bridie probably didn’t like her anymore then Nesta liked Bridie-

but if the truth be known Bridie was actually laughing.