for the most stringent rule in Paddy's domain concerned the proper delegation ofduties. The house was woman's work, and that was that. No male member of thefamily was to put his hand to a female task. But each night after Paddy went tobed Frank helped his mother, Fee aiding and abetting him by delaying herdishwashing until they heard the thump of Paddy's slippers hitting the floor.Once Paddy's slippers were off he never came back to the kitchen. Fee looked atFrank gently. "I don't know what I'd 18 do without you, Frank. But youshouldn't. You'll be so tired in the morning."

  "It's all right, Mum. Drying a fewdishes won't kill me. Little enough to make life easier for you."

  "It's my job, Frank. I don't mind."

  "I just wish we'd get rich one of thesedays, so you could have a maid." "That is wishful thinking!" Shewiped her soapy red hands on the dishcloth and then pressed them into hersides, sighing. Her eyes as they rested on her son were vaguely worried,sensing his bitter discontent, more than the normal railing of a workingmanagainst his lot. "Frank, don't get grand ideas. They only lead to trouble.We're working-class people, which means we don't get rich or have maids. Becontent with what you are and what you have. When you say things like thisyou're insulting Daddy, and he doesn't deserve it. You know that. He doesn'tdrink, he doesn't gamble, and he works awfully hard for us. Not a penny heearns goes into his own pocket. It all comes to us." The muscularshoulders hunched impatiently, the dark face became harsh and grim. "Butwhy should wanting more out of life than drudgery be so bad? I don't see what'swrong with wishing you had a maid."

  "It's wrong because it can't be! Youknow there's no money to keep you at school, and if you can't stay at schoolhow are you ever going to be anything better than a manual worker? Your accent,your clothes and your hands show that you labor for a living. But it's nodisgrace to have calluses on your hands. As Daddy says, when a man's hands arecallused you know he's honest."