Mae Ma’s Spoon

Margaret Rowe (Canada)

T’ither nicht A wuz in mae bed wunnerin what A cud write fur the Ullans, an then it cum tae mae, A cud write aboot mae ma’s mixin’ spoon. A wuz that axcited it wuz fower in the mornin’ afore A went tae sleep efter thurnin ower in mae heid what A shud say an tha wye A shuid say it.

When A wuz a waen, sawenty year ago, there wur a lot o fowk that trevelled roon the country goin frae dure tae dure; wans wur jist beggars, askin fur a slice o breed, or lake big Mery, for a gopin o oatmale which she kerried in a poke tied roon hir waist; ithers ye micht ca pedlars, and yin o these wuz P.Q.

He cum frae Stirban, about five mile awa, an unner his airm he had a wee wudden box fu o needles an pins, an spools o threed an the lake.

Wan day Paddy cum jist as mae ma wuz reddin up efter bakin, an she still had in hir han the oul spoon that had bin used tae mix the dough fur a lifetime. Saein Paddy eye the spoon mae ma said:

“Och Paddy, A wish yea cud get mae a guid big spoon: this wan’s worn tae a skiver.”

Weel, twa-three weeks efter, Paddy waekt in wae the grannest big table spoon yea iver sa. Mae ma, who wuz a bit leary, thinkin maybe hae had nyuckt it frae anither hoose (tho’ shae had niver known him tae dae the lake), said,

“Sure Paddy that’s jist what A’m needin; whar did ye get it?”

“Well, Ma’am,” sez Paddy, “it was issued tae mae the day A joint the Fusiliers in 1914.”

Mae Ma used that spoon fur the rest o hir life an when she died in 1987 mae sister tuk it tae hir place, an she is mixin hir dough wae it yit.