Chapter 6

Summary

Katie sends her children to the store to buy meat for Saturday night. Francie and Neeley carefully follow her directions on where to shop and what to buy.

After supper Neeley goes off to play and Francie accompanies her friend, Maudie Donavan, to church for confession. Returning home, she finds that Aunt Evy and her husband, Willie Flittman, have come to visit. Francie enjoys their company, especially Uncle Willie, whose speech after a few beers becomes hilarious.

Before going to bed, both the children read a page from the Bible and a page of Shakespeare, a ritual that they have been following, under their mother's instructions, for the past six years. At two in the morning, Johnny returns from work. Francie and Neeley awake and eat the goodies that he has brought. Although Neeley goes back to sleep, Francie is no longer sleepy. As she lays in bed, she listens to her parents talking in the kitchen; they are reminiscing about their past.

This chapter is filled with details of everyday life in the Nolan household. Before sending the children to buy meat for Saturday night supper, Katie carefully explains where to shop and exactly what to buy; as always, she is trying to make the most out of the little money that the family has. Francie and Neeley obediently follow her directions. The children also follow her instructions to read the Bible and Shakespeare each night before going to bed. Mrs. Nolan wants both her son and daughter to be well educated.

The closeness of the family is seen when Johnny returns home at two o'clock in the morning. Everyone gets up to greet him and to enjoy the treats that he has thoughtfully brought home for them to eat. After the children return to bed, Francie knows that her mother and father will spend the rest of the night talking and reminiscing about their past.

Aunt Evy and Uncle Willie come for a visit. They make an odd couple, for Evy is vivacious, like Sissy, and her husband is a brooding and complaining man. After a few beers, Uncle Willie excessively complains about the misdeeds of his horse, causing everyone to laugh.

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