Claire Keegan

"'I don't know,' he said truthfully.

"'I've never once thought about it.'

"'But I am not asking you to think about it now.'

He lifted his hand and reached for her plate, rose and put her plate on the draining board under his own before leaning back and holding on to the ledge of the counter.

i really don't know he said what did she say she said things may now be changing but that a good half of men your age just want us to shut up and give you what you want that you're spoiled and turn contemptible when things don't go your way is that so

he wanted to deny it but it felt uncomfortably close to a truth he had not once considered it occurred to him that he would not have minded her shutting up right then and giving him what he wanted

he felt the possibility of making a joke of diffusing what had come between them but couldn't think of anything and then the moment passed and she turned her head away that was the problem with women falling out of love the veil of romance fell away from their eyes and they looked in

and could read you but this one didn't stop there she also said that to some of you we are just cunts she went on that she often hears irishmen referring to women in this way and calling us whores and bitches we had already reached the end of the bottle and had not yet eaten but i remember clearly that's what she said

Ah, that's just the way we talk here, Carl said.

It's just an Irish thing.

It means nothing half the time.

It's ridiculous.

It's so sweet.

Sorry.

Behave.

Oh, no, not at all.

It felt absolutely right.

It's the right word.

Right words are never difficult to include.

I didn't actually make the change.