If our Anthony was telling this story
āIf our Anthony was telling this story, heād start with money.ā
One thing about me
āOne thing about me is that I always try to do whatever Dad tells me.ā
He actually said thank you three times
āHe actually said thank you three times. If that doesnāt make me excellent, I donāt know what does.
I donāt mind being laughed at
āI donāt mind being laughed at. Persecution is good for you.ā
He made it seem like every single ten-pound note
āHe made it seem like every single ten-pound note was a personal friend.ā
Moneyās just a thing
āMoneyās just a thing and things changeā
I got the idea for the hermitage
I got the idea for the hermitage from Rose of Lima; she had multiple and marvellous visions.ā
Sheās completely dead, isnāt she?
āSheās completely dead, isn't she? Of course I knew already, but no one had ever been so biological before.ā
We didnāt used to do that before
āWe didnāt used to do that before. I was shouting now. Sit at the table.ā
Only I did wonder if youād ever come across
āOnly I did wonder if youād ever come across a St. Maureen?ā
Thatās where I first became interested
āIn fact, thatās where I first became interested in saints.ā
Sheās gone to a better place
āSheās gone to a better place.ā
He might go off to a better place
āHe might go off to a better place if we werenāt careful.ā
I huddled in the corner
I huddled in the corner and tried to take my mind off the cold by putting some of the tinted moisturiser on the back of my hand.ā
God must have heard me
āGod must have heard me, though, because he answered it. He gave me something.ā
More money than we could carry
āThink of that. More money than we could carry.ā
Anthony said we mustnāt tell Dad about it
āAnthony said we mustnāt tell Dad about it. Having a secret is like having a pair of wings tucked under your blazer.ā
If you asked Anthony now
āIf you asked Anthony now, heād say this was where everything started to go wrong.ā
Outside the gates
āOutside the gates, everyone who had a bike was waiting for us.ā
It was all a bit unenlightening
āIt was all a bit unenlightening. People tried to sell us rubbish.ā
There was money everywhere
āThere was money everywhere. Money was a craze.ā
Anthony can lie so fast
Anthony can lie so fast. It's like the truth but blurred.ā
I retreated to the hermitage
āI retreated to the hermitage to contemplate my situation.ā
Do you ever feel that money is hollow and meaningless?
āDo you ever feel that the money is hollow and meaningless? There are no poor people around here. The only people who can afford to live here are nice people.ā
The insurance paid
The insurance paid the mortgage off.ā
Some people in the world are greedy, Damian
āSome people in the world are greedy, Damian. Money makes them act weird. Youāve got to be careful.ā
What if giving people more money
āWhat if giving people more money just makes people more money-ish?ā
It was the first time
It was the first time weād seen him smile in ages.ā
Itās not wrong to give money away
āItās not wrong to give money away. You just have to find the right people to give it to.ā
I walked back across the playground
āI walked back across the playground with my eyes downcast, which is how I noticed that I was now the only boy not wearing Rockports.ā
It was all really neat
āIt was all really neat. Except for my statue of St. Francis, which has been in hundreds of sharp little pieces, thrown all over the mud.ā
Then I woke up
Then I woke up and found Iād wet myself. I havenāt done that since Mum was in the best place.ā
So now we were playing truant
āSo now we were playing truant and telling lies in a public place and all for the money.ā
The world is crap
The world is crap. We could have anything in it, but everything in it is crap.ā
Why is it always me?
āWhy is it always me? Why do you leave everything to me?ā
Anthony looked like he was going to cry
āAnthony looked like he was going to cry. Weāre on our own, Damian. Get used to it.ā
The money had become a burden
āThe money had become a burden. They would have starved where they stood rather than let anyone see.ā
Thatās all it took
āThatās all it took. One little kid.ā
To be confessional about it
āTo be confessional about it. I actually did cry.ā
I knew I couldnāt do this anymore
āI knew I couldnāt do this anymore. Of course, Dad would make everything all right again.ā
I saw that the money had made Dad
āI saw that the money had made Dad scared of Terry.ā
This is payback time
āThis is payback time. We were the only ones who knew money was a worry.ā
All the immaculate women were still here
āAll the immaculate women were still here. Except for her.ā
I got so worried
āI got so worried that sheād run out of jokes and itād all be over.ā
Heāll be laughing on the other side of his face
āHeāll be laughing on the other side of his face when she goes and leaves him.ā
I lay in my bed
āI lay in my bed, looking up at the ceiling, wishing it would open up and suck me into the pitch black.ā
It felt like the whole population of the world
āIt felt like the whole population of the world was trying to get through our door.ā
People have sweated for them, stolen them, wasted them, died longing for them
āPeople have sweated for them, stolen them, wasted them, died longing for them, and what do the notes care?ā
Soon they were dancing all around me
āSoon they were dancing all around me, like confetti in a fire.ā
He canāt see me anyway
āHe canāt see me anyway. If youāve got faith in people, that makes them stronger.ā
Anthony regretted it
āAnthony regretted it hundreds of times every day.ā
Money can leave your hand