Irish
Irish
12. After the damage is done the Irish person sees the potential.
Here. Listen to me. This message is urgent tonight. I can’t say much. I have problems. I am under attack. People are attacking me. They are afraid; they are scared out of their skin. And I am scared out of my skin as well. People are angry. They came tonight looking for my rocket. Someone let them know what I was up to. There were hundreds of them. They searched my workplace but they didn’t find it. I wasn’t that stupid. I hid my work. I was afraid something like this would happen. I was afraid people would attack me.
This spaceship is not big enough. There is only room for two. Two people.
That’s all. I thought my beloved would come with me but … well, we are not together any more. Was it she who told this crowd what I was doing? She wouldn’t do that. I am sure she wouldn’t. I am certain of it. I saw the crowd coming towards me. I knew what they intended to do. Probably they’d prefer to smash this spaceship than to let me do what I want. But I went into hiding. I saw them coming towards me and I went into hiding.
It occurred to me that I should speak to them. It occurred to me that perhaps I should talk to them. In the end I decided not to do that. They are afraid. They are afraid for their lives. I understand that. I am as afraid as any of them. Oh, things are getting worse. The weather is getting wilder. It’s clear to people now that there’s a problem. People are trying to escape now. I am trying to escape now also. But I want to come back. If I can.
I can’t say much else. There are still people about. I went into hiding when I saw them. I am still in hiding. I hear people talking. They are not as noisy as they were. They were angry; they were very angry. They searched the area. I’m glad they didn’t find me. I don’t believe they didn’t find me. I heard them shouting. I heard them digging. They fell out after a while. They started fighting with each other. That didn’t surprise me at all. I think that some of them were drunk. I am sure that some of them were drunk.
I haven’t heard anything for a while. I haven’t heard a voice or a noise at all for a little while. It seems that most of them have gone. That’s a relief. I don’t want to fight with people and I don’t want them to ruin my work. They had the same information as I had but they didn’t do anything. They didn’t act. After the damage is done the Irish person sees the potential. Well, it’s not like that with me. I saw the badness. And I acted. I didn’t sit back on my oars. I didn’t give in to despair.
This little boat of a spaceship is ready. I am ready. It’s not long now until I go. It’s a pity that I have to go by myself. I don’t want to be like Oisín after the Fianna. I don’t want to be lonely but I don’t have a choice. I have to leave. I have to impress upon politicians and the public that the earth is dying.
Here, I can’t say much more. I think the crowd has gone. It’s time for me to leave. Listen to me tomorrow. I will have news for you, big news.
