Rugby Spirit by Gerard Siggins

seemed to avoiding his stare. But then Eoin remembered that the name ‘Dixie Madden’ still meant a lot to these lads who’d never even met his grandad.
    ‘He’s a tough old guy,’ he said, unconvincingly.
    Eoin didn’t bother going down for lunch, even though he was hungry after the morning’s run-out.
    He lay on the bed, going through all the times he had with his grandad, but trying hard not to think that there mightn’t be any more. Grandad never missed a school sports day, or a gaelic match, or even that stupid school play when Eoin had to dress up as a giant chicken. And everything Eoin had learned about nature and wildlife came on those regular Sunday morning walks between mass and his mother’s roast lunch.
    He thought, too, of the mystery of Dixie’s rugby career and grew angry with himself that he hadn’t talked to his grandfather about it back home in Ormondstown.
    Alan and Rory came up to the dorm after Sundaylunch, sneaking in a couple of bread rolls for Eoin.
    ‘Thanks guys,’ he said, as he munched into the crusty bread. ‘I couldn’t face the rest of the school.’
    ‘I don’t blame you,’ said Rory, ‘Richie Duffy was asking where you were. I told him you were off having a trial for Leinster Under 13s!’
    ‘Ha, ha,’ chuckled Eoin, before realising Duffy would surely find out the truth and make his life even more difficult.
    ‘You better hurry up with those,’ said Alan, ‘it’s five to three.’
    Eoin grabbed his hoodie and waved farewell to his pals as he dashed off, continuing to chew the rolls.
    Outside he waited at the top of the long driveway until he saw the silver car come through the gates. He set off at a trot down the drive, meeting the car just as it came around a bend.
    ‘God, Eoin, you gave me a fright,’ said his dad.
    ‘That makes two of us,’ said Eoin, ‘What’s wrong with Grandad?’
    ‘He had a bit of a turn, something to do with his heart,’ said Dad, ‘I just rang the hospital and he’s already settled in. We’ll go straight there now.’
    ‘Hi, Mum,’ said Eoin, as he hopped into the back seat of the car.
    ‘You look like you’ve lost weight, are you eating properly?’ she asked.
    ‘Yeah, the food’s not too bad. I missed lunch, though, any chance we can grab a burger on the way?’
    Eoin sat munching in the waiting room as his dad talked to the doctors. Grandad was asleep and wouldn’t be able to see anyone until the morning, but they could go in and look at him for a moment.
    Eoin held his mother’s hand as they walked into the darkened room with lots of machines with blinking lights and tubes.
    He whispered, ‘Hi Dixie, make sure you hang in there. We’ve a lot to talk about it,’ so quietly that even his mum couldn’t hear him.
    The family sat around the waiting room for an hour, just chatting over things and swopping the news from school and home. Despite the circumstances, the afternoon cheered up Eoin greatly and he had a smile on his face as he hugged his mum goodbye outside the school.
    He called by the staff common room to fill Mr Finn in on the news and the teacher thanked him.
    As Eoin turned to leave, he hesitated for a moment, before turning back to face the teacher.
    ‘Mr Finn. Why did Grandad not play for Ireland if he was as good as everyone says he was?’
    ‘Oh, Eoin, you poor lad,’ said the old man slowly, his eyes looking as sad as Eoin had ever seen on anyone. ‘That’s a story that only Dixie himself can tell you. Do you know, I think about him almost every day and every time I wince with regret and pain. But I’m sorry, it would be quite wrong of me to tell you that story. Now, off to the dorm with you, it’s coming up to lights out.’
    Eoin jogged up the stairs and kept moving quickly through the dormitory. He made it plain to his room-mates that he wasn’t in a chatty mood and so they steered well clear of him.
    Sleep didn’t come easy, but by the time it did Eoin’s pillow was soaked.

C HAPTER