The Grave Digger

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The Grave Digger

by Paul McCann

 

There was trouble on the street , a crowd had gathered for the second night in a row. Some stones were thrown then fight broke out  .

Curious patrons from the local pub came out to see what was happening and a few of the lads stood there on the pavement sipping beer from their glasses .

The publican turned up the volume on the jukebox to block out the noise on the street . Suddenly a lone figure walked in through the front door . of the pub carrying a shovel over his shoulder ..

The publican shouted over .

“There’s no shovels allowed in the bar so you better leave it leave it outside if you would . “

The tall stranger walked over to the jukebox and smashed it into pieces then he slammed his fist on top of a table breaking it in half . 

The whole place went silent as the stranger with the shovel said .

 

“Is there nobody going to sing us a song then ?”

 

There’s always one in the crowd . Up stood George O’Dowd with a drink in his hand and he began to sing an old song but a good one . He sang Whiskey In The Jar by the bar and a few more joined in .

The man with the shovel in his hand shouted aloud ,

““A little bit of order.”

As he smashed the windows of the pub with his shovel .

The place went quiet and the stranger encouraged the singers to keep  singing .

“Who are you ad what do you want?”

The publican asked .

 

“I’m the grave digger and tonight I have a list of the dead and some of those names are here in this place .

The publican fled out the door but was brought to the floor by the right hand of the grave digger who said .

 

“You’re the first on the list .  Keep singing  O’Dowd .“

The grave digger was as big as a bull and was nobody was fool enough to tackle him . Everyone kept on singing.

 

“Sure ring dee me doo dar , whack for me Daddio , there’s whiskey in the jar ”

 

The grave digger walked around picking people at random as one after one men fell to the ground with a blow from the man with the shovel . Not  one dared to say a word and the singer kept singing .  .

 

“Three cheers for Mr O’Dowd .“

Said the grave digger

 

Everyone cheered .

Nobody dared to disturb the stranger who kept walking around the bar looking into the faces of all who were there .

He called out the names of those on his list and with his fist he collected their attention before slamming his shovel down upon their heads .

 

A dozen or more lay on the floor motionless as the grave digger sat down at the bar and fixed his gaze on those who were left and shouted out with a loud deep voice  

 

“Stand at ease and stay away from me . I have work to be done “

He dragged the dead men out of the pub and into the street .

The fighting on the street had finished now and there’s was no one around . A few moments later a large truck came along the road outside the pub .

The grave digger got out of the truck put each and everyone who lay on the floor . They were all placed in the back of the truck .

 

An old woman with a walking stick in her hand walked into the pub .

 

“My name is Granny Grey , don’t get in my way . I’ve come to tell you all a story .”

As she took a seat she started to speak and her voice put them all in a trance . When she had finished her story not one of them remembered what had happened in the pub that day .

 

The grave digger and the truck had gone and all that was left was the broken glass and bits and pieces of furniture on the floor .

As far as everyone in the pub knew , it was the aftermath of the fight that had broken out earlier on when the two rival gangs clashed .

 

The End