Josie had done nothing about the unfair workload between her and Rosemary. She now worked eleven hours a day.
Louis had finished his work in Dublin without contacting his family. He had gone back to the stress-filled job in New York.
New Year’s Eve was approaching and, just like last year, Cissy assured her family and colleagues at work that she was going to be with friends; Josie told her sister that she was going out with friends and, as before, Rosemary showed no interest. This year it didn’t matter because her fellow’s wife wasn’t going skiing so there would be no party. Martin wished he could have been more generous about Geoff going to yet another desperate attempt from his parents to marry him off. But he knew that he sounded resentful and sulky and that Geoff was growing away from him. Louis felt like he had missed out on something in life. He had told many people in New York that he was going to Dublin for New Year’s Eve and, as far as he could see, nobody cared.
Louis was the first in the door of Gianni’s. He had brought a couple of bottles of wine, which he handed over the counter.
“From the friends of Gianni,” he said.
“Are the other people coming?” Gianni asked.
“I sincerely hope so, Gianni; otherwise you and I will have to drink these together.”
The door opened and Josie came in; Cissy and Martin arrived minutes later. The year since they had last met had disappeared; it was like a family reunion. And this time, they had brought nightwear and clean clothes, and the men had brought extra rugs.
It was better than before, and this time they learned that Louis was some kind of investigative spy. He checked people out for big companies, made sure their CVs were accurate. He was good at his job but it was beginning to get to him the number of times he had exposed eager young people trying to get on. He had brought their dreams crashing down.
Josie said that Rosemary was now worse than ever, as her fellow was being kept on a much tighter leash than before.
They were disappointed that the others hadn’t changed their lives as had been hoped, but they were all defensive about themselves.
This year they felt that they knew one another well enough to give their full names and addresses.
And so it went on, year after year. Including the year when Gianni had a black armband on because his father had died during the year. They had all cried with Gianni, even though they had never met the old man. Gianni said if only he could have his life over again he would have taken his papa back to Italy while he still had the strength to enjoy it.
And Frank had tried to come back but Cissy had said no way. Cissy was now the vice principal, and she was going on occasional outings with a new man. She wasn’t forty yet, she had got courage from her New Year’s Eve friends, she didn’t think her life was over.
Josie had been afraid to face them all after ten years of promising to deal with Rosemary. So now she had actually done something. She had also moved out of her sister’s house and left the whole building to her in exchange for running the vegetable shop solo. She had a little flat upstairs and a hardworking assistant. She had joined a bridge club and next year she was going to lose eighteen pounds’ weight.
Louis said he had been so touched by Gianni’s devotion to his father that he had made contact with his family. They had all forgotten whatever the hard feelings were, and though he remembered, he thought it more politic to forget it all also.
They brought their overnight bags back to Cissy’s place and saw in the New Year cheerfully. For the tenth time together.
“Imagine that we only see one another one night a year,” Josie said.
She looked different these days, no more silly knitted hats and much more confidence in her manner.
“There’s nothing in the rules to say we couldn’t meet more often,” Louis said.
Louis was going to be spending much more time in Ireland anyway and would welcome the congenial company of a friend of ten years’ standing.
A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MAEVE BINCHY was the author of numerous bestselling books, including, most recently, A Week in Winter, Minding Frankie, Heart and Soul and Whitethorn Woods, in addition to Night of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends and Tara Road, which was an Oprah’s Book Club selection. She wrote for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; Modern Maturity and Good Housekeeping, among other publications. She died in July 2012 at the age of seventy-two.
Chestnut Street
Maeve Binchy
Reading Group Guide
ABOUT THIS READING GROUP GUIDE
The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading group’s discussion of Chestnut Street, stories from beloved, bestselling author Maeve Binchy.
ABOUT THE BOOK
While she was writing columns for The Irish Times and her best-selling novels, Maeve Binchy also had in mind to write a book that revolved around one street with many characters coming and going. Every once in a while, she would write and would then put the pages in a drawer. “For the future,” she would say. The future is now.
Across town from St. Jarlath’s Crescent (which readers will recognize from Minding Frankie) is Chestnut Street, where neighbors come and go. Behind their closed doors we encounter very different people with different life circumstances, occupations and sensibilities. Written with the humor and understanding that are trademarks of Binchy’s work, Chestnut Street is a pleasure to visit, sharing neighbors’ joys and sorrows … ultimately, to have our hearts warmed by her storytelling.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. In “Dolly’s Mother,” what did Dolly really learn on her sixteenth birthday?
2. How was it a win-win situation for Fay and for Mr. J. K. O’Brien of Chestnut Street? How did each change the other? (“Fay’s New Uncle”)
3. In the story “All That Matters,” Aunt Elizabeth tells Nessa: “I’m going to tell you something very important so listen well. I know you are only fifteen but it’s never too early to know this: all that matters is the image you create of yourself.” (this page) This sentiment seems to be shared by characters in other stories, too. Can you think of other characters in other stories that reinvent themselves? Do the self-created images make them any happier?
4. Though some stories feel contemporary, such as “Joyce and the Blind Date,” others seem fairly timeless, such as “Miss Ranger’s Reward.” Do you think they’re all set in the same era? If not, what is the time period and what are some of the indicators of time?
5. Do you think the cure for sleeplessness offered by Molly’s friend could really work? What was the point of the cure? Would you ever try it?
6. At the end of “The Gift of Dignity,” Binchy writes: “And she knew that what she had offered, dignity and respect, were not nearly as satisfying as a good cry and a lot of nose blowing and a resolution that things could be solved. That was friendship. And somehow in the middle of all this, friendship had got lost.” (this page) What does she mean by “friendship had got lost”?
7. Was Nick a good or bad son? Did he finally make amends for stealing Shona’s savings? (“The Investment”)
8. Did Miss Mack have any influence on Lilian’s choice of husband? Did Miss Mack regret turning down the love of her life for what she thought was a fatal flaw? What chance of succeeding do you give Lilian’s marriage to Tim? (“Lilian’s Hair”)
9. Do you think Bucket Maguire was justified in helping his son run away? How would you react if you were a parent in a similar situation?
10. Characters’ assumptions—about situations, about other characters—are often subverted by the end of a story. For instance, in “The Sighting,” Sean and Brian assume their father is being unfaithful, but the truth is something they never would’ve expected. What do Sean and Brian learn that could be a lesson for us all?
11. In the story “Madame Magic,” what magic did Agnes really perform?
12. Many characters keep secrets, the way Nuala nev
er reveals what she really thinks in “Say Nothing,” while others are more open, such as when the narrator of “Finn’s Future” breaks the ice with Molly by making a confession. Which do you think has the more positive outcome? Would you rather have Molly or Nuala as your friend?
13. The final story in the collection, “One Night a Year,” hinges on a chance encounter. Does it change each character in the same way? If not, how will the encounter change each one in various ways? In other ways, besides location, Chestnut Street neighbors have much in common and yet are unique. In what ways are the neighbors the same?
14. What do these stories tell us about generational differences in Ireland? Are those differences universal?
15. In many of the stories, a relative tries to influence one of her nieces or nephews still living at home. How does Nessa’s aunt Elizabeth try to change Nessa? Does it work for the better?
16. Many of Binchy’s stories have a message and a strong moral conclusion. Which characters can you think of that are rewarded for patience and generosity? In what story does someone get comeuppance after treating others poorly?
SUGGESTED READING
The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes; Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout; Dubliners by James Joyce; Close Range by Annie Proulx; The Beggar Maid by Alice Munro; Irish Girls About Town by Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes and Cathy Kelly.
Maeve Binchy, Chestnut Street
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