that he mated the fiery irish demonness with the blockhead kraut dumpkopf , both unredeemed pagans , joined in catholic marriage for the betterment of their own souls and for the manifestation of gods eternal justice ... bob he almost called herthis nickname never coming back into play , neither as joke or tag for there was no humor in berthas looksshe was not a looker , passably average , a face a bit too squinched , a profile only lascivious at the bars lecherous last call ... many , like frank , had often just walked past her , howeverbertha obrien was everything her name wasnt : a flash-quick smile , quicker wit , quickest kisser : wicked teaserlike a flickering flame upon a candle she whooshed in and lit franks , um , wickwickedness , is how he muses upon her now beguiling face : chimerarecalls her presence ... catches himself relishing the word , her sound : berthabut it was her dance ... bertha as lithe and cavorting and sensuous as her name denied , she was a flame undulating with the slightest of movements generating heat : a wax melter ... frank was wax-with-bee-buzzing desireshe made every inhibition he ever had melt ... all the strictures and handcuffs and cock chains of his catholic educationmothers of heavenly sorrow in grammar school ; knuckled beatings in jesuit high schoolhis body bore the astral slaps , bruises and just desserts of soul saving education : educate the soul , not the mind !