Same Tree, Different Branch (Pt.1)
Dec 25, 2019 19:30:11 GMT -5
Post by giacomo on Dec 25, 2019 19:30:11 GMT -5
A 2002 black Lexus es300 pulls up against the curb. Two burly men in pin striped suits and black fedoras get out of the car; one happens to be carrying a large bottle of water.
“The Skip isn't going to be too happy about us showing up a half an hour late. You know he doesn't like to wait.”
“All The Skip cares about is the job. We did that job, Johnny.”
“Yeah but--”
“Yeah but nothing. He probably doesn't even know we made it outta there.”
The two men walk across the quiet and dark street to a dimly lit Italian restaurant.
“Why do we always have to meet here anyways? Putzi. This dirty fucking block. Nothing but a buncha moulinyans.”
“The Old Man’s family's had action in the Bronx since like the 60s. This is one of the last remnants of a time when this thing of ours took over the entire city.”
“Heh, yeah now it's just Staten, Long and north Jersey. Once these hipster merigans started moving into Harlem that should've been the writing on the wall. We need to be out in Vegas like Ally Boy and those guys or even Miami with Ooze--”
“Va fangool those assholes Giac. They're the reason why we're fucking weak right now and have been for years. There's nothing a made guy these days fears more than the idea the best is all behind us. Like we came in at the end. The tail end.”
Johnny stops just outside the door to the restaurant. He lowers his head for a moment before clutching his fists.
“Our best guys. And I'm not just talking about how fun it was to be around them. But they were the best muscle. The best earners. The best at doing all the politicking and shit.”
Giac rolls his eyes.
“Johnny…”
“I said fuck them! They start a war with a bunch of mooks in the Nation of Islam, and the Old Man expects the Skip to pull our family into it? Philly wanted nothing to do with with it Jackie that's why we had to send solidiers down there. We clean it up and what do they do? Join up with those same bean pie eating fucks and open a gym in Miami. All the money that blonde mutt and that cokehead flamer made doing that wrestling shit. Did we ever get a taste?”
“Johnny.”
“DID. WE…”
Johnny stops and looks around, figuring he should probably lower his voice.
“Did we get a taste? Millions of dollars these cocksuckers made glorifying what we do. Practically made movies and made a parody out of the family. Do we get a taste for even the disrespect? No. They packed up their crews and their families and put a dent in New York that The Skip has been trying to build back up from scratch. If it wasn't for how much he loved the Old Man and those kids, we would've been wrapped all four of those cocksuckers with steel jackets. Especially that guinea mutt fuck from Chicago.”
Johnny flashes a sinister smile as he fantasizes about the hit job. He pats Giacomo on the shoulder.
“Yous getting stronger, Drinkwater. Bigger and stronger. You've been in the gym a lot more. Look The Skip knows I know. The rest of the guys know. We know what you want. We know you want a way out but we've already lost too many good earners and good muscle. We can't afford another one. Especially when the boom is coming. Possible war.”
Johnny puts his arm around Giac’s shoulders and they both walked in to the restaurant. Giac, feeling uneasy about Johnny’s deep-seeded hatred for some of his "friends", tried his best to play along. If you could make The Skip laugh, he'll forget about you being late. Their best way to do this was to make an exuberant entrance. In unison they sang:
“Guess who just got back today?”
“Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away”
“Haven't changed, had much to say”
“But man, I still think them cats are crazy”
“They were asking if you were around. How you was, where you could be found”
“Told them you were living downtown. Driving all the old men crazy.”
“THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN…”
...THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN!!”
A table full of well-dressed wiseguys in the back corner of the otherwise empty restaurant began to cheer. One man in particular stood up at the head of the table. He was older but swift. The gleam in his eye couldn't be hidden behind his poker face, no matter how hard he tried. Giacomo and Johnny approach the older man, both greeting him with a handshake and a kiss on both cheeks.
(To Be Continued)
“The Skip isn't going to be too happy about us showing up a half an hour late. You know he doesn't like to wait.”
“All The Skip cares about is the job. We did that job, Johnny.”
“Yeah but--”
“Yeah but nothing. He probably doesn't even know we made it outta there.”
The two men walk across the quiet and dark street to a dimly lit Italian restaurant.
“Why do we always have to meet here anyways? Putzi. This dirty fucking block. Nothing but a buncha moulinyans.”
“The Old Man’s family's had action in the Bronx since like the 60s. This is one of the last remnants of a time when this thing of ours took over the entire city.”
“Heh, yeah now it's just Staten, Long and north Jersey. Once these hipster merigans started moving into Harlem that should've been the writing on the wall. We need to be out in Vegas like Ally Boy and those guys or even Miami with Ooze--”
“Va fangool those assholes Giac. They're the reason why we're fucking weak right now and have been for years. There's nothing a made guy these days fears more than the idea the best is all behind us. Like we came in at the end. The tail end.”
Johnny stops just outside the door to the restaurant. He lowers his head for a moment before clutching his fists.
“Our best guys. And I'm not just talking about how fun it was to be around them. But they were the best muscle. The best earners. The best at doing all the politicking and shit.”
Giac rolls his eyes.
“Johnny…”
“I said fuck them! They start a war with a bunch of mooks in the Nation of Islam, and the Old Man expects the Skip to pull our family into it? Philly wanted nothing to do with with it Jackie that's why we had to send solidiers down there. We clean it up and what do they do? Join up with those same bean pie eating fucks and open a gym in Miami. All the money that blonde mutt and that cokehead flamer made doing that wrestling shit. Did we ever get a taste?”
“Johnny.”
“DID. WE…”
Johnny stops and looks around, figuring he should probably lower his voice.
“Did we get a taste? Millions of dollars these cocksuckers made glorifying what we do. Practically made movies and made a parody out of the family. Do we get a taste for even the disrespect? No. They packed up their crews and their families and put a dent in New York that The Skip has been trying to build back up from scratch. If it wasn't for how much he loved the Old Man and those kids, we would've been wrapped all four of those cocksuckers with steel jackets. Especially that guinea mutt fuck from Chicago.”
Johnny flashes a sinister smile as he fantasizes about the hit job. He pats Giacomo on the shoulder.
“Yous getting stronger, Drinkwater. Bigger and stronger. You've been in the gym a lot more. Look The Skip knows I know. The rest of the guys know. We know what you want. We know you want a way out but we've already lost too many good earners and good muscle. We can't afford another one. Especially when the boom is coming. Possible war.”
Johnny puts his arm around Giac’s shoulders and they both walked in to the restaurant. Giac, feeling uneasy about Johnny’s deep-seeded hatred for some of his "friends", tried his best to play along. If you could make The Skip laugh, he'll forget about you being late. Their best way to do this was to make an exuberant entrance. In unison they sang:
“Guess who just got back today?”
“Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away”
“Haven't changed, had much to say”
“But man, I still think them cats are crazy”
“They were asking if you were around. How you was, where you could be found”
“Told them you were living downtown. Driving all the old men crazy.”
“THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN…”
...THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN!!”
A table full of well-dressed wiseguys in the back corner of the otherwise empty restaurant began to cheer. One man in particular stood up at the head of the table. He was older but swift. The gleam in his eye couldn't be hidden behind his poker face, no matter how hard he tried. Giacomo and Johnny approach the older man, both greeting him with a handshake and a kiss on both cheeks.
(To Be Continued)