Sitting in a chair at the back of the room, Andy took a long draw on his cigarette, trying to calm his nerves.  While his hands remained steady, the bouncing action of his right leg revealed the nervous energy that was racing through his body.  Tonight was his first “job” for the family and would most likely determine his path within the organized crime world for the next several months.

Andy had grown up in a middle class home and enjoyed an easy childhood until that tragic day when his parents were killed in an auto accident, not more than four blocks from their suburban home.  Andy had never thought of himself as spoiled, but looking back on how easy his parents made his life compared to now, he really had taken things for granted.  With his parents being immigrants, he had no other relatives in the states.  The government had placed him in a children’s home, but the conditions were deplorable at best.  Within a short time, he had made the decision to run away and take his chances on the streets.

Out of necessity and unwilling to lower himself to dumpster diving, he had started committing petty crimes.  Growing up and participating in organized sports, his athletic build, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination allowed him to excel in shop lifting goods and stealing purses.  That was, until he met Frank.

Eyeing a prominent woman standing near a vendors fruit stand, her purse looked to be an easy snatch.  Being overly confident in his speed and having completed several successful grabs, he didn’t notice the man that was standing just a short distance away.  As the woman grabbed and apple to inspect it, Andy reached out and grabbed the strap of the purse, yanking it from her arm and started an all out sprint to his planned get away route.  As normal, the woman let out a scream and he heard her say “Oh My God, Stop, Thief, STOP!”.  Knowing he could not be caught, the grin on his face quickly faded when he heard heavy footsteps behind him.  Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a man chasing after him, stride for stride.  Terror rising up inside him, Andy rounded a corner and into an alley way between two large buildings.  Just before exiting the far end of the alley, Andy felt a strong hand grab the back of his shirt and yank backwards.  Caught off guard, Andy lost his balance and the man and him came toppling to the ground, rolling in a heap as their momentum continued their movement forward.

Andy tried to scramble away, but the man had ahold of his shirt with one hand and the wrist that held the purse with the other.  Looking up in terror and breathing heavily from the exertion, Andy waited for blows to come raining down.  Then the man, also breathing heavily, said “Damn kid, your fast, but not fast enough to beat old Frank.  I should kick the shit out of ya for trying to steal my girls purse.  Or worse, I should just kill you right here.  How does that sound kid, ready to die?”  Andy attempted to struggle, but the man was much larger and stronger.  Andy, not knowing what to do, blurted out in a terrified voice “I was just hungry.  And tired of sleeping on streets.  I’m sorry.  Just hungry”.

Frank stared down at the helpless youth for several seconds.  Then, to Andy’s surprise, the hold on his shirt relaxed and Frank reached over and took the purse from his hand.  Then Frank said “Kid, I’m gonna give you a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Do you know where Main Street meets Ave K?”  Andy, still in a little in shock, simply nodded his head in agreement.  Frank continued “Good, meet me there tonight at 10 pm.  Walk down the alley and enter the first door on the right.  This is a storage room.  Wait for me there.  I have a job for you that will get you into the family, if you can pull it off.  And once your in the Family, you will always be in the family until the day you die, understand?  The Family takes care of their own, so you won’t have to worry about being hungry any longer.  You better understand and show up, otherwise, next time I see you, there won’t be an opportunity”.  With that, Frank released his hold on his wrist and stood up.  Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulled out a $5 bill and dropped it on Andy’s chest.  “Go get some food and get yourself cleaned up.  See you tonight, kid” were the final words Frank said before he turned and walked back down the alley way with purse in hand.

Now Andy sat in this storage room, waiting for a man he had only briefly met, smoking a cigarette he had found on the street.  He had no idea what this job was, but Frank had spared him a beating and had actually given him money for food.  Now Andy felt he was in debt to the mysterious man.  As he replayed the events of the day once again, he jumped in shock when the door opened and Frank stepped in, followed by two other men.  Frank nodded in Andy’s direction before saying to his two companions, “This is the kid I told you about.  Fast as hell.  But not faster than ole Frank!”

Unsure what to do, Andy stood up and reached out, offering a hand shake to the three men.  All three simply stared at Andy, first at his extended hand and then back up to his face.  Then they simply turned and walked back out the door with Frank saying over his shoulder “Come on kid, it’s time”.

All four climbed into a sedan that was parked out on the street.  A short distance later, they pulled in front of an art gallery and stopped.  Frank, driving the sedan, turned to Andy, sitting in the back, and said “Ok, kid, this is how your going to earn your stripes.  We’ve been hired to torch this place.  While we could simply do it ourselves, I’m letting you in on the action.  We’re going to pull down the street four blocks.  When you see me hit the brake lights four times, then you simply break the window, light a gasoline bomb, throw it inside, and run like hell.  Pretty simple, eh kid?  Here, you’ll need this”.  One of the other two companions hands Andy a large brick along with a bottle filled with yellow liquid and a rag stuffed inside.

Andy stepped from the car with his heart racing.  The task seemed to easy and he began to question why they just hadn’t done it themselves.  He watched as the car pulled down the street and he waited.  Several long seconds later, he saw the brake lights begin to flash…One, two, three, four.  Knowing that was his que, Andy stepped back from the front glass window and threw the brick.  With a loud bang, the brick bounced off the glass and fell to the ground.  Embarrassed, Andy walked over and picked up the brick again.  Stepping back and just as he began to throw the brick a second time, lights came on in the upstairs windows.  In a rush of panic, Andy threw the brick again and this time, the glass window shattered.  As he fumbled for his lighter, lights came on in the back of the art gallery and he could see a man dressed in a security outfit running down a set of stairs. Finally able to light the cloth, just as the man ran to the front door and began unlocking it, Andy threw the glass container into the Art Gallery, hearing it crash into a wall and instantly flames ignited all around from the flammable liquid.

Andy turned and began to sprint down the street as he saw the car slowly begin to turn the corner.  In his mind, he wondered if they were going to leave him, but then he heard the yell of the security guard from behind.  A block from the burning building, he heard the sound of a gun being fired and saw a piece of brick explode ahead of him as the bullet found a home.  Andy’s speed increased as he realized the life and death situation he was involved with.  Two more shots were fired, but Andy still had not been hit.  Rounding the corner, he was relieved when he saw the sedan was waiting for him with a door open.  Jumping into the car and slamming the door shut, the sedan raced forward and was already rounding another corner when the security guard finally came into view.

Frank, laughing, looked back at Andy breathing heavily in the back seat.  Then he said “Kid, welcome to the family.  Nice work.  I think I forgot to mention that they had a security guard at the Art Gallery.  Opps, my bad!”.  And with that, all three of the other men began to laugh uncontrollably.