It was New Year’s Eve and snow was gently falling as Ivan walked down a sidewalk in the general direction of the Families headquarters.  A large celebration was scheduled to start at 9pm and run through the night for the newly established crew that had taken up residence on the south side of Philadelphia.  Ivan had his hat pulled down tight and his trench coat collar pulled up around his neck to keep the cold at bay as he quickly navigated his way past other individuals trying to elude the winter weather. 

As he approached a deli on the corner of South 5^th Street and West Porter, the lights from inside the business illuminated an older man that was sadly begging for food or money just outside the entrance.  Customers were making every attempt to avoid eye contact with the elderly man, ignoring his requests, and simply pretending he didn’t exist. 

Ivan stopped and watched for a while and noted the similarity that this elderly man had to his grandfather.  From the nearly bald head to the stooped over posture, the reminder of his grandfather put a smile on Ivan’s face.  As he watched, the old man finally gave up on his endeavor and pulled a worn blanket tightly around himself before walking down the sidewalk before turning into an alley way.  Cautiously, Ivan followed and as he peered around the corner, he saw the elderly man step under an overhang to the back door of one of the businesses, then slide down onto his bottom, pulling the blanket in tight around his legs and torso.  Then with aging hands, he pulled the blanket over his head, trying to shield the cold wind from his body as much as possible.

Ivan said to himself, this grandfather needs food and shelter and I will help him.  With that, he turned and walked back toward the deli.  As he approached the deli, standing to the side of the glass, he watched inside as the worker behind the counter finished wrapping two sandwiches, placed them in a brown paper sack, and handed them to a younger man on the opposite side of the deli case.  The younger man nodded in appreciation and then headed toward the door.  Ivan stepped back out of the light from the deli and watched as the younger man existed the building and then began walking in the opposite direction.

Ivan began to follow the younger man, matching step for step to mask the sound, but using longer strides to close the distance.  Ivan was only five feet behind the younger man as he turned a corner and away from the ambient light of the local businesses.  Ivan pulled a gun from his shoulder holster and closed the distance.  With the butt of the gun, Ivan hit the young man on the back of the head, knocking off his expensive looking hat, and watched as he fell to the ground.  Dazed, the man was holding his now bleeding head when Ivan stepped forward and began kicking the downed man in the stomach and then in the head, which were covered by his hands.  After several kicks, Ivan was sure he would not readily try and purse and he picked up the brown sack along with the expensive hat before retreating back toward the deli.

As Ivan came around the corner, he was saddened to see the old man was still curled up in his blanket, shivering from the cold.  Ivan slowly approached and in a voice that was deeply accented in Russian said “Old man, I have something for you”.  The older man, jumped with a fright, not expecting a voice in the darkness, then slowly pulled back the blanket, unsure of Ivan’s intentions.  Ivan handed him the brown paper sack and said “Here, eat, it will give you strength”.  Then remembering the expensive hat, he continued “And this will protect your bald head.  But you need some place to sleep out of the cold.”  That I will take care of shortly.”

Watching as the old man took out a sandwich and began to eat feverishly, he continued to walk briskly toward the headquarters again.   Just before turning the next block, he stepped into a doorway, out of the snow, and watched back in the direction of the old man.  Ten minutes later, a police car pulled up in front of the deli and two officers, along with the young man, holding a blood soaked rag on the back of his head, exited the patrol car and entered the deli.  Several minutes later, the two officers exited the deli, separating and going in opposite directions.  The closest officer turned and entered the alleyway.

Ivan continued to watch and a smile crossed his lips as he saw the old man being escorted from the alleyway by the police officer.  As he came into the light of the deli, the bleeding young man came out and became very animated as he pointed at the expensive looking hat that was worn by the old man.  The old man was holding up his hands in confusion and was pointing in different directions as the police officer pulled hand cuffs and fastened them to the old man’s wrists, behind his back.

Ivan smiled with satisfaction as he said “Good, the old man has a warm place to sleep tonight and a full belly, my work is done here!”