In the Little Italy area of Manhattan in New York, there was a meeting being held in the back of Cecil's Boxing Gym. It was a big place, a spot in the back that served as a seperate house. On the window in the front, boxing gloves were painted with Cecil's Boxing in green and white paint. Cecil started it after buying the building from the previous owner who had a smoke shop there previously. The local kids would stop in, learn to box, hang out with the guys, and Wiseguys from all around would come in, bet on fights, and talk about business. Besides being the owner, Cecil was also a coach. He had always been a boxer and even boxed in Joliet State Prison.

Now a days, he lived the life, made his bones, and tried to stay out of the can as much as possible. Being a Made Guy in New York, he had seen his share of arguements, bullet wounds and dead bodies. Captain A says something to Captain B and before you know it, one or both of them is dead, and both of their Families break out into war, or worse, it's in the same family and the rest of the guys end up taking sides. It was something that could of been avoided if someone would of kept a cool head for three minutes, and requested a sit down.

See, a sitdown is when a beef that's between two Made Guys get's settled when one guy and their family want to reach out and talk to the other guy and their family over whatever the issue is. They reach out to someone they both know who can remain nuetral and not take sides. A mutual understanding is eventually set between the two people, or two families.

Sitting in the middle of the table was Cecil. On his left, from The Bronx, were Gagliano Family Boss, Gaetano Gagliano and his Underboss Tommy Lucchese, and of course neither seemed pleased to be there. On Cecil's right sat Tintura Family Boss, Dominic Saltari and his Captain, Mario "Chubbs" Palina. Cecil had known all four mean since he was a kid, some had even known his dad, him being a nuetral person who was always willing to listen, was perfect for organizing this kind of sit down.

After a construction job that went sour, something about trucks of cement being stolen and one of the guys ended up having to go to the hospital with a broken foot. This guy just happen to be the brother-in-law of Don Saltari. Before you know it, it got out of hand. Both Families had Soldiers getting shot left and right. Both parties even had Captains in critical condition. After Gaetano had his dock workers and Union guys take a ship load of Provolone, Whiskey, and Suits and sent them to New Orleans where they "mysteriously disppeared", then one of Gaetano's bootleg operations got raided and closed down by the cops on Dominic's payroll, that was the last straw, it was either all out war, head straight to the mattresses or have a sitdown, work things out and see what kind of compromise could be reached.

Cecil decided to talk first, noting how the tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife and have animosity sandwiches.

"First off, let me say thanks to both families for showing up. I know everyone has their own shit to do. Now, down to business. The both of you are here to clear up this thing with the construction sight and the trucks."

"Not to mention fourty-five suits and seventeen cases of whiskey that ended up who da fuck knows where." Dominic said coldy. Making constant eye contact with Gaetano.

"Oh yeah, that. It's a damn shame, you should really pay more attention to what you try to smuggle in, there's theives and crooks out there yanno." replied Gaetano.

Tommy chuckled.

Cecil knew he had to cool things down. "Hey, take it easy. We're here to get all this shit outta the way and get back to business."

Dominic cut in.

"Fuck takin' it easy. This prick started this whole thing when one of his guys decided to go MY construction site, boost one of MY trucks then to top it off the stupid fucks run over my brother-in-law's foot! Now he's at home with a cast on and can't work, to provide his kids with foot. I'm tired of this shit, either this prick hands back everything he took, plus two-hundred-thousand to me, and fifty to my sister."

With a relaxed but firm tone, Tommy spoke up. "There was a miscommunication. All you had to do was get in touch with one of us and the thing could of been settled. The minute you decided to take out Anthony Pataglia, a CAPTAIN, that's when the line was crossed and we had no choice but to strike back. Gaetano and I talked about things. The two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand you want cancels out the costs of the brewery we had in, not to mention all the damage the cops did when they raided the place. One of my guys had to have his jaw wired shut. That place had a pay out of seventy-five-thousand a month, and since we can't rebuild and go back to the same place, we're shit out of luck, we gotta go upstate to open up shop. That's goin to take at least 2 months. You wanted this sit down? So take it easy, and talk about what both our families can do to settle this thing."

Cecil looked at both parties, the wheels were turning. Each thinking about how to make peace, but at the same time what would happen if they went to war. All it takes is someone to be stubborn and not want to listen, and they end up with fifty pounds of lead pumped into them and the rest of their guys are left to fend for themselves. Both knew they had to come to terms, otherwise things could get nasty and an entire city could be left in ruins.

Dominic was famous for his temper and for being a hot head. But he knew this wasn't the time, had key guys dead or in the hospital and had lost out big time on his money. Every week this thing went on, his pockets were lighter by several thousand. Regardless of what happened, he still wanted his money, and he had to take care of his sister and her kids. He put his pride behind him and decided to think on a business level.

"Regardless of what happened over there with your liqour and your guys, I still gotta have somethin' outta this. Especially for my sister and her kids. I'm willing to call my trucks and your brewery even if you kick up thirty percent to me from the shipping yards and gambling halls you have. My sister still get's the fifty, but I'll have my guys rebuild the brewery upstate and supply transportation from there to Chicago."

Gaetano knew he would still want money, he always thought of him as a greedy bastard. But if that's what it took, then fine.

"Thirty percent is a little steep, no? Fifteen, and you'll get the fifty for your sister. I have no problem calling things even. But the next time I need the help, I need the cops you have to get my guys outta the can and not break my balls about my card games."

Mario whispered in Dominic's ear, "That's better than we thought he would offer. I say we take it. End this shit. A lot of our guys are exposed sittin' in jail and hospital beds."

Dominic nodded his head, Mario was right. Even though he had the feeling he just wanted to get things over with so he could get him some anti-pasta and zeppolis. He wasn't nicknamed 'Chubbs' for no reason.

"Alright, in the interest of puttin' this shit to bed. Fifteen. We'll talk later about my sister."

All parties stood up at this point, Gaetano and Dominic shook hands with eachother, slapped eachother on the back and then shook hands with Cecil.

"Good, I'm glad this thing got settled." Cecil said.

Cecil escorted all four men out,both Dons and their trusted Soldier hopped in a car and drove away. He sighed a sigh of relieve and sat on a chair outside of the gym. He thought to himself, Thank God that shit's over with. Cecil didn't like going to funerals, he would go to pay his respects of course, but tried to get out of there as soon as possible. It's a good thing the two Dons understood that dead bodies equal a dead business. Money stops flowing and we all end up one of Capone's soup kitchens. Cecil didn't get to be the age he was and make the money he did by constantly testing his trigger finger.

It doesn't matter how many guys you've clipped, how big your house is or how tough you are. If you don't have a brain behind all that, you end up with a high profile and a low life expectancy. People today are quick to wack someone, it's the power of the mind that's made Our Thing what it is now, never forget that.

Good story ... Has a moral to it as well. I hope to read more from you.

nice story

Indeed Cecil pretty cool. If you can write more.

The idea was that certain arguements that have broken out where guys have ended up dead could of been resolved in some way, but people are always too quick to pick up a gun. For some reason, they think that this thing is a game. If you die, you don't come back. An entire Crime Family gets wiped out all due to the fact that someone was a little too hot headed to think rationally.