"We could be Bosses` within a year, soldiers working for us,
running with a top city family and Dames throwing themselves at our feet" said
Joey as we walked down the busy Main Street of Philadelphia. His imagination
was as wild as his need to live, and he wanted it all........this was our first
day in the big smoke, two still wet behind the ears youngsters who knew nothing,
we had left the easy comforts of home behind us.............convinced of our success,
we were clueless yet immediately felt part of the enormous swirling mix which
was the hallmark of this place, everyone had an opportunity, the trick was to
spot it, and grab it with both dirty, sweaty, grimy hands.
Our lives revolved around knocking off small betting shops
and pickpocketing, sometimes petty theft, especially if we hadn`t eaten for a while.
We developed a relationship with a local tailor, Mr.Cafretti, who ran a shop
just off 3rd avenue, he allowed us to sleep in his back yard among
the bags of textiles and boxes in return for a little protection after hours.
It was high summer and we were surprised how comfortable you could get with a
little thought. The evenings were sticky and hot, we had all we needed in those
early days and never had cause to get out of our beds, except for the
occasional stray dog, cat and rat.
Visits on a regular basis to family run bars and coffee
shops provided an insight into the world of organised crime, and much needed
toilet and washing facilities, we both looked much better on the
outside........Our weekly shot at the "big time" was a shoe shine outside
Fratelli`s, sat up high reading the news with local made men felt so good,
followed by a strong coffee outside the Guetenberg hotel. We both knew that an
introduction was needed to gain that important first step to being accepted
into one of the local families however.
Our big chance came soon after, we were asked by an
acquaintance who worked at a well known funeral home, to be at one of the
coffee shops we frequented regularly, late on Friday evening, the anticipation
of the meeting ran like steam through our veins, we did all we could to meet,
greet and even sweet talk our way through that week. We were afraid too, we had
also seen the other side to this life, and witnessed many deals, muggings and
collars.
Friday came and the morning went well with a take of $300 on
a banker leaving a local drug store, we`d watched him for about 3 weeks and
were pleased with our execution of the steal. A bite to eat was needed and as
usual we made our way to a small bar not far from Cafretti`s,Joey said he would
meet me there as he`d picked up a prescription for the old man and would
deliver that to him first and as usual come in the bar through the back entrance.
I sat awhile looking through the old Smokey window of the bar at the busy
street outside, the local PD was trying to break into a disused shop opposite;
they would be disappointed, Fat Larry moved his dope line out the previous evening.
The system worked well in Philly.
Twenty minutes past and I asked the owner to put my coffee
on the hot plate while I took a look out the back. The sight that greeted me
was something I wasn`t prepared for,a flat cap was holding a gun to Joey`s head
while another was picking up banknotes from the ground around him, there had
obviously been a struggle and they were clearing up, I called out and ran
towards the three of them, what followed took everyone by surprise, a flash and
a loud crack was heard, the guy with the gun cried out in pain, Joey fell to
the ground, the two guys ran down the back alley, Joey lay motionless, his face
covered in blood, the discarded banknotes danced around his body on the hard
dusty floor in the warm summer breeze. The gun lay on the floor in several pieces,
a cheap old piece of iron,a $5 lump of shit.I knelt down and cradled Joey in my
arms, his wound was so bad I had to place my jacket around the side of his head
to stem the blood and tissue flowing from the terrible wound, he was still conscious,
but slipping away..........he murmured to me but it was too faint, until his
very last breath in the dusty hard back alley of this unforgiving city, he said
the words...."don`t be late"
I stayed with him as long as I could.........he passed away
moments before the police arrived.
I walked for the rest of the afternoon, not knowing where I
was going, forgetting sometimes just who I was. Our lives had been a part of
each others for so long, Joey had been like a younger brother, we watched each other's
backs, if one got dirty the other did too, we shared so much.
As I watched the fancy procession of Studebakers leaving the
local Mafioso HQ, I wondered if this was for me, I wondered what if I was to
find a quiet corner of this big country and get a job, I wondered all
afternoon...............and then I heard Joey`s last few haunting words, that
memory will never leave me, I knew I had to make that appointment, it was
probably my only chance of getting somewhere in this place.
I made my way back to Cafretti`s,he was so upset with the
news he broke down crying, Joey looked after this guy more than I ever could. I
got a few things together and bid the old man farewell, he gave me $50, and a
cheap suit off the misfit stand............it was a welcome reward, I looked a real
mess, that bad you`d swear I had been shot.
The evening sun was still warm and the evening population
were starting to emerge onto those hard, unforgiving history stained sidewalks.
I saw the coffee shop as I turned the corner, the owner was reading the paper
behind the counter, he wasn`t busy.
As I walked in he promptly put down his paper, and filled a
large mug with a freshly brewed coffee, I was obviously expected, he placed the
mug on a side table, and gestured for me to sit, as I placed my hand into my
pocket for the 10 cents, he shook his hands and head and pulled a chair out for
me, he knew why I was there.
Five minutes past and suddenly two men appeared from the
rear of the shop, one sat down at the counter while the other walked through
the shop, past my table and to the door. He turned the sign around on the door
and locked it. I knew this was it and my heart began to thump so hard I could
hear it; my mouth was dry and the palms of my hands wet. He walked over to me,
leaned over and whispered into my ear............."Think it`s time you took a
leak kid"
I looked at him as he also walked over to the counter, sat
and waited. I couldn`t finish the coffee and decided to leave it on the
table.............I walked past the heavies and through the back to the men`s
room, opening the door I saw a large guy stood taking a piss, with a plume of
cigar smoke hovering to one side of him.........I didn`t have to wait long
before he spoke, still facing the opposite direction to me he
growled...."Where`s the other one?.....thought there were two of ya"
"My partner had an accident" I replied, the sound of my
voice beating in time with the heavy rushed pace of my heart...........then for
no reason I knelt, I don`t know why, I shall probably never know.....but I did,
lowering one knee onto the wet floor.
The man shook himself, puffing on his cigar he replied "I`ve
heard you know your way around these parts, you could be useful to us kid" He
slowly turned, and ran his hands under the old rusty taps at the basin........."You
can get up kid, nobody in this family swims in piss.............come through."
I followed him through to the shop.............I was in. |