#119 + (46/60)  10/26/17

(— The Second Part —)

— 2 —

Sit Down

Michael Callini’s Home (Office) 

Michael Calling preferred having these meetings in his Brooklyn home where his wife, Sonia, could cook her Sicilian dinners. Ziti with special meat sauce, warm bread and string beans with olive oil and garlic.

She (Sonia Lusoni Callini) prided herself on her meat sauce. 

 

Sonia Lusoni Callini (She) was a louder woman, more expressive than her husband, but sometimes, if you were to catch her alone, you would catch her other side like a cool breeze passing (passed) through the room. At these times, she wore a blank face like there were something horrible (,a terrible scar) just underneath the surface in some other part of her life. Some sort of hurt. A struggle.  

Michael Callini and Meyer were already sitting at the dinner table when Edward’s shadow crossed the yard’s front lawn. A moment later there was a very quiet knock on the front door.

From the moment he walked in the room, Michael Callini studied this tall, lanky young man Edward Neri for any small tells. An indicator that may reveal an intention for what has already been done.

Michael Callini was not as grim-faced (for the first part) at the dinner table where business was not discussed. With his wire-rimmed spectacles and medium-built frame, Michael Callini was now in his 70th year and had the look of a distinguished professor – his face was set in such a way that radiated his power and seemed to glisten. It was pristine (shiny), except for one horrible scar that ran from his chin, down his neck to his shirt collar. (underneath his chin that ran down his neck to his shirt collar.) It was (that looked) a burnt mark from his youth. (It was a good story.) The story was that in his younger days Michael Callini was jumped by two, half-ass wise guys in Brooklyn connected with the Bonanno family (from “Little Nick’s” crew). They were trying to get him to turn on someone in his own crew (a “made man”), his own blood. Trying to get a confession for the murder of a made man – Anthony Corallo.  They tied him down to the back of a hay cart. One man held his shoulders down and pinned him to the cart and the other man placed a flaming torch with a wooden handle right underneath his chin to try to get him to confess. (The other man just stood there in the street and reached in and poked him a pitch fork every once in a while) (with a pitch fork and poked him every once in a while). The other man just stood there in the street with a pitch fork and poked him every once in a while. (One women,) Marciano Costa, a shop keeper across the street at the time, said those wise guys were over there most of the afternoon with their mischief.  “I was shocked,” she said. But she could not stop praising the young man for not breaking his code of silence. 

She kept raising her hands to the sky, praising and giving thanks. And saying, “Cu è surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent’anni ‘mpaci” (He who is deaf, blind, and silent will live a hundred years in peace)

Michael Callini never said a word. 

After the incident, Marciano Costa, brought over gifts from the shop to Michael and his family and praised his honor, his man hood. She then reached into her jacket pocket and gave Michael two $100 bills.

It was Michael Callini’s first payment of tribute for protection, and that is how it began.

(but his eyes told a different story. They were the eyes of a man that had seen some of the worst things that man is capable of. The horrible things. The animal things.) 

 

* * * * *

After dinner, Michael Callini excused himself first from the table and disappeared down a dark hallway. A moment later, Edward and Meyer followed.

Meyer stood in the drawing room’s front hall way as Edward walked toward him down the narrow hallway. 

Before entering Michael Callini’s office, Meyer stopped Edward just outside the doorway and leaned forward to whisper into Meyer’s ear.

“Do not be frightened. The Godfather looks at this a problem to be solved.”

They entered Michael Callini’s office.

Michael Callini sat behind his desk with a grim-face and did not say a word.

Meyer stepped inside and motioned with his hand toward the chair. “Sit. Sit, Edward. We have this problem to discuss.”

When he sat, (down) the light from the adjoining office (parlor room) lit up Edward’s whole upper half and Meyer noticed for the first time Edward’s frightened, skeleton face

“Thank you for your letters to us Edward,” Meyer said looking at Edward and then quickly back at Michael Callini with a worried face. “You have been a true friend of the Family since you were a boy, and, although you have made some mistakes, you have come forward (with) and given them a full account in your letters to me, and I appreciate that. You have always been a good boy. A good earner.” 

“The money going out saddens us,” Meyer said looking up to The Godfather and then back at Edward. “But it is just money and we know were we can get (to get) more of that.”

“This is family, blood,” he said gesturing toward Michael Callini and back to himself. “But what has happened, has happened. We mustn’t dwell so much on the milk that has already spilled.”

“Please do not use the e-mail.” said Meyer. “Your message to me is important, but we should discuss this in person. Face to face.” He motioned to the paper printouts of the e-mail confession sitting on a small dinner table in the corner. “That is no good.” 

The Godfather sat their listening (quietly), sitting straight up with both hands placed on his desk.

Meyer continued.

“Control your anger, Edward. You must never let others (even me) know your thumbscrew. If they do not know what angers you they will not know how to hurt you.”

“I do not even have a phone,” Michael Callini said shrugging his shoulders and looking at Edward with an innocent face. 

 

On his desk Michael Callini had a small, model sized carved and painted wooden Sicilian wedding that he slowly rolled back and forth between his hands as he quietly watched Edward for any small facial tics or small tells as he answered Meyer’s (the) questions. (but his eyes were not leaving Edward’s.) 

“The name calling does not concern us,” Meyer said. “Talk is cheap (is cheap). People use words to deceive, to control you. A persons actions will (always) reveal their intentions.”

“It is what they are really after,” The Godfather said. 

“What concerns us,” Meyer said, “is that this Jerry Smith is not a man of respect and now he has our money.”

Meyer said: “If this Jerry was not respected there was no reason to provide him assistance…”

Michael Callini waved his hand. “If he (they) is not respected there is no reason to think of him (them) at all.”

 

 

“Did he say what would happen if we do not pay him?” Meyer asked.

 

Edward tells The Godfather that one of their “soldiers” is about to make a house visit and they may also “call the police.” 

“Did he come?” Michael Callini asked.

“No.”

In an instant there was a flash of recognition, a knowing, (a conviction), that came to Michael Callini.

The threat lacked conviction. There was no weight.  

They did not follow up on the house visit and a man of respect would never involve the police.

Michael Callini looked at Edward, his eyes hardening, his face set, “Why would you go to the police? You are under my protection.”

 

What I am asking Edward is do you think these men have balls?

 

 

Michael Callini waved his hand, “Do not get upset at them. If he is not respected there is no reason to think of him (them) at all.”  He reached for a cat on the floor that was rubbing its body on his chair legs and meowing so softly that Edward did not know he was there and was surprised that there. (was an animal in the room.)  

Michael Callini picked up the cat and began to pat it affectionately and tenderly in a manner that seemed very sincere. Like there was true love there. (somewhat exaggerated.)

“Do not get upset of feel threatened of another person anymore then you would at some lonely, abandoned wolf in the woods that is howling because his pack has left him or the cat meowing because it is hungry. These actions tell you something about the animal. The animal instinct. These animal instincts you can maneuver around, appease by changing the environment, or as a last resort, remove.” 

Michael Callini turned his hands upwards and said innocently, “If you have to.”

“Sonia and I brought this cat in from the outdoors. He was a stray cat with no home.”

Michael Callini continued to pat the cat very tenderly on its back. “We fed the cat and took care of her. Like family.”

Michael Callini gestured his arm around the room. “We brought her into our home.” 

Michael Callini’s eyes hardened as he looked at Edward (Yellow) and said, “And since she cannot speak she will live a long life (long time).”

“Cu è surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent’anni ‘mpaci,” he whispered softly.

Michael Callini continued to pat the cat as he bent down and appeared to open a drawer on his desk. He pulled out a shiny STANELY hammer with rip claw and continued to pat the cat. He gently moved (pushed) the cat to the middle of the desk and then quickly held down the back of her neck with one hand and picked up the hammer with the other. For just a moment, a flash of terror passed through the cat’s eye and then it was over.

Michael Callini (picked up the hammer and) pounded the cat’s tail. (with a ghoulish look on his face.)

Meyer just sat there in a dark corner of the office. Stone-faced. 

In an instant, the cat seemed to double in size and was all puffy (and blurry) and let out a small cry like a small child, or perhaps a deer baying in the woods, and then disappeared. 

Michael Callini stood up and watched the cat scurry away to back of the office and then turned back to Edward with a ghoulish look on his face. 

He then put the STANLEY hammer back in his desk drawer and calmly slide it shut (closed the desk drawer) like he was filing away a bank document or a reference book of some sort.”

He pulled up his shirt sleeve and showed Edward his wrist, bleeding with a deep cut just underneath the palm. 

“And because she cannot she speak she will live a long life.”

“Cu è surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent’anni ‘mpaci,” he whispered softly.

Michael Callini walked over to Edward. He touched Edward’s shoulder to show his humanity, his compassion. “You are under my protection, Edward,” he said.

 

 

 

(“His face looked ghoulish even.”) 

 

Idea: The “swindler’s” may have been in the United States all along. And then they make a visit to Michael Callini’s house.

“Why  don’t you buy him a plane ticket so he can pay us a visit?”

– Michael Callini

 

From the moment he walked in the room, Michael Callini studied this tall, lanky young man Edward Neri for any small tells (tell tale signs). An indicator that may reveal an intention for what has already been done. A clue that may reveal an intention for this visit…and for what has already been done.  (An indicator that may reveal an intention for this visit and his previous actions. What has already been done.) (what has already happened)

“Never show your anger, Edward. This will show your thumbscrew that others can turn to hurt you,” he said as he looked down at his wooden cart.

Code of Omerta: To provide any necessary assistance to any other respected or befriended faction.

 

(So, as I have said, the money does not concern me. (But, there is more Edward. Yes?) There is more. What concerns me is not how he spoke of the Callini (Santelli) name, his words. He called us cowards? Is that what you wrote?)

 

(The name calling does not concern me. People will use words to deceive to you. Words are a slippery thing. A person’s actions will always reveal his true intentions. Talk is cheap.)

(But, it is not the name calling that concerns me.)

Use third person omniscient point of view - narrator knows what  Meyer is thinking.

Meyer’s concern was that they were pulling them (us) (like men on high) this way and that way having us chase our tails and using those computer messages to hurt us like that. Like we were (someone’s puppet) a puppet on a string.

(It was) This was a form of disrespect. A dishonor to the Callini name (This could decrease respect for the Callini Family) – having them chase our tails and using those computer messages to hurt us like that.

(And) Yes, you should feel slighted that they have spurred your friendship and will (do) not return a favor.

(Meyer’s concern was not so much that he used threats, but that he used threats that lacked conviction.  This shows a weakness in the man’s character, and gives me reason to lower my opinion of him. This is a character trait in a man (someone) that would not be a reliable partner, and can not be reasoned with.)

(What concerned Meyer was that this Jerry Smith is not a “man of respect” and now he has our money.)

The Godfather evaluates the threat and determines that they lacked conviction. They did not follow up on the house visit and a “man of respect” would never involve the police.

 

(Edward, I have a favor to ask of you. A small test. Can you ask them what will happen if we do not pay him.)

Edward saw Meyer’s frightened, skeleton face and knew the second part complete.

 

One more thing.

(The Sicilian dinner cooked by Sonia, his wife, (in his home kitchen) was always first.)

Sonia Lusoni Callini made her ziti with special meat sauce, warm bread and string beans with olive oil and garlic in always the right amounts.

(Michael always secretly admired how she seemed to know to add just the right amounts.  )

or something terrible was about to happen.

(There was) Some sort of hurt. A struggle.  there (terrible scar), a painful struggle.

From the moment he walked in the room Michael Callini studied this tall, lanky man, this Edward Neri, for any small tells that may reveal an intention, or reason, for what he has (already been) done.

It was one of Anthony Corallo’s guys

(The three men stepped into Michael Callini’s home study. (went into Michael Callini home office.)

Meyer stood in the doorway to gesture Edward into Michael Callini’s home office.

Michael Callini’s little black eyes were not leaving Edward’s and seemed to burrow a hole right through them to his soul.

Meyer said: “I am saddened to hear that your new friend will not return a favor, but we look at this as a problem to be solved.”

(I am saddened that their will not be a return favor.)

The Godfather turned his hands over and opened them (his palm upwards again) and said,

in the first place. There is no reason to think of him at all.”

(Edward, I have a favor to ask of you. Do you believe these men are men of integrity and honor that play their games with principle for their name?)

Is there anything more to these men then just those computer messages?

You seem to imply that he was still asking for more money. Did he say what would happen if you did not pay him?

Thank you for coming to me with this when you did. ( and remember)

Michael Callini stood up, a little teary eyed, and placed his hand very gently on Edward’s shoulder.

“You are under my protection, Yellow,” he said.

 

(Let me know as soon as you can)

 

Use Third Person Omniscient Point of View (POV) with Meyer - we know what he is thinking and what he knows. This allows us to give   the background on the Callini family and what he thinks Michael Callini is thinking. 

Us Third Person Limited Point of View (POV) with Yellow and     Michael Callini - we only know what he says and what he does. We do not know what he is thinking.

 

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