The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
366
Patrick’s Cathedral. On his side of Fifth Avenue he spotted the limousine he was looking 
for. It was parked, nakedly alone between a whole string of red NO PARKING and No 
STANDING signs. Neri slowed his pace. He was too early. He stopped to write 
something in his summons book and then kept walking. He was abreast of the 
limousine. He tapped its fender with his nightstick. The driver looked up in surprise. Neri 
pointed to the NO STANDING sign with his stick and motioned the driver to move his 
car. The driver turned his head away. 
Neri walked out into the street so that he was standing by the driver’s open window. The 
driver was a tough-looking hood, just the kind he loved to break up. Neri said with 
deliberate insultingness, “OK, wise guy, you want me to stick a summons up your ass or 
do you wanta get moving?” 
The driver said impassively, “You better check with your precinct. Just give me the ticket 
if it’ll make you feel happy.” 
“Get the hell out of here,” Neri said, “or I’ll drag you out of that car and break your ass.” 
The driver made a ten-dollar bill appear by some sort of magic, folded it into a little 
square using just one hand, attd tried to shove it inside Neri’s blouse. Neri moved back 
onto the sidewalk and crooked his finger at the driver. The driver came out of the car. 
“Let me see your license and registration,” Neri said. He had been hoping to get the 
driver to go around the block but there was no hope for that now. Out of the corner of his 
eye, Neri saw three short, heavyset men coming down the steps of the Plaza building, 
coming down toward the street. It was Barzini himself and his two bodyguards, on their 
way to meet Michael Corleone. Even as he saw this, one of the bodyguards peeled off 
to come ahead and see what was wrong with Barzini’s car. 
This man asked the driver, “What’s up?” 
The driver said curtly, “I’m getting a ticket, no sweat. This guy must be new in the 
precinct.” 
At that moment Barzini came up with his other bodyguard. He growled, “What the hell is 
wrong now?” 
Neri finished writing in his summons book and gave the driver back his registration and 
license. Then he put his summons book back in his hip pocket and with the forward 
motion of his hand drew the.38 Special. 
He put three bullets in Barzini’s barrel chest before the other three men unfroze enough 

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