The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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own uncles and aunts in the old country needed a little help now and then to keep their 
potato farms and he sent the money to do the trick. He didn’t begrudge it. And when he 
and his wife visited the old country they were treated like a king and queen. Maybe they 
would go again this summer now that the war was over and with all this extra money 
coming in. McCluskey told his patrolman clerk where he would be if he was needed. He 
did not feel it necessary to take any precautions. He could always claim Sollozzo was an 
informer he was meeting. Outside the station house he walked a few blocks and then 
caught a cab to the house where he would meet with Sollozzo. 
* * *
It was Tom Hagen who had to make all the arrangements for Michael’s leaving the 
country, his false passport, his seaman’s card, his berth on an Italian freighter that 
would dock in a Sicilian port. Emissaries were sent that very day by plane to Sicily to 
prepare a hiding plate with the Mafia chief in the hill country. 
Sonny arranged for a car and an absolutely trustworthy driver to be waiting for Michael 
when he stepped out of the restaurant where the meeting would be held with Sollozzo. 
The driver would be Tessio himself, who had volunteered for the job. It would be a 
beat-up-looking car but with a fine motor. It would have phony license plates and the car 
itself would be untraceable. It had been saved for a special job requiring the best. 
Michael spent the day with Clemenza, practicing with the small gun that would be gotten 
to him. It was a.22 filled with soft-nosed bullets that made pinpricks going in and left 
insulting gaping holes when they exited from the human body. He found that it was 
accurate up to five of his steps away from a target. After that the bullets might go 
anywhere. The trigger was tight but Clemenza worked on this with some tools so that it 
pulled easier. They decided to leave it noisy. They didn’t want an innocent bystander 
misunderstanding the situation and interfering out of ignorant courage. The report of the 
gun would keep them away from Michael. 
Clemenza kept instructing him during the training session. “Drop the gun as soon as 
you’ve finished using it. Just let your hand drop to your side and the gun slip out. 
Nobody will notice. Everybody will think you’re still armed. They’ll be staring at your 
face. Walk out of the place very quickly but don’t run. Don’t look anybody directly in the 
eye but don’t look away from them either. Remember, they’ll be scared of you, believe 
me, they’ll be scared of you. Nobody will interfere. As soon as you’re outside Tessio will 
be in the car waiting for you. Get in and leave the rest to him. Don’t be worried about 

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