The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
201
he knew he was physically stronger than any of those so-called hard guys that worked 
for the family. Guys like Clemenza, Tessio, Rocco Lampone, and that guy Paulie that 
somebody had knocked off. He wondered what the story was about that. Then for some 
reason he thought about Sonny. Man to man he could take Sonny, he thought, even 
though Sonny was a little bigger and a little heavier. But what scared him was Sonny’s 
rep, though he himself had never seen Sonny anything but good-natured and kidding 
around. Yeah, Sonny was his buddy. Maybe with the old Don gone, things would open 
up. 
He dawdled over his coffee. He hated this apartment. He was used to the bigger living 
quarters of the West and in a little while he would have to go crosstown to his “book” to 
run the noontime action. It was a Sunday, the heaviest action of the week, what with 
baseball going already and the tail end of basketball and the night trotters starting up. 
Gradually he became aware of Connie bustling around behind him and he turned his 
head to watch her. 
She was getting dressed up in the real New York City guinzo style that he hated. A silk 
flowered-pattern dress with belt, showy bracelet and earrings, flouncy sleeves. She 
looked twenty years older. “Where the hell are you going?” he asked. 
She, answered him coldly, “To see my father out in Long Beach. He still can’t get out of 
bed and he needs company.” 
Carlo was curious. “Is Sonny still running the show?” 
Connie gave him a bland look. “What show?” 
He was furious. “You lousy little guinea bitch, don’t talk to me like that or I’ll beat that kid 
right out of your belly.” She looked frightened and this enraged him even more. He 
sprang from his chair and slapped her across the face, the blow leaving a red welt. With 
quick precision he slapped her three more times. He saw her upper lip split bloody and 
puff up. That stopped him. He didn’t want to leave a mark. She ran into the bedroom 
and slammed the door and he heard the key turning in the lock. He laughed and 
returned to his coffee. 
He smoked until it was time for him to dress. He knocked on the door and said, “Open it 
up before I kick it in.” There was no answer. “Come on, I gotta get dressed,” he said in a 
loud voice. He could hear her getting up off the bed and coming toward the door, then 
the key turned in the lock. When he entered she had her back to him, walking back 
toward the bed, lying down on it with her face turned away to the wall. 

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