The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
207
playing stickball in the street scattered. A car came screeching up the block and to a halt 
in front of the candy store. It stopped so abruptly that the tires screamed and before it 
had stopped, almost, a man came hurtling out of the driver’s seat, moving so fast that 
everybody was paralyzed. The man was Sonny Corleone. 
His heavy Cupid-featured face with its thick, curved mouth was an ugly mask of fury. In 
a split second he was at the stoop and had grabbed Carlo Rizzi by the throat. He pulled 
Carlo away from the others, trying to drag him into the street, but Carlo wrapped his 
huge muscular arms around the iron railings of the stoop and hung on. He cringed 
away, trying to hide his head and face in the hollow of his shoulders. His shirt ripped 
away in Sonny’s hand. 
What followed then was sickening. Sonny began beating the cowering Carlo with his 
fists, cursing him in a thick, rage-choked voice. Carlo, despite his tremendous physique, 
offered no resistance, gave no cry for mercy or protest. Coach and Sally Rags dared not 
interfere. They thought Sonny meant to kill his brother-in-law and had no desire to share 
his fate. The kids playing stickball gathered to curse the driver who had made them 
scatter, but now were watching with awestruck interest. They were tough kids but the 
sight of Sonny in his rage silenced them. Meanwhile another car had drawn up behind 
Sonny’s and two of his bodyguards jumped out. When they saw what was happening 
they too dared not interfere. They stood alert, ready to protect their chief if any 
bystanders had the stupidity to try to help Carlo. 
What made the sight sickening was Carlo’s complete subjection, but it was perhaps this 
that saved his life. He clung to the iron railings with his hands so that Sonny could not 
drag him into the street and despite his obvious equal strength, still refused to fight 
back. He let the blows rain on his unprotected head and neck until Sonny’s rage ebbed. 
Finally, his chest heaving, Sonny looked down at him and said, “You dirty bastard, you 
ever beat up my sister again I’ll kill you.” 
These words released the tension. Because of course, if Sonny intended to kill the man 
he would never have uttered the threat. He uttered it in frustration because he could not 
carry it out. Carlo refused to look at Sonny. He kept his head down and his hands and 
arms entwined in the iron railing. He stayed that way until the car roared off and he 
heard Coach say in his curiously paternal voice, “OK, Carlo, come on into the store. 
Let’s get out of sight.” 
It was only then that Carlo dared to get out of his crouch against the stone steps of the 

---