Sounds like good times.
And the guy who told you to shut up, it sucks but it’s better off listening JUST IN CASE because if he was anybody important in that world he would get his crew to try to do damage to you and your friends because guys like that are A##HOLES.
My mom is from Sicily. Salvatore sounds like a great guy :)
But Sicilian mobsters are more vicious than any russian or MS13 character THINKS he is.
My friend is a lawyer who represented Gotti Jr. in his fourth mistrial. He has a number of restaurants and Gotti eats at some of them. I’ve met him. Seems like an OK guy.
And I’ll leave it at that.
As far as respect, they’re pieces of #### a lot of the time and YOU command respect for having been a Pilot in the US Air Force.
I did a number of petty crimes (theft and some other small ####) in my late teens and 20s and had to kick a few bucks to whoever was above me.
My uncle was best man to Carmine Persico, the head of the Columbo family, who recently died.
My uncle got me out of some big trouble 2 or 3 times when other wiseguys wanted to get me for whatever. Uncle would call their big guy and then the older men would decide what would be and we kids had to abide by it.
I’d trade the whole ####ing lot in for one Patriotic American Airman such as yourself.
I wanted SO MUCH to be them when I was young.
Until I realized the whole respect only applied when it didn’t get in the way of money or power.
then it went out the window.
Guys laughing about kicking old men down stairs. Willing to kill someone because they cut them off in a car.
The only big shot or hero in my stories and yours, is you.
Thank you for your service.
Thanks for the kind words. I don't deserve those nice things you said, but I sure do appreciate it.
You sound like you know people who were close to those in "The Life." Your correct, it's not like (most) Hollywood films that focus on the "honor" part. There isn't honor among those who are psychopaths. I saw an interview with a former cop who said Goodfellas was probably the most realistic portrayal of mob life.
Did your mom every get to go back to Sicily to visit? It is a beautiful place. When I was returning from the horrible hell hole that is most of the Islamic Middle East, going back to a place like Sicily or other parts of Europe was like breathing again after holding your breath. I hated the Muslim nations. Even the rich ones like Bahrain, UAE, and Saudi had this dark, almost spiritually dark, presence. It's hard to describe.
I lived in Europe later in my career with my family (Germany). When our kids were young, my wife and I took them to Rome, Milan, and Florence. I was in awe of the architecture, the history, and the art. There I was, starring at the Statue of David, and my little ones were tugging at my sleeves, whining that they wanted to go back to the hotel to go swimming.
I got to Venice as well (my wife was not with me), and fell in love with the place. One time in Sicily, me and buddy rented a car and drove to the top of Mount Etna. They sell a liquor there called "Etna Fire Water."
You cannot imagine how potent this stuff is. Pour it on a house, and the whole thing would go up in flames.
Take care my friend! And thanks.