Jack Bozeni was eager to know how the date went. He was one of the young men that liked to hang out with us whenever Larry, Harry and I worked out. He often joined in for the workouts and did very well. He was very muscular and had a body that looked like Miles O’Keefe’s in one of the Tarzan movies. He was very handsome with strong Italian features. Jack Bozeni did not have a shortage of interested females who used to follow him around much of the time I saw him. He had been Apollonia’s main focus of attention before I met her.

 

      Jack was pretty broken up that Apollonia had ended the relationship. Their breakup didn’t have anything to do with me. I came into the picture later. Jack did not hold ill feelings towards me, but he still pined for her and he wanted to know how my meeting with the parents had gone.

      I said, “It was great. Her parents and the rest of her family are really nice people.”

 

      He shook his head, perplexed. “Her parents are a little weird, even if they are mafia.”

      Startled, I said, “What? Weird? Mafia? What the devil are you talking about?”

      Jack leaned in towards me with earnest, “Well, they are weird. They never allow her dates or boyfriends to get past the front room of their house. Besides, with the money he must make you would think his house wouldn’t be such a dump.”

 

      Before I could think, I blurted out, “They let me past the front room.” Something made me stop.

 

     Jack’s eyes bugged out in surprise, envy and curiosity, “What was the rest of the house like?”

      Something told me then and there that for reasons that I could not understand, Mr. Fabaini did not want most people to know how nice the rest of his house was. I decided that it would be prudent to help Mr. Fabaini and family foster these impressions.

 

      I said, “Ah, it’s pretty much the same décor.”

      Jack seemed miffed, “I wondered why they let you in through the house and not me or any of her other boyfriends?”

 

      I told a half-truth. “I needed to go to the bathroom really bad.”

 

      Jack looked skeptical, “They have a bathroom off the front room.”

      Quickly I said, “It was in use and I couldn’t wait. What were you saying about Mafia?”

      Jack looked around like he was suspicious that someone may have been listening in. 

       “Apollonia’s Dad is high up in the mafia. Most of her family is in the mafia.”

      “Get out of here,” I fairly screamed. “You’re just trying to scare me away from her.”

      “I’m not shitting you Chimera…her whole family. You don’t have to be afraid of them, since you’re her boyfriend. You are in man.”

 

      “Shit, he’s such a nice guy, you got to be mistaken,” I argued.

      Jack said, “Yeah, he is a nice guy. He’s a great guy, but did you ever get a load of all of her uncles? They do the dirty work for him…especially that little guy; he’s a killer.”

 

      Now I was suspicious, so I challenged him, “Wait a minute, that front room is too small to meet all of her uncle’s. How did you manage it?”  

 

      Jack shrugged, “Mr. Fabaini likes to have giant yard parties where he invites all his friends, family and neighbors…they are awesome. I’ve been, as well as some of the other guys who have dated Apollonia, invited to those parties. No one except his family is allowed into the house from the yard.”

 

      I found that hard to believe because of the fact that most people have to get to a bathroom during the course of any party and I said, as much to Jack.

 

      Jack smiled, “Yeah, well that’s why Mr. Fabaini brings in a few portable johns for people to use. A few times he’s allowed people to go into the bathroom off of the front room if they can’t wait and the porta-potties are in use.”

 

      “Your mistaken about Apollonia’s uncles…they can’t be criminals. They all have successful businesses,” I said in their defense.

 

      “Yeah, they have much of the construction bids in the area monopolized along with the associated unions.” Jack added earnestly, “Each of her uncles is in charge of the different stuff like sheet rocking, concreted, framing, plumbing, electrical…you name it they have their finger in it.” He rushed on, “Mr. Fabaini is big into the sanitation and salvage business,” he said, as if that was a sure sign of being involved with organized crime.

 

      Sneering I said, “Next you’re going to tell me that he is a regular Vito Corelone,” I added sarcastically.

 

      Jack leaned back and raised his hand in front of him to protest, No, no…he is only a chief underling of that Pezzonovante (no name will be mentioned). Mr. Fabaini is his caporegime. Apollonia’s uncles are all part of Mr. Fabaini’s crew.

 

      All of this was getting to be more than I could handle and I was getting angry because I felt he was playing me for a fool. Also, I dislike when hateful, hurtful, slanderous things are said about other people—especially when there is no proof. 

 

      I was leaning towards him, my blood pressure rising, “God damn it. What is it about a lot of Italians here in America? Everyone is always trying to talk about this person or that person being in the mafia.”

 

      I continued my rant, “Everybody is always trying to make like they are connected or they know someone who is connected. It’s absolutely ridiculous to be accusing such a nice man, as well as Apollonia’s wonderful uncles of such heinous bullshit!”  

 

      Jack was looking contrite and fearful of my anger, “Hey, hey, just take it easy Chimera. It’s not like it’s the best-kept secret. Remember, I’ve lived in this area for years. You just moved here,” he added defensively. “Let’s just drop it.”