The Mistake      painting

The mistake happened, ok? said Joe the Americano – and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll disappear for a while. I suggest you skip town, ok? To another country or even another continent. Ok? But, in his entire life, Carmelo had never been afraid of anything and, in fact, he expected them to come. He could imagine the scene. They would come: l’Avvocaticchio, Giacomone e Mezzarecchia.

"Don Ciccio wants to talk to you," they’d say.

They’d make him get into Avvocaticchio’s Mercedes. They’d drive to the river and there, among the reeds, they’d shoot him in the temple. They’d have him hog-tied and then they’d stuff a dead Goldfinch into his mouth.

Or else, they’d have him hog-tied, stuff a dead Goldfinch into his mouth and they’d shoot him in the temple.