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The Godfather, Part IV.
Today reporter Dominic Arkwright attempts a Godfather sequel |
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THE GODFATHER RETURNS
They sat hunched and brooding, the music from the wedding drifting through the window, the smoke from six fat cigars crawling through the air. The silence hung heavy as they absorbed what Sollozzo had just said.
鈥淵ou what?鈥 said the Don.
鈥淚t鈥檚 only a million dollars, Don Corleone,鈥 said Sollozzo. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all I need. But it鈥檚 the future. Today it鈥檚 narcotics, gambling and prostitution. But in ten years it鈥檒l be rebranding consultancy鈥
鈥淒on鈥檛 say that, Virgil. That鈥檚 a bad word.鈥
Don Vito stood up. They knew the meeting was over.
鈥淚鈥檓 a reasonable man, Sollozzo. But I don鈥檛 want no money from rebranding. I want to stay clean. Drugs, gambling, prostitution - they鈥檙e clean. So, even on the day of my daughter鈥檚 wedding, I don鈥檛 mean no disrespect but the answer is no.鈥
Sollozzo, left the room, vowing vengeance. If he couldn鈥檛 start up a rebranding consultancy with the Don鈥檚 money, maybe he would have to 鈥渞ebrand鈥 the Don. And not in a nice way.
They crawled in like flies, knowing that a Sicilian would never refuse justice on the day of his daughter鈥檚 wedding.
鈥淲hat is this 鈥楶op Idol鈥, Johnny? Why you wanna be involved in stuff like that?鈥
Don Corleone loved Johnny Fontane like a son. He knew Johnny鈥檚 singing career was finished if he didn鈥檛 get a break. And if he couldn鈥檛 help his own Godson, the Don knew he was losing his grip.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l get the audition, Johnny,鈥 he growled. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to make him an offer he can鈥檛 refuse. Tom, go and see this Simon Cowell. Tell him either his brains, or his signature will be on that contract. Go now, Johnny, and win Pop Idol for the honour of the Corleone name.鈥
It was dark and the rain splashed heavily on the sidewalk as Don Corleone walked wearily to his car. The bullet caught him square on the bridge of his nose and blew his brain through the back of his skull. Sollozzo watched the blood and the fragments of skull drip down the side of the car on to the street. With, or without the Don鈥檚 money, Virgil Sollozzo was going to be the biggest name in corporate PR.
鈥淗e ain鈥檛 gonna make it, Mike鈥 said Sonny. 鈥淧oppa鈥檚 gone. So you or me is going to take over the family business. Not Fredo, because he don鈥檛 act like a man. He likes flower-arranging and he鈥檚 started a book club.鈥
Mike combed his hair, took the handkerchief from his sleeve and dabbed at a spot of fluff on his jacket that had been annoying him all day. He knew it was time.
鈥淵ou know, Sonny鈥 he said, 鈥淢e and Fredo, we been thinking about getting out of this business. Fredo, he knows about flower-arranging. Me, I been to college. I know stuff. The business is yours Sonny. We鈥檙e going to set up a small hairdressing salon and manicure parlour. And Fredo鈥檚 going to teach flower-arranging to under-privileged children with his partner Pauli.鈥
Sonny Corleone pulled hard on his cigar, then drew it roughly from his mouth and stubbed it out vicously.
鈥淐ount me in,鈥 he said. 鈥淗ug, anyone?鈥
And so there began a new era for the Corleone family. The Tattaglias and the Gambinis and the other families took care of the drugs and the gambling and the prostitution. The Corleones carved out a successful niche in the manicuring and flower-arranging business from their elegant but minimalist-decorated studio. They branched out into tapestry and raffia-work and dealt with their occasional differences in a fair and respectful way.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 like violence, Pauli. I鈥檓 a businessman,鈥 said Fredo. 鈥淏ut you gotta know that YELLOW irises NEVER go with pink carnations. It鈥檚 yellow and BLUE. Or pink and WHITE. It鈥檚 NEVER yellow and pink. That鈥檚 showing disrespect Pauli. Disrespect for the irises.鈥
Fredo slammed the scissors hard down on the back of Pauli鈥檚 hand, pinning it to the table, as Mike looped the gift-wrapping tape around his neck. His eyes bulged and a stream of blood blasted from the severed artery in his neck. Pauli felt the tendons snap in his hand as he twitched and writhed like a puppet. He knew it was a matter of honour. He knew that this was justice as the life dripped out of him and he respected them for it.
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Mario Puzo |
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Marlon Brando in the movie version of The Godfather |
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