[TheStellarEnsemble.com] The Godfather - Mario Puzo

you to do things you’d hate to do? But if I did, so what? Who the hell else ever lifted a finger tohelp you when you were in trouble? When I heard you wanted to get back to being a real surgeon,I took a lot of time to find out if I could help. I can. I’m not asking you for anything. But at leastyou can consider our relationship friendly, and I assume you would do for me what you’d do forany good friend. That’s my string. But you can refuse it.”Tom Hagen lowered his head and smiled. Not even the Don himself could have done itany better.Jules was flushing. “Mike, I didn’t mean it that way at all. I’m very grateful to you andyour father. Forget I said it.”Michael nodded and said, “Fine. Until the hospital gets built and opens up you’ll bemedical director for the four hotels. Get yourself a staff. Your money goes up too, but you candiscuss that with Tom at a later time. And Lucy, I want you to do something more important.Maybe coordinate all the shops that will be opening up in the hotel arcades. On the financial side.Or maybe hiring the girls we need to work in the casinos. something like that. So if Jules doesn’tmarry you, you can be a rich old maid.”Freddie had been puffing on his cigar angrily. Michael turned to him and said gently,“I’m just the errand boy for the Don, Freddie. What he wants you to do he’ll tell you himself,naturally, but I’m sure it will be something big enough to make you happy. Everybody tells uswhat a great job you’ve been doing here.”“Then why is he sore at me?” Freddie asked plaintively. “Just because the casino hasbeen losing money? I don’t control that end, Moe Greene does. What the hell does the old manwant from me?”“Don’t worry about it,” Michael said. He turned to Johnny Fontane. “Where’s Nino? Iwas looking forward to seeing him again.”Johnny shrugged. “Nino is pretty sick. A nurse is taking care of him in his room. But thedoc here says he should be committed, that he’s trying to kill himself. Nino!”Michael said thoughtfully, really surprised, “Nino was always a real good guy. I neverknew him to do anything lousy, say anything to put anybody down. He never gave a damn aboutanything. Except the booze.”“Yeah,” Johnny said. “The money is rolling in, he could get a lot of work, singing or inthe movies. He gets fifty grand a picture now and he blows it. He doesn’t give a damn about339