[TheStellarEnsemble.com] The Godfather - Mario Puzo

the wine robustly red. Neri was struck by the thought that he was finally with his own truepeople. He understood that he was only a casual guest but he knew he could find a permanentplace and be happy in such a world.Michael and the Don walked him out to his car. The Don shook his hand and said,“You’re a fine fellow. My son Michael here, I’ve been teaching him the olive business, I’mgetting old, I want to retire. And he comes to me and he says he wants to interfere in your littleaffair. I tell him to just learn about the olive oil. But he won’t leave me alone. He says, here isthis fine fellow, a Sicilian and they are doing this dirty trick to him. He kept on, he gave me nopeace until I interested myself in it. I tell you this to tell that he was right. Now that I’ve met you,I’m glad we took the trouble. So if we can do anything further for you, just ask the favor.Understand? We’re at your service.” (Remembering the Don’s kindness, Neri wished the greatman was still alive to see the service that would be done this day.)It took Neri less than three days to make up his mind. He understood he was beingcourted but understood more. That the Corleone Family approved that act of his which societycondemned and had punished him for. The Corleone Family valued him, society did not. Heunderstood that he would be happier in the world the Corleones had created than in the worldoutside. And he understood that the Corleone Family was the more powerful, within its narrowerlimits.He visited Michael again and put his cards on the table. He did not want to work in Vegasbut he would take a job with the Family in New York. He made his loyalty clear. Michael wastouched, Neri could see that. It was arranged. But Michael insisted that Neri take a vacation first,down in Miami at the Family hotel there, all expenses paid and a month’s salary in advance so hecould have the necessary cash to enjoy himself properly.That vacation was Neri’s first taste of luxury. People at the hotel took special care of him,saying, “Ah, you’re a friend of Michael Corleone.” The word had been passed along. He wasgiven one of the plush suites, not the grudging small room a poor relation might be fobbed offwith. The man running the nightclub in the hotel fixed him up with some beautiful girls. WhenNeri got back to New York he had a slightly different view on life in general.He was put in the Clemenza regime and tested carefully by that masterful personnel man.Certain precautions had to be taken. He had, after all, once been a policeman. But Neri’s naturalferocity overcame whatever scruples he might have had at being on the other side of the fence. In373