Крестный отец

           Itwasfoolish;whateverwaswrongwithhisvoiceprobablywouldn’tbehelpedbyknockingoffdrinkingandsmoking.Nottoomuch,butwhatthehell,itmighthelpandhewantedallthepercentageswithhim,nowthathehadafightingchance.

           Nowwiththehousequiet,hisdivorcedwifesleeping,hisbeloveddaughterssleeping,hecouldthinkbacktothatterribletimeinhislifewhenhehaddesertedthem.Desertedthemforawhoretrampofabitchwhowashissecondwife.Butevennowhesmiledatthethoughtofher,shewassuchalovelybroadinsomanywaysand,besides,theonlythingthatsavedhislifewasthedaythathehadmadeuphismindnevertohateawomanor,morespecifically,thedayhehaddecidedhecouldnotaffordtohatehisfirstwifeandhisdaughters,hisgirlfriends,hissecondwife,andthegirlfriendsafterthat,rightuptoSharonMoorebrushinghimoffsothatshecouldbragaboutrefusingtoscrewforthegreatJohnnyFontane.

           ***

           Hehadtraveledwiththebandsingingandthenhehadbecomearadiostarandastarofthemoviestageshowsandthenhehadfinallymadeitinthemovies.Andinallthattimehehadlivedthewayhewantedto,screwedthewomenhewantedto,buthehadneverletitaffecthispersonallife.Thenhehadfallenforhissoontobesecondwife,MargotAshton;hehadgoneabsolutelycrazyforher.Hiscareerhadgonetohell,hisvoicehadgonetohell,hisfamilylifehadgonetohell.Andtherehadcomethedaywhenhewasleftwithoutanything.

           Thethingwas,hehadalwaysbeengenerousandfair.