Крестный отец

           "DoagoodjobtodayandI’llfixyouupwiththebestandmostfamouspieceofassinHollywood."

           Ninotookagulpofwhiskey."Who’sthat,Lassie?"

           Johnnylaughed."No,DeannaDunn.Iguaranteethegoods."

           Ninowasimpressedbutcouldn’thelpsayingwithpseudo-hopefulness,"Youcan’tgetmeLassie?"

           Theorchestraswungintotheopeningsongofthemedley.JohnnyFontanelistenedintently.EddieNeilswouldplayallthesongsthroughintheirspecialarrangements.Thenwouldcomethefirsttakefortherecord.AsJohnnylistenedhemadementalnotesonexactlyhowhewouldhandleeachphrase,howhewouldcomeintoeachsong.Heknewhisvoicewouldn’tlastlong,butNinowouldbedoingmostofthesinging,Johnnywouldbesingingunderhim.Exceptofcourseintheduet-duelsong.Hewouldhavetosavehimselfforthat.

           HepulledNinotohisfeetandtheybothstoodbytheirmicrophones.Ninoflubbedtheopening,flubbeditagain.Hisfacewasbeginningtogetredwithembarrassment.Johnnykiddedhim,"Hey,youstallingforovertime?"

           "Idon’tfeelnaturalwithoutmymandolin,"Ninosaid.

           Johnnythoughtthatoverforamoment."Holdthatglassofboozeinyourhand,"hesaid.

           Itseemedtodothetrick.Ninokeptdrinkingfromtheglassashesangbuthewasdoingfine.Johnnysangeasily,notstraining,hisvoicemerelydancingaroundNino’smainmelody.Therewasnoemotionalsatisfactioninthiskindofsingingbuthewasamazedathisowntechnicalskill.Tenyearsofvocalizinghadtaughthimsomething.