Крестный отец

           TheysettleddowninatenementonTenthAvenue,near35thStreet,onlyafewblocksfromwhereVitoworked,andtwoyearslaterwereblessedwiththeirfirstchild,Santino,calledbyallhisfriendsSonnybecauseofhisdevotiontohisfather.

           IntheneighborhoodlivedamancalledFanucci.Hewasaheavy-set,fierce-lookingItalianwhoworeexpensivelight-coloredsuitsandacream-coloredfedora.Thismanwasreputedtobeofthe"BlackHand,"anoffshootoftheMafiawhichextortedmoneyfromfamiliesandstorekeepersbythreatofphysicalviolence.However,sincemostoftheinhabitantsoftheneighborhoodwereviolentthemselves,Fanucci’sthreatsofbodilyharmwereeffectiveonlywithelderlycoupleswithoutmalechildrentodefendthem.Someofthestorekeeperspaidhimtriflingsumsasamatterofconvenience.However,Fanucciwasalsoascavengeronfellowcriminals,peoplewhoillegallysoldItalianlotteryorrangamblinggamesintheirhomes.TheAbbandandogrocerygavehimasmalltribute,thisdespitetheprotestsofyoungGenco,whotoldhisfatherhewouldsettletheFanuccihash.Hisfatherforbadehim.VitoCorleoneobservedallthiswithoutfeelinginanywayinvolved.

           OnedayFanucciwassetuponbythreeyoungmenwhocuthisthroatfromeartoear,notdeeplyenoughtokillhim,butenoughtofrightenhimandmakehimbleedagreatdeal.VitosawFanuccifleeingfromhispunishers,thecircularslashflowingred.WhatheneverforgotwasFanucciholdingthecream-coloredfedoraunderhischintocatchthedrippingbloodasheran.