Крестный отец

           Hischildren,whyshouldtheynotgotocollege?Whyshouldn’thiswifeshopinmoreexpensiveplaces?Whyshouldn’tbehimselfgetthesunwithawintervacationinFlorida?Afterall,heriskshislifeandthatisnojoke.

           Butusuallyhedrawsthelineagainstacceptingdirtygraft.Hewilltakemoneytoletabookmakeroperate.Hewilltakemoneyfromamanwhohatesgettingparkingticketsorspeedingtickets.Hewillallowcallgirlsandprostitutestoplytheirtrade;foraconsideration.Thesearevicesnaturaltoaman.Butusuallyhewillnottakeapayofffordrugs,armedrobberies,rape,murderandotherassortedperversions.Inhismindtheseattacktheverycoreofhispersonalauthorityandcannotbecountenanced.

           Themurderofapolicecaptainwascomparabletoregicide.ButwhenitbecameknownthatMcCluskeyhadbeenkilledwhileinthecompanyofanotoriousnarcoticspeddler,whenitbecameknownthathewassuspectedofconspiracytomurder,thepolicedesireforvengeancebegantofade.Also,afterall,therewerestillmortgagepaymentstobemade,carstobepaidoff,childrentobelaunchedintotheworld.Withouttheir"sheet"money,policemenhadtoscrambletomakeendsmeet.Unlicensedpeddlersweregoodforlunchmoney.Parkingticketpayoffscametonickelsanddimes.Someofthemoredesperateevenbeganshakingdownsuspects(homosexuals,assaultsandbatteries)intheprecinctsquadrooms.Finallythebrassrelented.TheyraisedthepricesandlettheFamiliesoperate.