Крестный отец

           Shecan’tunderstandmybeingjealous.Shecallsmeanold-fashionedguinea,shemakesfunofmysinging.BeforeIleftIgaveheranicebeatingbutnotinthefacebecauseshewasmakingapicture.Igavehercramps,Ipunchedheronthearmsandlegslikeakidandshekeptlaughingatme."Helitacigarette."So,Godfather,rightnow,lifedoesn’tseemworthliving."

           DonCorleonesaidsimply."ThesearetroublesIcan’thelpyouwith."Hepaused,thenasked,"What’sthematterwithyourvoice?"

           Alltheassuredcharm,theself-mockery,disappearedfromJohnnyFontane’sface.Hesaidalmostbrokenly,"Godfather,Ican’tsinganymore,somethinghappenedtomythroat,thedoctorsdon’tknowwhat."HagenandtheDonlookedathimwithsurprise,Johnnyhadalwaysbeensotough.Fontanewenton."Mytwopicturesmadealotofmoney.Iwasabigstar.Nowtheythrowmeout.Theheadofthestudioalwayshatedmygutsandnowhe’spayingmeoff."

           DonCorleonestoodbeforehisgodsonandaskedgrimly,"Whydoesn’tthismanlikeyou?"

           "Iusedtosingthosesongsfortheliberalorganizations,youknow,allthatstuffyouneverlikedmetodo.Well,JackWoltzdidn’tlikeiteither.HecalledmeaCommunist,buthecouldn’tmakeitstick.ThenIsnatchedagirlhehadsavedforhimself.Itwasstrictlyaone-nightstandandshecameafterme.WhatthehellcouldIdo?Thenmywhoresecondwifethrowsmeout.AndGinnyandthekidswon’ttakemebackunlessIcomecrawlingonmyhandsandknees,andIcan’tsinganymore.