Крестный отец

           TheywerekiddingLucy,talkingabouttheoldneighborhoodinNewYork,aboutpeopleandeventsJuleshadnowayofsharing.SohesaidtoLucy,"I’lldropbylater,IhavetoseeDr.Kellneranyway."

           ButJohnnyFontanewasturningthecharmonhim."Hey,buddy,wehavetoleaveourselves,youkeepLucycompany.Takegoodcareofher,Doc."JulesnoticedapeculiarhoarsenessinJohnnyFontane’svoiceandrememberedsuddenlythatthemanhadn’tsunginpublicforoverayearnow,thathehadwontheAcademyAwardforhisacting.Couldtheman’svoicehavechangedsolateinlifeandthepaperskeepingitasecret,everybodykeepingitasecret?JuleslovedinsidegossipandkeptlisteningtoFontane’svoiceinanattempttodiagnosethetrouble.Itcouldbesimplestrain,ortoomuchboozeandcigarettesoreventoomuchwomen.Thevoicehadanuglytimbretoit,hecouldneverbecalledthesweetcrooneranymore.

           "Yousoundlikeyouhaveacold,"JulessaidtoJohnnyFontane.

           Fontanesaidpolitely,"Juststrain,Itriedtosinglastnight.IguessIjustcan’tacceptthefactthatmyvoicechanged,gettingoldyouknow."HegaveJulesawhat-the-hellgrin.

           Julessaidcasually,"Didn’tyougetadoctortolookatit?Maybeit’ssomethingthatcanbefixed."

           Fontanewasnotsocharmingnow.HegaveJulesalongcoollook."That’sthefirstthingIdidnearlytwoyearsago.Bestspecialists.Myowndoctorwho’ssupposedtobethetopguyouthereinCalifornia.Theytoldmetogetalotofrest.Nothingwrong,justgettingolder.