War Against the Mafia

6 - A Matter of Viewpoint

"The first thing you gotta remember," Turrin told Bolan, "is that I'm the C.O. You can think of yourself as the First Sergeant if you want to-but just remember that I'm the C.O. Then the second thing you gotta remember is that we never use the word 'Mafia'! Understand? It's The Organization.' You work for the organization and the organization works for you. That's the way it works. But you're not a member. You could never be a member. Your blood ain't right, see. Even Seymour ain't no member."

"There's a difference?" Bolan wanted to know.

They were in Turrin's automobile, a fancy canary-yellow convertible, and Turrin was giving his new protege a lift home from Seymour's suburban home. "Sure there's a difference." He punched in the cigarette lighter and fished in his pocket for something to light, finally accepting a Pall Mall from Bolan. "Look, the organization goes back for centuries. Got started in Sicily, the home of my ancestors. It was sort of like Robin Hood, only this ain't no fairy tale, it's for real. I'll bet you didn't know-the Mafia is a real pure idea-real democracy, you know, democracy for the little people. For the ones that was getting shit on. It was even better than Robin Hood because it was a mass movement."

"No, I didn't know that," Bolan admitted.

"I'll bet you didn't know that 'Mafia' translates back to mean 'Matthew.' Matthew means 'brave, bold.' It had to be a secret society because it was going up against the establishment, see, the establishment of those olden times. There was tyranny, see, and all the money was divided up between the rich bastards, the noblemen, the aristocracy. All the laws were rigged to keep the poor people poor and the rich people rich. See? That's how all laws got started. Everywhere, not just in Italy and Sicily. Laws were written to protect the rich bastards, see. So these bold, brave guys got together in a resistance movement. They set up the Mafia, and it's been nip and tuck ever since." "Hippies," Bolan grunted. "What?"

"Early Italian hippies," Bolan said, grinning. "What were they demonstrating for-a pizza in every pot?"

Turrin's face clouded. "I don't think I like your sense of humor. I'm being serious. The Mafia is a very democratic idea."

"Okay, I'll be serious," Bolan replied. "But-uh-what's the moral of the thing, Leo? I mean, maybe a hundred years ago, in Italy or Sicily or wherever it was-okay, I can see the picture. But not over here. Not now. I mean, there is a democracy in this country. A legal democracy."

Turrin laughed lustily. "Shit!" he guffawed. "Don't let yourself get brainwashed. Things haven't changed that much. The rich still get richer while the poor get poorer. There's still a place here for the bold and the brave."

"Don't get me wrong," Bolan said. "I'm not arguing against the organization-hell, I'm part of it now. I just like to see things like they really are."

"Then see them like they really are. Don't get to feeling like a lousy criminal. You're the guy said you didn't have a dime to your name. Over there getting your ass shot off to protect the rich bastard's riches. See it like it is, Sarge. Didn't Seymour say he was starting you at two-fifty a week? Hell-does that sound like the poor getting poorer?"

The sergeant grinned. "Just call me Bolan the Bold, Captain."

Turrin turned him a warm gaze. "By Jesus, you'n me are gonna get along all right, Sarge-yes sir, all right."

"What is your operation, Leo?" Bolan wanted to know.

"Girls." He grinned delightedly.

Bolan felt suddenly light-headed. "Girls?" he echoed.

"Girls. All kinds'f girls. Hostess girls, party girls, call girls, house girls, street girls. Name your price range and I got just the girl for you."

"And they're all bold and brave too, eh?" Bolan asked, his tongue feeling strange and thick in his mouth.

"Betcher ass they are. You work for the organization, the organization works for you. We're spreading the riches around, see."

Bolan relaxed into the soft upholstery and closed his eyes. "Well, I guess that's one way of looking at it," he said quietly. He was thinking of another Bolan, and wondering just how brave she'd been, in there among the bold.