THE RECIPE by JOE PARENTE (ebook reader ink .TXT) 📖

the talk of New York for years, playing to sold-out audiences with his operatic style. Puccini, Rossini and Verdi were amongst the most famous operas ever written. They would have been proud of his style and virtuoso. As Antonio grew older he was unable to walk so he decided to give up the theater and teach by way of giving lessons to those that could afford them.
It just so happened one day when young Leonardo was practicing his mandolin at his father’s Brooklyn shoe shop, in through the door walks Antonio Ceridino. Antonio was so impressed with Leonardo’s playing that he asked to see the boy. Soon, out of the back room came Leonardo. When he learned that Maestro Ceridino wanted to give him lessons, at no charge, Leonardo almost wet himself. Antonio made it clear that his training could not interfere with those that paid for their lessons.
They set a schedule of once per month and Leonardo felt he was on his way to his dreams.
The Bonino family came into hard times and Lenny had to work at his fathers shop more and more, particularly when his father took ill. He had to put his dreams aside in order to help make ends meet. He knew enough about the shoe repair business from helping his father that when his father married he was able to take over when his father passed away.


Although his dreams to perform his music in theaters had to be put on hold, he lived with tremendous pride for the work that he did in repairing and building custom made shoes. He was well known for the fine work that he did.
His biggest pride, however, was when his son, Frankie, was born. Frankie was built exactly like his father. He was strong with thick arms and a barrel chest. Although he was short, when he came into a room his width would make up for his height. Most that saw him thought him just a boy but he filled a doorway minus the top portion. He wore a little smirk that no other boy would ever try to erase. Frankie, like his father, was kind to others and had an air of confidence about him. The kids, no longer teased him about his glasses for fear of a pounding. Frankie knew it would take a lot to provoke him into a fight, maybe it was because he didn’t want to break his glasses or tear his clothes. He just took things easy. Unless a kid would say something about his family, he would just pass it off as a foolish prank.
It seemed every kid in school got picked on one time or another.
Skinny Joey was one of them. It seemed that one of the street bullies, Guido Scani, stole Joey’s coat. It was in the heart of winter and Joey needed that coat to keep warm for the walk to and from P.S.90.
Because of the depression, the Bonino family would find it hard to replace that coat. Like many of the families during those years, the depression created many problems that most people would never have
thought of during good times. A thing like being able to afford warm clothing during the winter was sometimes impossible. There was barely enough money for most families to put food on the table. Fortunately, Leonardo had many friends and he often traded shoe repair work for other things such as the occasional pound of chopped meat to make his meat balls.
Once in a while a chicken or some stew meat would be on the dinner table,compliments from Fratello’s Meats. Fratello had a large family and they would always need Leonardo’s expert shoe repairs.
Others, found the less than honest ways to get money. Stealing and mugging were running rampant throughout the community. Families had to protect what ever they had that would be of value to those that would try to sell these things on the street. As skinny as Joey was, his coat was very important to him. What made matters worse, Guido and his street friends were teasing skinny Joey about it. They were calling him ‘skinny weenie’ and ‘sick stick’ along with throwing pebbles at him each time he turned his back.
After that day from school, Joey came home cold and shaking from the walk.
Pop asked. “Where’s your coat Joey?”
“I forgot it at school” He looked down at the floor.
“Why didn’t you go back and get it? He looked at his son. “Frankie, why didn’t you go back to get it?”
“I was going to but Joey said he would get it tomorrow Pop. Joey said he would get it first thing.”
“You know you need to be more careful of these things. Things are tough right now. Make sure you get it back.” As always, he put his fat hand on top of Joey’s head and at the same time nodded toward his son Frankie. “Both of ya now, go get washed up for supper.”
Frankie asked. “What’s we havin Pop?"
”Well I thought we would try something special, You’ll see when you get to the table.”
Pop would always serve dinner from a giant platter. He’d first dish out a large serving to Joey and then Frankie. After he served the boys, he would then set the whole platter in front of him and eat everything on it. That was his plate. That’s the way his father did it and that’s the way Leonardo did it.
Frankie looked at his filled plate of spaghetti and meat balls. He made fun as if they would get meat every day. “Hey Pop, I don’t see nothin' new here.” He took a bite of his meat balls. “What’s this Pop,
raisins?” He chewed. “Hey these are good!”
“Well I thought we would celebrate tonight.” He gestured with both hands open.
Frankie was wide eyed. “What are we celebrating Pop?”
“Ah, nothin really, I just thought we should celebrate, that’s all.
“Yeah, good, celebrate.” Frankie looked over to Joey. “Why so quiet Joey. You haven’t said a word since we started to celebrate.” Frankie laughed. Leonardo laughed.
Joey looked deep in thought without a smile.
“What’s a matta son?” Pop asked with some concern.
By calling him, son, Joey looked up with tears in his eyes. “Guido Scani stole my coat.” He looked down at his plate of food and tried to hold back tears. His chin was quivering as he spoke. "I didn’t forget it.”
They all stopped eating at once.
Leonardo looked at Joey, then at Frankie. “Did you know about this Frankie?”
“No Pop.” Frankie swallowed as if he was swallowing a giant bowling ball. “No Pop, I don’t know what happened but I will find out tomorrow.
Pop looked back at Joey. “Why you not say something?”, he said in broken English.
Joey was still in tears. “Well, Guido, he’s got a lot of friends and I didn’t want to get hurt or get Frankie hurt if he tried to help, so I decided to forget the coat.”
“Ménage!” He shifted to Frankie. “Find out more about this first thing. Who the stronzo is this Guido?
Joey wiped his face. “Some new kid that moved into the neighborhood. I think he is older than the rest of us. He’s already got some kids that he pals with. They been doin’ a lot of bad things to the others. He told me he would break my arm if I said anything.”
“Help your brother Frankie.” Joey looked up again. This was something. Pop has called him son and brother in the same day.
Like a lost puppy dog, Joey needed to have a little more attention than other kids. Since he lost his parents, he has had a void in his growing up to maturity. Sensing this, Pop had taken him in as a member of the family with no apparent favoritism towards Frankie but he knew it would never be the same as having his own parents to raise him. Joey knew he was better off if he was raised by his own blood but in his mind, he couldn’t help wonder about the family life he would have had with his real parents.
“Sure Pop.” Said Frankie. “I’ve seen these toughies around school and have heard the same type of stories.”
“Joey, we got to stick together on things like this. If ever you get somethin’ like this at school or whatever, you need to tell us. I mean it now. I want you to point out this Guido stronzo to Frankie.” He looked at Frankie and told him what to do. “ Frankie, what ever you do to get this coat back, only Guido and you will know about it.”
Pop waited for them to say something but he could tell they were thinking. “Understand?” Pop Questioned.
“Yeah Pop.”
“Now, let’s celebrate with the raisins.”
The boys didn’t laugh. They did finish their dinner.


Joey did not know how to fight. His skinny arms and slight body did not allow him to look tough. He was always able to hold his own with Frankie when it came to wrestling in the yard but when it came down to fighting for real, that was a different thing. He had seen the tough kids in action, this was a big reason why he wasn’t looking forward to the next day. Guido and his pals were the toughest guys at school. They would bully the others in order to force them to give up any possession they had of value. If the kids they picked on refused to co-operate, Guido would beat them up. He definitely didn’t look forward to tomorrow.


Pop waked into where Joey was sleeping. “Joey, Joey! It’s time for to get up! Frankie is waiting for you.” He held out a sweater. “I want you to put this on today. Don’t worry it’s OK. Come, get up.”
It was a cold morning with a few inches of snow at the side of the street. School was five blocks away. Joey was cold but he could even be even colder if he didn’t have Pop’s sweater.
“Just like Pop said, Joey, point him out so I can plan what to do.”
“Be careful Frankie, Guido’s got a lot of friends.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it."
The two boys got close to the school, so they decided to split up.
Joey went ahead to wait by the school’s door so he could show Frankie.
About ten minutes went by when Guido and two of his guys came by. They started in on teasing Joey as Frankie came up behind them.
“Hi, my name is Frank Bonino, is anyone here by the name of Guido?”
“Yeah, I’m Guido, what do you want?”
“It’s nice to meet you. I would like to talk to you. Could you come here for a minute?”
“What’s it about?” He asked with caution.
“It’s about a deal that I’m sure you would be interested in.” Frankie motioned