Retired Camorrista Considers American Mafia's Sad Fate

Mr. DeLucca, who wrote a series of articles for me months ago, is back. He contacted me and to my surprise had no intention of writing, he was just being cordial, a lost art in America. I asked him if he'd write some more articles and told him that people had emailed me for some time after he'd stopped writing for this website. He was quite surprised, so he said he'd think about it. Then, this morning, I just got this story from him. I gave it a quick edit -- how I wish I had someone to give all my writing "a quick edit" -- and here it is, hot off the presses as they used to say. When reading DeLucca forget about what is truth and what is not - that's not a cop out; the point is you have to just give yourself over to an artist painting a picture for you of America's Cosa Nostra as seen through the eyes of an Italian steeped in the old world traditions and culture. I see DeLucca's work as a reflection of America itself, with echoes of both the good and the bad. Who is Mr. DeLucca? For one thing he is a writer. What else matters here?

My name is Carlo Salvatore Antonino DeLucca, a.k.a "Corazza" (Tank, as in an armored tank). Got this name because of my wide shoulders and strong back. I am Neapolitan, but a real Napolitano. Grew up in Casal Di Principe, got my button a long ts ime ago as a member of the powerful Casalesi clan. Currently, I am a "retired" Camorrista living somewhere in North America. Yes. I am real. I exist; others like me exist.

My dear friend, Eddie, has allowed me to write some articles about some past events. 

I want you to imagine a scene:

After smoking my cigar and finishing a cold bottle of vino rosso (nights are hot and humid right now), I'm starting to think. 'America' is a land of opportunities, if you have the brains for it. Hundreds of years ago, illiterate immigrants from southern Italia were able to take most of the good rackets over here, in the land of opportunity. With brains, balls, and their ability to organize things, heaven was the limit.

Now here´s my thought. What would happen if big numbers of Neapolitan wiseguys decide to move to the East Coast? Or better. Imagine you are captain of a certain crew and you decide to bring down guys that you know won't rat because they are not little girls afraid of doing heavy prison time. These guys, the ones called in, come from homes that were far worse than any living conditions inside a prison. And these guys won´t miss their flat screen TVs, videogames and whore girlfriends. They don't show off, either, these guys. They keep things quiet. And they are as loyal as pitbulls.

Sure, certain guys like Carmine Galante played the game; Tony Soprano (in fiction) enjoyed the benefits. But consider what the current American LCN is going through: Most of the guys rat, some of them can't point to Italy on a map; others are junkies and others are pure psychos (they can come in handy sometimes, don't get me wrong, but they are usually terrible at earning and boring to be around.)

In critical moments, you need reliable workers.

There is a war in Montreal right now, and Rizzutto could use some good people.Are there any Camorristi up in French Canadá? I don't know. Am I in Canadá? Couldn't say...

So, you want to build up your offensive and defensive firepower so you bring one guy from Naples. He becomes your personal bodyguard. While you sleep at night in your bed, you feel safe, because he is keeping an eye on you, patrolling your home, your neighborhood, your city, your world. He makes sure you are ok; when you have il espresso a la domenica mattina,  he watches as you sip it.

He, in fact, handles your agenda for the whole week. This guy knows how to use a Beretta, a .38, an M-16 and a Mini-Uzi. And he won´t freeze when asked to do work. Any family needs good workers to survive. 

After a while, you bring in two more, young Neapolitans about to get made in Naples, but you can make them much more rapidly in the New World. They have the credentials all real Camorristi have: they have spent years in jail, they never talk, no matter what they are offered,  they have made their bones and, perhaps most importantly, they respect authority. 

You now have three loyal and solid guys you can use in any way, shape or form: You need them to collect, forget about it; you need to send a message, forget about it; you need somebody to watch your wife and kids? Forget about it. You need guys to know how to keep silent when is required? Forget about it..... guys from southern Italy understand the culture of silence like New Yorkers understand baseball.

And by the end of the year you have a little crew of five to eight guys. Now, if you are fluent in Italian or one of its dialects, you can have total privacy with your guys. Right? It would be like a family inside a family.

Remember, I´m just thinking out loud.

You don't have to imitate Carmine Galante and attract so much negativity toward you. But you can be a regular guy, share what you make with your crew and be certain that you have reliable people around you. It would make it harder for them to attack you, believe me, and if your family goes to war? Forget about it. You have your own Navy Seal team.

I am smoking my cigar and drinking Sambuca now, thinking. If I were to come out of retirement, where would I find guys who have the balls to take what they want but at the same time, also have the brains to follow the rules?

Seems sometimes it is a question of one or the other.

But not in Naples. Never in Naples.