Activity at the Due Mare Centro Commerciale was just beginning to stir. Bright morning
sunlight streamed in through the steel ribs of a huge circular skylight high above the
entrance atrium. Below at ground level, the illuminated leaves of tall palm trees towered
above fountains and tropical plants giving visitors the impression they had just entered a
botanical garden instead of a shopping mall A member of the cleaning crew was touching
up the glistening granite hallway just outside of the Mondo Blu Fashion store, situated just
off of the cavernous entrance on the main aisle. While whistling La donna e mobile, he
first sprayed scuff marks with a cleaner, scrubbed them with a pad under his foot, then
wiped over them with his wide dust mop until the floor shone like the sun reflecting off of
the Mediterranean.
Domenic Ruffalo sat at one of several small tables in the mall’s open air courtyard
cafeteria quietly enjoying the warmth of the sun with his long time friend and business
partner Vincenzo Ciccini. The cafeteria was provided for mall staffers who, by Italian law
were not allowed to smoke anywhere in the buildings. The courtyard was completely
enclosed on three sides by high red brick walls, and could only be seen from a row of
administrative office windows along the fourth. It was accessible from an interior hallway
to only those possessing a keycard. A small counter sheltered by a large green and white
Cinzano umbrella was attended by a young girl in a bright white uniform wearing a cap
with maroon piping and the Aiello Coffee insignia. The two met early every morning
before the mall opened to discuss the business and current events, while Domenico’s
daughter Sylvia tended to the registers and opened their high-fashion clothing store.
In addition to a movie plex, game arcade and several restaurants, more than a hundred
stores displayed everything from elegant furniture and clothing to telephones and tropical
fish under glowing halogen lights nested high up in the ceilings of crystal clear display
windows. The new mall could have been in any upscale neighborhood of Rome or Paris,
but it was here deep in the Calabrian South, and quickly became a popular destination for
the surrounding communities, particularly on the week-end. The stores were virtually
empty of shoppers at this early hour and shop owners and clerks like Sylvia were busy
preparing window displays and merchandise racks.
As was her routine, she checked the back door to be sure it was locked, then walked
from the stock room at the back of the store past the folding counter and register to the
front to raise the security grate. She inserted her key, then pushed the button to raise
the metal grating. While waiting for it to rise into the ceiling, she waved to Jonny the night
manager of the mall security police who was heading towards the exit and home. Jonny
and Sylvia were cousins and the two spent a few minutes talking at the door about a
family birthday get-together later that month.
As Jonny turned to leave, he bumped directly into one of two men in rather expensive
dark suits, who from their serious expressions looked strangely out of place in this tranquil
setting on such a beautiful day. The first stranger was a large dark skinned man who
waited for Jonny to take his leave, then addressed Sylvia in a voice so deep as to send
chills through her. “Ci piacerebbe parlare al gestore del negozio signorina, if you don’t
mind.”
Sylvia had no real reason to suspect anything was wrong, but backed away from them as
she struggled to maintain her composure, then reached for her cell phone. “I can call my
father. He is at the cafeteria. What shall I tell him this is about?”
The second stranger spoke in a soft gentle voice. “We are from an advertising
company signorina. We are contacting some of the store owners regarding opportunities
to increase store traffic and would like a few minutes of his time.”
Domenic, Sylvia’s father had been reading the paper and was just finishing his brioche
when he put down his copy of Il Domani to answer the call.
“Papa, ci sono due uomini qui, who say that they are salesmen and would like a few
minutes with you papa”
“D’accordo, arrivare presto ”.. ask them to wait.”
“Dovrei me vengo?” asked Vincenzo starting to stand.
“No, finish your cigarette and order another coffee for me. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Domenico was getting used to all sorts of people coming into the store selling point-of-
purchase displays and trinkets guaranteed to increase floor traffic, and was used to
listening to their pitch, then replying a with a polite “no thanks”.
As he entered the store from the stockroom, Domenico stopped short and took a deep
breath. These were not the usual shop vendors. He didn’t extend his hand and with a
nervous voice asked “Cosa posso fare per voi ?”
“This will only take a few minutes, I assure you” First, is there someplace where we can
talk privately signor?
Dominic turned and with a sweep of his hand gestured them towards the back of the store
and into the small stockroom.
It was apparent that the two had prepared well for the meeting. The soft spoken stranger
moved close to Domenico and looked into his eyes as he spoke. “Domenico, you and
Vincenzo have built up a nice business here. I’m sure that you wouldn’t want anything to
happen to the store or your families. We can help make sure that nothing does.”
The heavy-set stranger added “Our fees are not excessive.
Mille euro al mese .”
Domenico stood motionless for some time. “I see.. You would expect a thousand
Euros per month in return for this assurance?
“I will have to speak with my partner about this. I’m not prepared to make these
decisions without conferring with him.”
The heavy stranger with the deep voice was the last to speak. “Please give our offer your
serious consideration. Your continued success could very well depend on it. We’ll be
back in a few days to continue our discussion.”
The two men in expensive suits turned and left the store. Domenico, stood motionless
waiting for them to leave, then quickly returned to the cafeteria where Vincenzo was
sitting, and lit a cigarette as he sat down.
“Anything important Dom?”
“The fucking bastards” muttered Domenico. Who the hell do they think they are?”
“Stai tranquillo Dom, dimme ….
After listening to Domenico describe what had just taken place Vincenzo said simply “We
will have to take care of these guys Dom. They are way out of line if they think for one
minute they will lean on us”.
Vincenzo reached into his pocket and dialed his cell phone.
©copyright 2010 Property of MJSturino,LLC
Any reproduction with-out the owners express written consent is strictly prohibited
sunlight streamed in through the steel ribs of a huge circular skylight high above the
entrance atrium. Below at ground level, the illuminated leaves of tall palm trees towered
above fountains and tropical plants giving visitors the impression they had just entered a
botanical garden instead of a shopping mall A member of the cleaning crew was touching
up the glistening granite hallway just outside of the Mondo Blu Fashion store, situated just
off of the cavernous entrance on the main aisle. While whistling La donna e mobile, he
first sprayed scuff marks with a cleaner, scrubbed them with a pad under his foot, then
wiped over them with his wide dust mop until the floor shone like the sun reflecting off of
the Mediterranean.
Domenic Ruffalo sat at one of several small tables in the mall’s open air courtyard
cafeteria quietly enjoying the warmth of the sun with his long time friend and business
partner Vincenzo Ciccini. The cafeteria was provided for mall staffers who, by Italian law
were not allowed to smoke anywhere in the buildings. The courtyard was completely
enclosed on three sides by high red brick walls, and could only be seen from a row of
administrative office windows along the fourth. It was accessible from an interior hallway
to only those possessing a keycard. A small counter sheltered by a large green and white
Cinzano umbrella was attended by a young girl in a bright white uniform wearing a cap
with maroon piping and the Aiello Coffee insignia. The two met early every morning
before the mall opened to discuss the business and current events, while Domenico’s
daughter Sylvia tended to the registers and opened their high-fashion clothing store.
In addition to a movie plex, game arcade and several restaurants, more than a hundred
stores displayed everything from elegant furniture and clothing to telephones and tropical
fish under glowing halogen lights nested high up in the ceilings of crystal clear display
windows. The new mall could have been in any upscale neighborhood of Rome or Paris,
but it was here deep in the Calabrian South, and quickly became a popular destination for
the surrounding communities, particularly on the week-end. The stores were virtually
empty of shoppers at this early hour and shop owners and clerks like Sylvia were busy
preparing window displays and merchandise racks.
As was her routine, she checked the back door to be sure it was locked, then walked
from the stock room at the back of the store past the folding counter and register to the
front to raise the security grate. She inserted her key, then pushed the button to raise
the metal grating. While waiting for it to rise into the ceiling, she waved to Jonny the night
manager of the mall security police who was heading towards the exit and home. Jonny
and Sylvia were cousins and the two spent a few minutes talking at the door about a
family birthday get-together later that month.
As Jonny turned to leave, he bumped directly into one of two men in rather expensive
dark suits, who from their serious expressions looked strangely out of place in this tranquil
setting on such a beautiful day. The first stranger was a large dark skinned man who
waited for Jonny to take his leave, then addressed Sylvia in a voice so deep as to send
chills through her. “Ci piacerebbe parlare al gestore del negozio signorina, if you don’t
mind.”
Sylvia had no real reason to suspect anything was wrong, but backed away from them as
she struggled to maintain her composure, then reached for her cell phone. “I can call my
father. He is at the cafeteria. What shall I tell him this is about?”
The second stranger spoke in a soft gentle voice. “We are from an advertising
company signorina. We are contacting some of the store owners regarding opportunities
to increase store traffic and would like a few minutes of his time.”
Domenic, Sylvia’s father had been reading the paper and was just finishing his brioche
when he put down his copy of Il Domani to answer the call.
“Papa, ci sono due uomini qui, who say that they are salesmen and would like a few
minutes with you papa”
“D’accordo, arrivare presto ”.. ask them to wait.”
“Dovrei me vengo?” asked Vincenzo starting to stand.
“No, finish your cigarette and order another coffee for me. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Domenico was getting used to all sorts of people coming into the store selling point-of-
purchase displays and trinkets guaranteed to increase floor traffic, and was used to
listening to their pitch, then replying a with a polite “no thanks”.
As he entered the store from the stockroom, Domenico stopped short and took a deep
breath. These were not the usual shop vendors. He didn’t extend his hand and with a
nervous voice asked “Cosa posso fare per voi ?”
“This will only take a few minutes, I assure you” First, is there someplace where we can
talk privately signor?
Dominic turned and with a sweep of his hand gestured them towards the back of the store
and into the small stockroom.
It was apparent that the two had prepared well for the meeting. The soft spoken stranger
moved close to Domenico and looked into his eyes as he spoke. “Domenico, you and
Vincenzo have built up a nice business here. I’m sure that you wouldn’t want anything to
happen to the store or your families. We can help make sure that nothing does.”
The heavy-set stranger added “Our fees are not excessive.
Mille euro al mese .”
Domenico stood motionless for some time. “I see.. You would expect a thousand
Euros per month in return for this assurance?
“I will have to speak with my partner about this. I’m not prepared to make these
decisions without conferring with him.”
The heavy stranger with the deep voice was the last to speak. “Please give our offer your
serious consideration. Your continued success could very well depend on it. We’ll be
back in a few days to continue our discussion.”
The two men in expensive suits turned and left the store. Domenico, stood motionless
waiting for them to leave, then quickly returned to the cafeteria where Vincenzo was
sitting, and lit a cigarette as he sat down.
“Anything important Dom?”
“The fucking bastards” muttered Domenico. Who the hell do they think they are?”
“Stai tranquillo Dom, dimme ….
After listening to Domenico describe what had just taken place Vincenzo said simply “We
will have to take care of these guys Dom. They are way out of line if they think for one
minute they will lean on us”.
Vincenzo reached into his pocket and dialed his cell phone.
©copyright 2010 Property of MJSturino,LLC
Any reproduction with-out the owners express written consent is strictly prohibited
Calabrian Justice
Prologue (Centro Commerciale)
by Marty Sturino
Prologue (Centro Commerciale)
by Marty Sturino
 |
 |
 |
 |
Calabrian Life Fiction
 | |  | |  |