“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 37: Caught in the Gunfire: John Lennon Down!

I arrived at JFK Airport in New York on a late and foggy November evening, Given the water damage to my unit at the Dakota I made reservations for myself at the Ritz-Carlton Central Park South. I checked in had a double Martini (the best in New York aside from the Yale Club) and hadContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 37: Caught in the Gunfire: John Lennon Down!”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 36: Let’s Plan the Future with My Sweet Campanian Plum That is Eating Three Pizzas at a Shot? John Lennon to the Rescue!

Upon our return to Naples we continued our holiday mode for a few weeks seeing the sites of Naples and eating for three. Ginevra was expanding rapidly. It would be two pizzas for dinner and many scoops of gelato afterwards. As my sweet Campanian plum was expanding rapidly my confusion was as well. After aContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 36: Let’s Plan the Future with My Sweet Campanian Plum That is Eating Three Pizzas at a Shot? John Lennon to the Rescue!”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 35: A Break from the Killing and Violence: There are Now Two Daddies!

It was time out for a bit of sightseeing outside Naples suggested Ginevra and I agreed. We would be tailed only by two men in a car. Ginevra explained to me a cardinal rule of the Neapolitan Camorra that in the case of hostilities between family’s woman and children would be spared violence and deathContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 35: A Break from the Killing and Violence: There are Now Two Daddies!”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned But Marvellous”: Chapter 34: Ginevra Get Your Gun: Is My Sweet Campanian Plum a Ruthless Killer?

Dear reader you must sense I am all shook up. A gangland attack and a cold-blooded execution of two young teenagers Guido and Lino by Don Lupara all in one day. If it wasn’t for my sweet Campanian plum Ginevra, I would be hightailing it out this Neapolitan Truman Capote nightmare. I was reeling evenContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned But Marvellous”: Chapter 34: Ginevra Get Your Gun: Is My Sweet Campanian Plum a Ruthless Killer?”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned But Marvellous” : Chapter 33: Attacked by “Cyclops”: The Execution of Two 14 Year Old’s

I was told by Ginevra all involved in the Neapolitan narcotics trade had nicknames as a matter of pride and to assist in obfuscating identification by law enforcement and tax authorities. You remember that notorious American gangster Al Capone who visited the “big house” not for murder but tax evasion! The names were colourful andContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned But Marvellous” : Chapter 33: Attacked by “Cyclops”: The Execution of Two 14 Year Old’s”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 32: Scampia, Naples: Down and Dirty in the Cocaine and Heroin Factory and Costco Distribution Centre

Don Lupara and I left the family compound after a hearty breakfast of fruit, smoked ham and Napoli croissants loaded with his wife’s stupendous orange marmalade from oranges from the family orchards in Ischia. With food like this perhaps the “Fat” in “Fat Fox” might have referred to the effects of all the tremendous NeapolitanContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 32: Scampia, Naples: Down and Dirty in the Cocaine and Heroin Factory and Costco Distribution Centre”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 31: My One on One with Don Lupara (the Fat Fox): Invited to Join the “Family”

I knew Don Lupara wanted to speak to me in private. Hopefully it was not to slit my throat! So after dinner one night Don Lupara “invited” me for a chat, just him and me! We had yet another coffee and grappa. Boy those Italians drink coffee like water and just as fast! Don LuparaContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 31: My One on One with Don Lupara (the Fat Fox): Invited to Join the “Family””

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous: Chapter 30: Meeting the Cocaine King in Naples: Better Toasted than Being Toast!

Ginevra and I flew to Naples via Frankfurt in mid November. Naples was almost warm when we arrived at 11 a.m. We were met by two burly men in the arrivals area. And wouldn’t you know one of the men was that heavily tattooed man with a scar on his face and Iroquois haircut thatContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous: Chapter 30: Meeting the Cocaine King in Naples: Better Toasted than Being Toast!”

“The Penniless Pensioner” : Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous” : Chapter 29: All Shook Up! The Fat Fox Backs Down

I mean how would you feel receiving a severed goat’s head via Fedex! And how would dear Ginerva feel about her little “currykins” (my nickname) being threatened by her Daddy! We both were all shook up. Ginerva requested we not talk about it until our Saturday “Discover New York Day”. She had a few callsContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner” : Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous” : Chapter 29: All Shook Up! The Fat Fox Backs Down”

“The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 28: Goat’s Head Special Delivery from Don Lupara?

Ginevra and I had earmarked Saturdays for an exploration of New York City. There were so many sites to see. My favourite site was Central Park an oasis from the urban frantic New York. No matter the mood or weather we had frequent walks. I liked the lagoon with its ducks and benches to watchContinue reading ““The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous”: Chapter 28: Goat’s Head Special Delivery from Don Lupara?”