Emmanuele

I think writing about death is not a spoiler for this book. I read about death in almost every chapter. So, let me talk about Emanuele. He is 15 and his death touched me the most so far, in the story. He was shot by the police while doing what he does best, while doing the only thing he knew that would put food in his and his family's mouth.

My mind questions his death. As Saviano wrote:

The fact remains that he was fifteen years old. At that age, the sons of families born in other parts of Italy are going to the pool, taking dance lessons.

Emmanuele, however, waits for his time to rob someone for a living. He sits there until the right time comes. Until one day, what he thought was right was actually wrong. A wrong that caused him his life, his future.

But come to think of it, what would he be at 20? Would he be someone else other than a thief? Would his life change at 25? Would he be an entrepreneur at 30? I would like to think so.

I would want to believe so, because it could have been possible. But in a place like this, change is almost inevitable, especially if you are living within The System.

Emanuele's funeral was well-attended. The priest who did the service said:

The fact is that the only thing you learn here is how to die.

Mind you, this is a true story.

The Other Mafia

I bought this book I think while I was reading "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo. Or, maybe after reading it but was still intrigued by the story. At the same time, this book was posted on a blog that I follow which talk about books. I thought that those were signs that I should buy the book. Finding it wasn’t difficult although I had doubts that it might be banned in the country that I was in when I thought of it.

But the hardest part is yet to come. I think this is the first time that I have read a non-fiction book. Actually, I can't remember ever reading a true story. A movie based on a true story, I have read a lot. But not a book.

On my note pad, it said I started reading this book over a month ago. But I never posted anything about it. Well, one of the reasons is that I wasn't motivated for some reasons I couldn’t understand. I just stopped. The other is it was so hard to bring myself down to write about the book or something about the story, or something at least related to the story, which is primarily why I started this blog.

Now that I've had the winds back and brought myself to write, it was so hard recalling those instances and scenes that I want to write about. But I am now trying to. One of the things that hinders me is I might lose the chronology of the story and messed up the entries that's why I must do my assignments.

Anyway, this is Italy's other Mafia, as the subtitle goes. I am already half-way with the book, and it's a little hard for me to make myself to read it at times. It's hard to relate with all those names. And it's even harder to relate with all those bloodsheds.

But I'm keeping up. Because this is the underground where I never thought a lot of people were involved. With Mario's, I just thought it was the Corleone's and the underboss, the consiglierie, capo and their soldiers. I never thought a 15-year old would be involved.

Let the stories begin… on my next post.

Italian Mafia

According to investigations, it was Genard Marino McKay who made the place so profitable. He's the clan's point man in the area. And that's not all. Paolo DiLauro likes the way he runs things so he gave him franchising rights on the local market. McKay operates indepen-dently; all he has to do is pay a monthly fee to the clan.