Form 4 of 5 Forms

Form 4 of 5 Forms

As far as I could tell, Patrick hadn’t moved from his kitchen chair.  The bacon was cold in the pan.  After lighting up, Fidelma went to work preparing BLTs.

“Best thing I done in life was marry that woman.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Before her, and before this place, my life everyday was cussin’ an’ fightin’ and stealin’ and cheatin’ and –“

“How so?”

“Son, my daddy was a Westie, Hell’s Kitchen, New York.  I was born there, raised to be a Westie, like him.  That’s where I learned the tobacco business – Hell’s Kitchen, at my daddy’s knee.  Hell’s Kitchen…called that for a damn good reason. 

“My daddy must’ve done somebody wrong – I’m sure he done many people wrong.  One day, while he’s out somewhere selling cigarettes to bars and protectin’ his route, two big I-talian boys come into our apartment on far west 49^th Street.  Showin’ guns, those boys.  They ask for Daddy – Daddy ain’t home.  One sits down in the kitchen - one picks me up by the collar and carries me down three flights by the collar.  He says “Go find Daddy and bring him home, or go run away - your choice.”

“So I run away – if I bring Daddy home, I know they gonna shoot him.

“I run to a spot I know on West 42^nd.  Tell the barkeeper to tell my daddy not to go home ‘less he’s ready for a fight – two I-talians with guns ready for him.  I ask to hide in the back room and Ruddy says, “Sorry, Patrick – those boys be after me next.”

“ ‘Nother barkeep at Mean Fiddler let me stay in the barrel room to sleep.  I go home in the mornin’ but Daddy’s not there. I wait two days, Daddy not comin’.  I’m getting hungry, askin’ for food along Daddy’s cigarette route and one bar keep, McSorley at the White Horse Tavern, says to me, “Patrick, you best get far outta town.  Some I-talians upset with your Daddy.  They find you again, they gonna use you like chum to lure your Daddy.  You love your daddy, you go where nobody find you.  Send word to me, I tell him when you’re safe, and where he can find you. So, I hopped on a train in Grand Central and got off where they kicked me off – no ticket.  That was Hudson -- a station just south of here, on the other side of the river.  Started making a living doing the only thing I learned from my dad – tobacco. ”

“Your mother?”

“Daddy cried whenever I asked about her.  Said her name was Patricia, that I was named in her memory.  She died giving me birth in New York City.”

“Siblings?”

“None.  I think I told you that.”

“Yes, sir, you did. Beg your pardon.  Sir, and Ms. Clebach, I am seriously behind with my other appointments.  I think I will have to return at another time to complete our interview.  However, off all you have told me today, there is one thing that stands out – the iffy official status of your marriage.  May I offer you one small bit of advice?  As soon as possible, go down to town hall and get married so there is a record of your marriage.  I am sure you are married as you say, and you are no doubt common-law married, but with a $6 million estate, there are bound to be legal issues on upon death.  Before we proceed on any other matter, you had better get married in the eyes of the government as well as the eyes of the Lord.”

I said good-bye and left them sitting, facing a burning Lucky Strike and a burning Marlboro.

…That is why I was late for my other cases on March 18, and why I had to re-schedule Case 32-89706-6098 for March 23.  As a result, that Case went to her court date without my visitation report and therefore her case was postponed.      I will prepare my apology to the Court, as mandated by Circular 09-06-24.