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en by relatives and shipped to America。 There he was boarded with the Abbandandos； whose son Genco was later to bee Consigliere to his Don。
Young Vito went to work in the Abbandando grocery store on Ninth Avenue in New York's Hell's Kitchen。 At the age of eighteen Vito married an Italian girl freshly arrived from Sicily； a girl of only sixteen but a skilled cook； a good housewife。 They settled down in a tenement on Tenth Avenue； near 35th Street； only a few blocks from where Vito worked； and two years later were blessed with their first child； Santino； called by all his friends Sonny because of his devotion to his father。
In the neighborhood lived a man called Fanucci。 He was a heavy…set； fierce…looking Italian who wore expensive light…colored suits and a cream…colored fedora。 This man was reputed to be of the 〃Black Hand；〃 an offshoot of the Mafia which extorted money from families and storekeepers by threat of physical violence。 However； since most of the inhabitants of the neighborhood were violent themselves； Fanucci's threats of bodily harm were effective only with elderly couples without male children to defend them。 Some of the storekeepers paid him trifling sums as a matter of convenience。 However； Fanucci was also a scavenger on fellow criminals； people who illegally sold Italian lottery or ran gambling games in their homes。 The Abbandando grocery gave him a small tribute； this despite the protests of young Genco； who told his father he would settle the Fanucci hash。 His father forbade him。 Vito Corleone observed all this without feeling in any way involved。
One day Fanucci was set upon by three young men who cut his throat from ear to ear； not deeply enough to kill him； but enough to frighten him and make him bleed a great deal。 Vito saw Fanucci fleeing from his punishers； the circular slash flowing red。 What he never forgot was Fanucci holding the cream…colored fedora under his chin to catch the dripping blood as he ran。 As if he did not want his suit soiled or did not want to leave a shameful trail of carmine。
But this attack proved a blessing in disguise for Fanucci。 The three young men were not murderers； merely tough young boys determined to teach him a lesson and stop him from scavenging。 Fannucci proved himself a murderer。 A few weeks later the knife…wielder was shot to death and the families of the other two young men paid an indemnity to Fanucci to make him forswear his vengeance。 After that the tributes became higher and Fanucci became a partner in the neighborhood gambling games。 As for Vito Corleone； it was none of his affair。 He forgot about it immediately。
During World War I； when imported olive oil became scarce； Fanucci acquired a part…interest in the Abbandando grocery store by supplying it not only with oil； but imported Italian salami； hams and cheeses。 He then moved a nephew into the store and Vito Corleone found himself out of a job。
By this time； the second child； Frederioo； had arrived and Vito Corleone had four mouths to feed。 Up to this time he had been a quiet； very contained young man who kept his thoughts to himself。 The son of the grocery store owner； young Genco Abbandando； was his closest friend； and to the surprise of both of them； Vito reproached his friend for his father's deed。 Genco； flushed with shame； vowed to Vito that he would not have to worry about food。 That he； Genco； would steal food from the grocery to supply his friend's needs。 This offer though was sternly refused by Vito as too shameful； a son stealing from his father。
The young Vito； however； felt a cold anger for the dreaded Fanucci。 He never showed this anger in any way but bided his time。 He worked in the railroad for a few months and then； when the war ended； work became slow and he could earn only a few days' pay a month。 Also； most of the foremen were Irish and American and abused the workmen in the foulest language； which Vito always bore stone…faced as if he did not prehend； though he understood English very well despite his accent。
One evening as Vito was having supper with his family there was a knock on the window that led to the open sir shaft that separated them from the next building。 When Vito pulled aside the curtain he saw to his astonishment one of the young men in the neighborhood； Peter Clemenza； leaning out from a window on the other side of the air shaft。 He was extending a white…sheeted bundle。
〃Hey； paisan；〃 Clemenza said。 〃Hold these for me until I ask for them。 Hurry up。〃 Automatically Vito reached over the empty space of the air shaft and took the bundle。 Clemenza's face was strained and urgent。 He was in some sort of trouble and Vito's helping action was instinctive。 But when he untied the bundle in his kitchen； there were five oily guns staining the white cloth。 He put them in his bedroom closet and waited。 He learned that Clemenza had been taken away by the police。 They must have been knocking on his door when he handed the guns over the air shaft。
Vito never said a word to anyone and of course his terrified wife dared not open her lips even in gossip for fear her own husband would be sent to prison。 Two days later Peter Clemenza reappeared in the neighborhood and asked Vito casually； 〃Do you have my goods still？〃
Vito nodded。 He was in the habit of talking little。 Clemenza came up to his tenement flat and was given a glass of wine while Vito dug the bundle out of his bedroom closet。
Clemenza drank his wine； his heavy good…natured face alertly watching Vito。 〃Did you look inside？〃
Vito； his face impassive； shook his head。 〃I'm not interested in things that don't concern me；〃 he said。
They drank wine together the rest of the evening。 They found each other congenial。 Clemenza was a storyteller； Vito Corleone was a listener to storytellers。 They became casual friends。
A few days later Clemenza asked the wife of Vito Corleone if she would like a fine rug for her living room floor。 He took Vito with him to help carry the rug。
Clemenza led Vito to an apartment house with two marble pillars and a white marble stoop。 He used a key to open the door and they were inside a plush apartment。 Clemenza grunted； 〃Go on the other side of the room and help me roll it up。〃
The rug was a rich red wool。 Vito Corleone was astonished by Clemenza's generosity。 Together they rolled the rug into a pile and Clemenza took one end while Vito took the other。 They lifted it and started carrying it toward the door。
At that moment the apartment bell rang。 Clemenza immediately dropped the rug and strode to the window。 He pulled the drape aside slightly and what he saw made him draw a gun from inside his jacket。 It was only at that moment the astonished Vito Corleone realized that they were stealing the rug from some stranger's apartment。
The apartment bell rang again。 Vito went up alongside Clemenza so that he too could see what was happening。 At' the door was a uniformed policeman。 As they watched； the policeman gave the doorbell a final push； then shrugged and walked away down the marble steps and down the street。
Clemenza grunted in a satisfied way and said； 〃e on； let's go。〃 He picked up his end of the rug and Vito picked up the other end。 The policeman had barely turned the corner before they were edging out the heavy oaken door and into the street with the rug between them。 Thirty minutes later they were cutting the rug to fit the living rooms of Vito Corleone's apartment。 They had enough left over for the bedroom。 Clemenza was an expert workman and from the pockets of his wide； ill…fitting jacket （even then he liked to wear loose clothes though he was not so fat）； he had the necessary carpet…cutting tools。
Time went on； things did not improve。 The Corleone family could not eat the beautiful rug。 Very well； there was no work； his wife and children must starve。 Vito took some parcels of food from his friend Genco while he thought things out。 Finally he was approached by Clemenza and Tessio； another young tough of the neighborhood。 They were men who thought well of him； the way he carried himself； and they knew he was desperate。 They proposed to him that he bee one of their gang wh