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xialikesthings · 2 years

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Imagine Working For Sonny...

You are not a native New Yorker or even an American, for that matter. An immigrant, you came to America to pursue a better life. Although you were prone to moments of intense homesickness with no family or friends in this country, you were determined to create a good life for yourself.

You are employed at a bar called The Chez Bippy. There were numerous things to enjoy about your job like the fact it was within perfect walking distance from your apartment and many handsome gangsters frequented the bar. What can you say? You’re a bit hopeless for many of these men with their slicked-back dark hair and devilish smiles. You are especially smitten with your boss, Sonny LoSpeechio.

Sonny was the type of man who always wore his two-piece suits when he entered the establishment, complete with his signature cologne. His scent was just enough, it was never too much so the desire to hold your nose in his presence was non-existent. And thankfully, it was never too little. When your hands exchanged money as he tipped you, the scent of patchouli would linger faintly on your wrist for just the right amount of time.

All and all, Sonny had a professional air about himself. You never exactly knew the structure of the crime family you were practically an associate of, but it would not surprise you if Sonny was the one who ran the neighborhood with the way he carried himself.

But there were other things that contributed to your crush on your boss. There was the matter he tipped well, of course, and the matter he was a true gentleman. Any rude and crass treatment towards you was not tolerated in his presence. You were also fascinated by how Sonny was seemingly an avid reader. There were numerous slow moments at work, where while washing glasses, you could hear Sonny speak to men from his table, quoting someone named Machiavelli.

Secretly, you always wanted to have a conversation with Sonny. A real conversation. You thought that maybe over the weekend if you took a bus ride to the library and checked out some books by this Machiavelli-person, you and Sonny could share the same passion. Unfortunately, this was not meant to be. While you were capable of checking out “The Prince,” you could not read more than twenty pages before putting it away on your nightstand.

Life has a funny way of deciding the way things turn out though. Your first real conversation with Sonny began under unfortunate circumstances.

One early Friday, you received a letter from your father and discovered your mother was recovering from a complicated surgery which caused money to be tight. While your family did not outright request for you to come home, you could not help but consider it. After all, it would be the best way to assist them financially. Despite your mind advising you to do this, your heart broke at the idea of leaving New York. Leaving Belmont Avenue. After months and months of living in this neighborhood, the homesickness had finally subsided. You had a job that was never dull, an apartment you finally felt complete decorating, and friends! Of course, you also thought of how back home there would not be another Sonny.

That Friday night your emotions got the best of you. Watching Sonny smile from afar with his men - thinking of how this could be the last Friday you saw the bar so alive - tears filled your eyes. Without a word, you fled from behind the bar, tears flowing from your eyes, and a croaky, “excuse me” was issued as you brushed your shoulder against Sonny’s chest.

Weeping outside the bar, you did not hear Sonny approach until he placed a hand on your shoulder. As he asked what was wrong, you were overwhelmed with emotion. Shock, shame, embarrassment - but somehow the story of your family’s struggles overseas flowed freely like cursive against paper. You had known Sonny to be a gentleman, but somehow it amazed you that he offered you his handkerchief to dry your eyes. Secretly, with the cloth near your face, you reveled in that ever-familiar odor of patchouli.

Drying your tears, Sonny said he would give you extra shifts at The Chez Bippy. If it would help any, he also knew a man who was in need of a receptionist during the weekends. As he ushered you inside, you could not help but feel oddly hopeful, even if it meant working three times as hard as you presently do. Maybe it was the fact that despite it all, you would still be with Sonny.

From Monday to Friday you worked at the Chez Bippy from opening to closing. On Saturday and Sunday, you spent the morning and evening working as a receptionist for a man you were absolutely certain had the same criminal ties Sonny had. It wasn’t his similar swagger, it was the fact he paid you under the table.

Either way - there were many days you tiredly pulled yourself out of bed not sure what day it was, only sure you had something to get up and do, but despite your exhaustion, you were also incredibly proud of being able to provide for your family.

One Friday night, you were preparing to go home. Almost one by one the patrons trickled out to return to their homes. It was now a point where remaining inside the bar was you and Sonny. Filling the atmosphere was the jukebox that played one of Frank Sinatra’s songs. This one was called “You Can’t Take That Away From Me.” Ensuring everything was right and in place at the counter, you kept noticing Sonny’s eyes linger on you. When you looked back, he preoccupied himself with his cigar, seemingly in thought. You felt not fear, but anticipation. The tension between you two was thick - something was clearly going to happen. Sonny spoke first, “how’s your mother doin’?” “She’s doing much better.” “That’s good.” He replied, “my own mother - she had a similar issue in the past.” You were incredibly pleased to know this bit of Sonny’s history, you doubted his past was something he told casually! However, you did your best not to show your delight. Very briefly, the two of you spoke of a few mundane things, including your alternative job. Much to your pleasure, he asked if you were being treated well at your weekend job. When he told you to let him know if your boss was being too domineering, you agreed and thankfully withheld your giggles. You were ready to tell him goodnight when he suddenly whipped out a question you never expected. “Are you doin’ anything tonight?” “No, why?” “I want to take you out.” “Take me out?” You could not help but repeat. While it was done out of astonishment, you were happy that you managed to sound a bit humored at the concept. Well - you were happy until Sonny made a face that seemed to be disapproving. This is when you felt bad. You were aware that in English this could be slang for murder, and if possible, you wanted to seem ignorant as possible of his criminal lifestyle. “Yeah, I want to take y’out.” He clarified, “someplace nice where we can sit down and listen to music.” “Would I need a very nice dress?” You could not help but ask in worry. Your wardrobe was not exactly the most elaborate. “No, no. You’re beautiful the way y’look now. So whaddya say?” “I would be happy to!”

That night, over a magnificent plate of steak and pasta, you and Sonny spoke of a variety of things. What your old neighborhood was like, what his immigrant family was like, and how their values similarly overlapped. You even spoke of Machiavelli, who you oddly felt comfortable enough to critique. Although Sonny defended the writer, you could tell that he enjoyed having someone to debate with rather than dealing with a listener who would nod and agree. As the night became colder, he not only gave you his jacket but a kiss. This was the night you became known as Sonny LoSpeechio’s girl. But for you, this night marked how Sonny became your home.

#A Bronx Tale #a bronx tale musical #Chazz Palminteri #chazz palminteri x reader #sonny x reader #robert de niro

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musicfren · 2 months

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Protests March 2nd (this Saturday). Mostly USA, some global

Albuquerque, New Mexico

11:00 a.m.

Tiguex Park

Sponsored by: PSL Waukegan

Wellfleet, Massachusetts

10:00 a.m.

Town Hall Lawn

Sponsored by: Cape Codders for Peace and Justice

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guerrerense · 10 months

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flickr

California Service por James Belmont Por Flickr: Less than a minute after departing the D&RGW passenger station on 3rd West, the joint Rio Grande - Burlington Northern "California Service" train No. 18 glides through Provo, Utah as viewed from the University Avenue bridge in 1971.

#flickr

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20th-century-railroading · 1 year

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Rio Grande Iron Ore Train by James Belmont Via Flickr: A Rio Grande iron ore empty from CF&I in Pueblo, pulls into Provo, Utah on Jan. 4, 1975. D&RGW 3008 and company will shove the hoppers onto Union Pacific's interchange track at University Avenue. From there, UP will forward them to the Iron Mountain mine near Cedar City for reloading.

#d&rgw #rio grande #1975 #trains #freight train #history #provo #utah

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pwlanier · 1 year

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Today in Great Lakes shipping history. Week of February 20th.

February 22, 1925 – The ANN ARBOR NO 7 made her maiden voyage.

On 22 February 1920, the Goodrich Line’s ALABAMA (steel propeller passenger/package freight steamer, 272 foot, 2,626 gross tons, built in 1909, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) ran aground on a concrete obstruction which was the foundation of the old water-intake crib in Lake Michigan off Belmont Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. The SIDNEY O. NEFF (wooden package freighter, 149 foot, 346 gross tons, built in 1890, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) took off the ALABAMA’s cargo and then harbor tugs pulled the ALABAMA free. Repairs to her hull took the rest of the winter and she didn’t return to service until May 1920.

Tanker Iver Bright departs Monroe, MI, with a G-tug escort.

Algoma Innovator heads downbound with salt at Port Huron, MI.

Algoma Discovery, Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin, and John D. Leitch winter along the breakwall in Port Colborne, ON.

#great lakes #shipping #freighter #ore boat #tug boat #maritime #nautical #winter 2023 #edmund fitzgerald

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urbs-in-horto · 1 year

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Houseboats on the North Branch of the Chicago River. The first couple shots are from just north of Belmont, behind the Riverview Amusement Park.

#Chicago #houseboats #belmont avenue

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slashingdisneypasta · 9 months

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Whenever I see this, I think back to a comment I saw under a Lake Placid video once saying it's a shame Robert Englund hasn't done a lot of comedy.

#didnt we watch the same anoes franchise?? 😅😅#besides #Zombie Strippers #2001 Maniacs #Lake Placid; Final Chapter #Lake Placid Vs Anaconda #Moleman of Belmont Avenue #etc

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kingsbridgelibraryteens · 1 year

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Exploring NYC : The Arthur Avenue / Belmont Neighborhood (AKA “Little Italy in the Bronx”), March 2023.

Part 1: History, Landmarks, Architecture, Plus Other Cool and Curious Stuff!

#Exploring NYC #Belmont #Arthur Avenue #Bronx #nyc

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randomvarious · 7 months

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Today's compilation:

20 Great Love Songs of the 50's & 60's, Volume 1 1988 Pop / Doo Wop / Girl Groups / Orchestral Pop

Gonna be going through this two-volume series of romantic oldies over the next couple of days that was put out by New York's Laurie Records, a little, independent label that proved to be something of a force throughout the 50s and 60s, especially during the doo wop era. Laurie's output and hit rate could never match that of a major label's, and they often released their singles one at a time, but for such a small operation, they really managed to punch above their weight a whole lot. Most famously, they launched the career of Dion Dimucci, who went on to deliver early 60s back-to-back pop classics "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer;" and they also had girl group The Chiffons, who had a few big hits in the early-to-mid-60s too, with their super catchy, chart-topping debut single, "He's So Fine"—fondly remembered for its constant 'doo-lang' backing vocal—appearing on this volume.

But this compilation here is really two things, because while a lot of these songs are from the Laurie catalog itself, most of the biggest hits aren't, like The Drifters' "Save the Last Dance for Me," which was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and The Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You," which made it to #12. So, this CD is sort of representative of some of the biggest love songs of the 50s and 60s, but it's also an avenue to specifically promote Laurie's own music too.

And because of that, we thankfully end up getting a couple underheard gems that you wouldn't typically expect to see on a comp that claims to contain great love songs from over a two-decade period on it; songs like Dion & the Belmonts' "That's My Desire," a well-made late 50s doo wop ballad that predates Dion's own rise to solo stardom and was released as a B-side to their big #3 hit "Where or When;" and The Passions' "Gloria," another doo wop ballad by a quintet from Brooklyn that starred a terrific lead singer named Jimmy Gallagher, who sports a soul-stirring falsetto on this one. And The Passions appear to have only ever managed to chart nationally once, at #96, and it wasn't this song, so this one's a really nice find 👍.

Some true classics on here, but also a bit of a neat retrospective on the New York-based Laurie label too. And the little hits and the songs that failed to chart are where you might end up finding some good buried treasure here.

Highlights:

The Drifters - "Save the Last Dance for Me" The Skyliners - "Since I Don't Have You" The Chiffons - "He's So Fine" Dion & the Belmonts - "That's My Desire" The Passions - "Gloria"

#pop #doo wop #girl groups #orchestral pop #classic pop #oldies #music #50s #50s music #50's #50's music #60s #60s music #60's #60's music

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