I'm finally reading 'The Godfather' and am thoroughly enjoying it. I'm up to when Don Corleone is making peace with the other families after the shooting of his son 'Sonny'. Kind of book that you hope never ends. I have no idea why I've never picked it up before.
Ha! I read it in the summer of 1979, not having seen the movie. I was newly graduated from high school, working a summer job as my church's janitor.
I remember a thing about that summer job. The last thing on Friday, you wash down the front steps leading to the sanctuary (it's where the preacher shakes hands as everyone leaves after the service). Across the road, this older gent was mowing his grass, and working on the steep part of it that dropped down to the road below. He was mowing up and down, instead of side-to-side, as you should do.
So, I went across and offered to do it for him. He declined, so I went back to steps-washing. A few minutes later, I noticed him calling to me. Sure enough, he had cut the FCUK out of his foot, and wondered politely if I could drive him to the hospital.
So, I ran to the church office, and asked the secretary ladies if I could leave a bit early to drive the man to the hospital. And--I SWEAR THIS IS TRUE--they said NO! Later, the guy waved to me, hat still on head, as he somehow managed to operate the pedals of his car with a mangled foot.
And that, boys and girls, is (eventually) why I think the Christian church, and established religion in general, is a complete load of bunkum!
PS, welcome back, Rye Ronnie et al!
