THE YOUNG SOPRANOS PART 3 "SU VIA PACEM -- PARA BELLUM"

  

THE

YOUNG SOPRANOS

PART 3

"SU VIA PACEM -- PARA BELLUM"

BY

J. BECK

2024

"THE PRINCE" CHAPTER XIV: THAT WHICH CONCERNS A PRINCE ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ART OF WAR: "A Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than War and its rules and discipline."

I

A.J. casually opens the driver's door to the rental car parked at the Jersey City Cemetery out of view of the grave-side mourners after the "Last Great Gangster Funeral" of Corrado John Soprano Jr loading into Hyles black Funeral Home tour bus.

A.J. turns the key left in the ignition as he digs into his inside dress-jacket pocket for his cigarette pack when the motor started the radio turned on blasting loud--("FUCK VITO!") Half laughing & bumbling his cigarettes with the abrupt surprise & reacting to urgently turn the loud radio volume down. 

"SORRY!" A.J. said peering up into the back-seat in the rear-view mirror where his Aunt Barbara was laying across the bench-seat side-ways out of sight only to find her fast asleep. Apparently she dosed off that easily & quickly.

A.J. smiles recalling how his late father Tony would always tease his little sister when she returned home to Jersey for the holidays from Brewster  New York if she took a good nap on the way there! Knowing how she couldn't ride in a car without falling asleep. 

Barbara insisted when she was little that it was like "Magic"--They would leave home in the car & she'd fall asleep only to wake up when they arrived at their destination like traveling in a "Time-Machine"! Amusing him to remember.

"All the better." A.J. says to himself as he drops the gear-shift into drive & leaves lighting a red-pack cigarette going out the cemetery's rear gates before the tour bus could finish loading & depart to race his Aunt Barbara to Newark Hospital.

This is WNYC--FM 93.9 Public Radio with the Breaking Headline News: 

At 7:09 am, the Alexandria Police received a 9-1-1 report of shots fired. 

Two police officers arrived within three minutes and also engaged Hodgkinson in a gunfight. 

Witnesses estimated between 50 and 100 shots were fired during the shootout, which lasted about 10 minutes.

This mass shooting occurred during a practice session for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Virginia. 

The 66-year-old James Hodgkinson shot six people, including U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, U.S. Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner, congressional aide Zack Barth, and lobbyist Matt Mika.

Scalise and Mika were taken to nearby hospitals where they underwent surgery.  (CLICK)

A.J. speed-dials Corbin Kramer his accident & personal injury lawyer on his way so Corbin could meet him at the Newark Hospital--ASAP. 

When A.J. & his Aunt Barbara arrived at the ER Corbin & his twin sister Courtney Kramer entered behind them wearing their golfing apparel.

A.J. can only shake his head at them as he handed his Aunt off to his Nurse-friend Rhonda.

"You two look real professional standing there!" A.J. laughes as he extends his hand to shake with his long-time friend. "And What?! You brought "Special-K" with you too Corbin?!"

CORBIN KRAMER

KRAMER & KRAMER

LAW-FIRM

"Yea--She won't let me out of her fucking sight!" (Because I can't fucking trust you brother!) "I can't argue you that!" (I know you can't!) Courtney slaps his arm.

COURTNEY KRAMER

KRAMER & KRAMER

LAW-FIRM 

"And as for you Mr. Soprano--(MR?!) You don't know just how Special I am!"

"Well--I guess that entirely depends upon what your definition of  "Special"  is?!"

"Now what's that suppose to Mean?!"

"Take it anyway you want counselor!--You're the Lawyer!"

"& You are a real Asshole Anthony Soprano!" (Yea --I can't argue you that either K!)  A.J. laughes & punches Corbin in the arm.

"Goddamn it A.J.--What the Fuck?!" (What?!) "That fucking hurt!" (Ahhhh--Come on lets find my Aunt)

"This better be good A.J.?!" Courtney deplores: "You cost us 100$ to cancel our Tee Time!"

"It will be the best 100$ you ever spent!" A.J. assures them. "You know when you catch a fish & you can't tell how big it is until you reel it in?!" (Now he speaks in Riddles?!) Courtney glares.

"Follow me here!" (OK) "You reel in that catch Corbin & You discover you caught a Whale!" (A Whale?!) "A WHALE of a Catch--A MOBY DICK!"

Corbin looks at his sister & flashes Courtney a greedy-grin. "You have to Reel it in first brother!--if it's not just another Fish Story?!"

A.J. introduces his Aunt Barbara to Corbin & Courtney as his long-time friends who were twin brother & sister & legal-team of their own Kramer & Kramer Law-firm.

A.J. realized that Barbara was dazed & confused in shock but all he wanted was her signature to aquire & secure Kramer & Kramer legal services & authorizing their law-firm access to her husband's personal records & to formally request the accident's police reports. Also get out ahead of the defendant at fault's trucking company's insurance.

Barbara didn't question her nephew as she takes his pen to sign three forms saying: " I trust your judgement A.J." 

A.J. kisses her atop the head as he escorted Corbin & Courtney away without another word.

A.J. gets a cup of black hospital cafeteria coffee to take rhe elevator up to the roof  picnic table to smoke a cigarette. 

A.J. texted Vito to call him as he digs for his lighter with a cigarette dangling from between his lips.

Vito calls him back immediately.  

"Can you talk V?!" (Yes T.--Talk.)

"OK. Uncle Tom was in a serious car accident early this morning when he exited the freeway to attend the funeral and a semi-driver going the wrong-way hit Tom head-on.--He's pretty fucked up V. " (Damn.)

"So I need you to bring T-3 & Alyssa here to the Hospital. (OK.)

"But I don't want anybody else to know yet--until they have a need to know. Don't alarm anyone at the funeral dinner as you excuse yourselves to leave. If you most say? Tell them Barbara has Food Poison symptoms at the hotel." (Gotcha T.) '

"Just tell Artie I will settle the tab when I catch up with him which should be a sufficient enough of an explanation for him" (Yea. Maybe for him but Charimine?)

"Fuck Her--She already on my "Shit List!" (OK T.)

"Lastly--I want you to explain what happened to Tommy & Alyssa on the way here so they're not shocked to learn it when they arrive. Stress to them how much their Mother as well as their Father need them both to be calm & supportive. Can you do that V?" (DONE T.)

"Good Man Vito--Then keep the car running when you arrive at the ER because I will be walking out to leave with you after I give Tommy my rental car keys." (Will Do!)

(Click.)

A.J. hangs up w/Vito & He was still searching for his cigarette lighter when he hears: "Need a light?!"  (Yes. I Guess--I Do.)  A.J. peers up & smiles warmly taking the lighter. (Thank-You!)

"Hello." -- (HELLO.)

 

"I'm guessing you are Rhonda's friend? Anthony Soprano?" (Yes?!)

"My  name is Karen--Dr Karen Jiles."

A.J. aattempts to stand up to formally greet her respectfully but she stopped him--"No need to stand Anthony.  I know from how Rhonda dotes over you being a polite & handsome gentleman!" Karen assured him as she deeply inhaled her cigarette.

DR KAREN JILES

ER SURGEON

"I was just coming from the ER & operating on your Uncle for the last 10 hours." A.J. silently nods his head in acknowledgement.

"To be completely honest with you Anthony--I question whether we did him a favor or not by keeping him alive? But we have--For how long? Only the Lord knows I guess? We have done all we could to save his life. But I can't promise anyone anymore then that.

DR KAREN JILES

ER SURGEON

"I am sure you did your best Dr Jiles (Please call me Karen) But as you implied Karen--You're not God--& If there's a God that even exist?! He probably doesn't know either." A.J. warmly assured her.

"You don't believe in God?!" (Not Hardly.)

Karen stared aimlessly smoking her cigarette.

"Yea.--I don't hardly either Anthony." (Please call me A.J.) "Actually it makes little difference to me A.J.-- I don't care if there is or isn't " (My Thoughts Exactly Karen.) A.J. agrees.

RHONDA

REGISTERED NURSE

At that moment of contemplation Rhonda appeared on the hospital roof to interrupt their philosophical discussion. She informed them that A.J.'s uncle was stabilized & moved into ICU. Karen shakes A.J.'s hand to excuse herself.

Rhonda smiles warmly at A.J. as she lights up a cigarette commenting on how much milder it was up there after that four day heatwave. Sitting down across from him at the picnic table Rhonda placed her hand on top of his.

"I know this isn't the appropriate time to mention but I must say Anthony Soprano you out did yourself last evening!"

A.J. gives her a questioning look. Before she adds: "That was the best sex we have ever shared Anthony!"  A.J. smiles in agreement as he recalled the chain of events from the night before.

"I sure am glad I didn't go back to the Hilton with Roxy & Neesha once I discovered you & Vito had returned  home!--I talked to Roxy this morning before I came to work & she told me Rhiannon was gone." (Gone?)

"Yea--Roxanne said Rhiannon must of woke up in the middle of the night & emptied out her purse on the bed to pick through it. She got away with 500$ some drugs & her cigarettes. Roxy was more pissed off about waking up to learn her cigarettes were gone!"

A.J. runs his fingers through his hair half laughing to himself: "I can't imagine that it surprised her?!"

"No--Not in the least. But what was striking was she didn't steal from Neesha?!"

"Rhiannon will only steal from family & friends because she knows we will eventually forgive & forget it. She's always had a fear for strangers ?!"

"The poor thing--She can't help herself." Rhonda pitties Rhiannon.

"Yea--I Guess?! So how is Tom?! A.J. refocused Rhonda by changing the subject back to the reality of the moment. 

"I don't know T.--He could last in that suspended state for weeks or even months & years in a coma. Or he could be gone before we return downstairs."

A.J. butt's out his second cigarette. "I better go Rhonda. Thank-you for everything! Especially for notifying me!" (Anything for you T!) A.J. kisses her on top of her head as he leaves the hospital roof for the ICU.

A.J. taking big steps came out through the Hospital ER lobby's rotary glasses doors to jump into Vito's rental car parked--idling outside. "I'm so fucking glad to see you brother--Let's get the Hell out of here!!"

"I'm hungrey as Fuck--How about you V? (Yea. I could be?!)

"Good--I will order us a couple large pizzas from "Queenie's Pies"--To Go with the Works then! We can  drive-by & pick them up on our way home!" (Home?!)

"Yea--Home on Fleet St! I'm staying with you again tonight little brother." (Yea--Sure T.)

"There is no fucking way I'm going back to that goddamn Hilton Hotel now full of all those depraved widows & horny women roaming the hallways all night long."  A.J. half laughs. 

"I need to Sleep--because tomorrow will be a New Day with Junior finally planted in the ground! To usher in a New Beginning for our Soprano Family's long awaited "Golden Age!"  (Yea?--You Think So T?)

"Oh Yea.--I fucking know so little brother!" (How So?) "Just you Wait & See Vito!" (So what you're saying is you don't know?!) Vito smiles.

A.J. glares across the front seat at him & placed his hand on Vito's thick shoulder to crack a grin saying: "No.--I have no fucking idea V!!" 

The two Young Sopranos laughed together leaving the hospital parking lot for Fleet St.--"DRIVE!"

...

(To Be Continued)

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2024