Now, I have never been fond of the Mob tradition of men huggin’ each other, but this time I figure to make an exception.
“BOSS!!” I hollers, and throws my arms wide and …
… And the room spins … then everythin’ goes black!
Chapter Twenty:
“I want a rematch!”
-M. TYSON
“GUIDO! HEY! COME on! Wake up!”
I can hear Nunzio’s voice, but decide to keep my eyes closed a little while longer. Havin’ had numerous similar experiences in the past, I have no difficulty figurin’ out what has happened … which is to say I have been knocked cold. The difficult part is recallin’ the circumstantials which led to this condition, a task which is not made any simpler by the fact that my brain is still a little scrambled from the experience … which is why I have chosen to pretend I am still out to lunch whilst I composes myself.
We were in the throne room … then the Boss walked in with Aahz … I started over to greet him … Nunzio was comin’ over to do the same thing … then …
I get a fix on Nunzio’s location from his voice, then open my eyes and sit up quick-like, grabbin’ him by the throat as I do so.
“Did you just sucker punch me, cousin?” I sez, curious-like.
The world starts to spin again a little, makin’ me reconsider the wisdom of havin’ tried to move so fast so soon after regainin’ consciousness, but I blink a couple times to clear my vision and it settles down. I also notice that Nunzio is turnin’ a little purple, so I loose my grip on his throat so’s he can answer me.
“It … wasn’t me!” he squeaks.