Do I amuse you?

Saturday, August 1, 2009

As I've mentioned before, Cleveland has a pretty colorful mob history and it reaches to the suburbs as well.

This is Vinny.


Everyone in my parents neighborhood knows he runs the streets. Nothing gets past Vinny and everyone knows his name. He doesn’t slink through the bushes like other cats. He struts himself down the middle of the sidewalk, head turning from side to side, looking for the next cugine that he can take under his wing.

Vinny is considered a Young Turk and doesn’t get along well with the Moustache Petes from the next block. I mean, they’ll come together as a Family if there’s a rat that needs to be popped, but the Moustache Petes get incensed when Vinny acts a little too oobatz.

The Carson family down the street went to the shelter and got a new cat last week. According to the owner, Vinny came over to "introduce" himself but he must have thought that the handsome new cat would threaten Vinny’s relationship with his comare, Gina, because he smacked him around a little with his paws to let him know who’s boss. We're pretty sure Vinny put the maloik (il malocchio) on him because Mrs. Carson found this in their cat's water bowl on the patio.



Bernie knows better than to make waves with Vinny. On this day, we pulled up and saw Vinny sunning himself. He woke up when he heard our car and strolled over, beckoning Bernie to come and join him in the sun.

Bernie wouldn't get out of the car until Vinny was safely out of sight and she turned to me as if to say, What does he think I am? A babbo?

23 comments

  1. A babbo!! Happy Birthday, sent from your best friend through me! :)

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  2. Hey. Vinnie. Yeah, that's right. Vinnie "ie", you pansy. What are ya gonna do about it, eh? It's Guido from da old neighborhood. I took you in...taught you everyting you know. For dis, you lay in the street like one of dose effing creeps from the Orbunzie family we "offed"? If you'd done dat in da old neighborhood, dey would-a had a chalk tape outline around ya already. Fuggetaboutit. Watch your back. Dat guy Bernie looks all innocent, but I'm guessin' he has a dark side.
    Hugs from Mama,
    Anonymous

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  3. That's the funniest picture of Bernie.

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  4. I like this! But I'm guessing you're not Polish, right? LOL! Pretty scary mobs you got there in those parts.

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  5. Vinny's like Andy Garcia in Godfather III (who just happened to be named Vincent "Vinny" Mancini). Why do I know so much about Godfather III?

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  6. Great picture. Bernie is smart. You want no part of Vinny. A cat mob. Who knew?

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  7. Okay Chrissy, you've outdone yourself. This is one of your funniest blogs I've read. I am totally still laughing. And that picture of the back of Bernie's head is classic.

    Thanks for being such a creative writer. I needed the laugh today.

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  8. Guido,
    I'm gonna pretend I never heard you say this. What are you, tryin' to get whacked??

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  9. Carlos,
    I tried taking a picture of Vinny but Bernie got in the shot. It just made me laugh when I saw it.

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  10. Hi Collette,
    I'm sure there's a Polish mob on the other side of town!

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  11. Judge,
    I LOVE Andy Garcia. But yes, why so much GFIII knowledge?

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  12. Chris,
    This is all true. He actually did go knock around the new cat down the street. It was hysterical.

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  13. Thanks,Theresa! Bernie is so afraid of Vinny that she runs from him with her tail between her legs. Such a watchdog, I have.

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  14. I was advised I needed to wish you a happy belated birthday. :)

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  15. OMG...OMG...OMG...this is HYSTERICAL!!!!

    Being a cat lover, I laughed my ass off at what Vinny did to that seal because it's SOOOO cat-like!

    And the angle at which you shot that photo behind Bernie's head say's it ALL!!!

    PERFECTO, Chrissy!

    Great post!

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  16. Damn, I missed your birthday! Happy birthday, Chrissy!

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  17. Ron,
    And it's that much funnier because it's true. I got that shot of Bernie totally by accident!
    Thanks!

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  18. Judge,
    No problem. I didn't really advertise it. Thanks for the birthday wishes!

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  19. Funny! I love cats, too! In fact, my cat blogged today for the first time! You don't believe? Check my blog. LOL.

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  20. You better watch it or Misha will steal you fan base!

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  21. A "little" oobatz?

    Friggin' Vinny Boombatz.

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