The Capo’s daughter

By Chanuga Rollins

 

I still remember the first time that I saw Rosa Salvino on the campus of Rutgers University. She was stunning with long black curly hair, huge chestnut-colored eyes, a tanned body, and an ass that you could bounce a quarter off of, she was truly gorgeous and way out of my league.

It was late September, and I was in between classes when I decided to go out back to the school and have a smoke. I went and sat under a huge oak tree and fired up a cigarette. That’s when I first heard her voice, I’d love to kill some time with you but only if you put out that cigarette, I’m allergic to cancer, standing over him was Rosa Salvino.

Hi, I’m Rosa, she said as we shook hands, I’m Owen O’Conner, after introducing myself I extinguished my cigarette in the dirt. We made small talk, she told me that she was from Staten Island and a little about her family, and that her father owned several businesses. Me, I had a little less to say, my past sucked and I didn’t have a family per se, I was an only child, and my parents died when I was eight years old in an automobile accident, my aunt raised me until she passed away, and she did a shitty job at it.

That’s so sad Rosa said, as the school bell rang, would you like to go out for pizza sometime she asked me? I would yes I said. That’s great here’s my cell number. Call me, I have to go I have a class, great talking to you. Bye, I said, I watched her walk off as I lit another cigarette and admired her ass as she walked away. Less than a week later Rosa and I went over to Philly for pizza, a fifteen-minute drive from the college.

When we got to the pizza place the owner spoke to Rosa I could tell that he knew her, but there was something else that I couldn’t put my finger on. Although the owner of the pizza place was probably in his fifties I had to ask her, were you ever intimate with that guy? What, Rosa screamed! Are you out of your fucking mind, boy you know how to blow an evening, he’s a friend of my family asshole? We drove back to Rutgers in silence, I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t jealous or anything I just asked a stupid question, but I figured I better leave it alone I did enough damage for tonight. We did, however, eat for free, as a student I’m on a budget.

We both lived off campus so when we pulled up to her apartment she just opened the door and got out without saying a word. As the weeks went by Rosa pretty much avoided me, fuck it I thought, I really didn’t know her that well anyway, at least that’s what I told myself.

It wasn’t until late May that I ran into Rosa again, I said hi, but she just ignored me. Why are you being such a bitch I said, I’m just trying to apologize… That’s not good enough she said giving me the middle finger as she stormed off.

I was pissed off, she could have at least talked to me about it, I acknowledged that I was at fault… But Christ, she could of at least discussed it with me. So, in my twenty-year-old mind I decided to go to the source of the problem, the pizza place where this all started, and confront the owner, why, because I’m an idiot.

Right from the start the pizza place owner took a negative  attitude and punched me in the face, then he and two other men tossed me out of his place. I of course retaliated and threw a garbage right through his store window, then hightailed it out of Philly. To my surprise, the police never showed up at my door.

About a week after my confrontation with the pizza owner, it was late into the evening, and I was walking to my apartment. That’s when I noticed a black Cadillac with New York plates parked a few doors down from my apartment. As I walked to my front door two huge prehistoric creatures wearing sports jackets got out of the Caddy, you Owen? I am I said, we’d like a word with you if you don’t mind.

Without warning one of them sucker punched me, it felt like a sledgehammer hit me in the face. Then the one that hit me held me up while his buddy went to work on me, they beat the shit out of me, and the whole time I was surprised I didn’t lose consciousness, obviously, these guys were pros.

After beating me like a dog the one holding me tossed me to the ground like a rag doll, don’t go back to the pizza place ever again, and stay away from Rosa Salvino, don’t make us come back he threatened!

Both got back into the Caddy and drove off, I was fucked up, but not seriously enough for the hospital. It was just a warning kind of beating I think, while I was sitting on my pavement trying to recoup and catch my breath, that’s when I met her. Oh my god, I saw the whole thing, should I call the cops, here let me help you into your apartment. She helped me in and sat me down in a chair. Would you like me to get you something to drink as she held some ice in a towel to my head, my name is Belinda. I'm Owen, beautiful name I said, please tell me that you’re not Italian.

The end.