Meadsnovels

Chapter 8- the beginning of the end.

 

Sadly, the demise of Kakiat JHS came about slowly over its life of 40 years. From 1960 to 1975 the school enrollment increased from 600 students to 1600 by 1975. After that year the enrollment began to drop a steady 50-100 students a year. This was not only evident in Kakiat JHS but across the entire East Ramapo School district school district. The reasons were many. Parents were having fewer children in this period of time than they were in previous generations. The local Jewish schools called “Yeshivas,” were increasing at the same time the public schools dropped under 10,000 students in 1990, the Yeshivas were increasing and at 15,000 students at the time. Jewish parents of Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox had lost faith in the public school districts over the past 40 years of Kakiat JHS  and other schools in the East Ramapo School district School district. Fights between Irish students, and Jewish students that got into the local newspaper only made things worse. As the rich Jewish parents in Northern East Ramapo School district hired more and more Haitian domestic help the Haitian population grew in the 1960’s from 1 % to 70% by 1995. The reason is the Haitian nannies and cleaning help sent back to Haiti for their children, and their husbands, and extended family to come to East Ramapo School district, New York State where jobs were many. Of course, the nannies started working for $2.00 an hour in the 1960’s, which increased to $10.00 an hour, and they didn’t do windows also. The population of Haitians in East Ramapo School district doubled and tripled over 30 years.  Eventually East Ramapo School district became known as “little Haiti.” As the Haitian population moved in they were eventually able to buy home with the help of Welfare and Social agencies. As the Haitians moved into neighbors, the Jewish moved out to the next town over Hidden River city. Over a period of 40 years the Jewish student population went from 70% to 15% in 1995. As the Jewish children grew up and went to college their parents downsized and moved into condos in the next towns over from East Ramapo School district.

Another reason for the demise of Kakiat JHS JHS was the decrease in student population to the point where in 1995 the school had only 440 students down from 1600 in 1975. Statewide, and nationally a new trend developed to convert the Junior High school concept to the new Middle school concept consisting of schools of grades 6-8 rather than 7-9. Many high schools wanted to have the 9^thgrade students in their buildings to round out their academic disciplines, and their sports programs. More and more school districts in New York State were changing their Junior High schools into Middle schools with grades 6-8 or 7-8. The writing was on the wall for the Middle school national movement.

As the third Principal left after his heart attack, the fabulous programs he created and supported all died for one reason or another. The 20 year Gymnastic Exhibition program finally came to an end when the coach retired from coaching and went back to college to get a Doctoral degree. This exhibition program generated more positive community good will than anything else at Kakiat JHS JHS. Students were dying to come to Kakiat JHS JHS where they could join the only gymnastic team in the entire East Ramapo School district School District. The school within a school program faded out after a $200,000 technology grant in 1991. The leaders of the 7^thgrade and 8^thgrade level programs retired.  The security guards that were five strong dropped to only three people due to budget cuts. He peer coaching program lasted four years until funds ran out The conflict resolution program stopped because the teachers that used to train other teachers retired. Most of all the spirit of the teaching staff had died out and could never be replaced.

The Kakiat JHS JHS teachers had aged, some had been at Kakiat JHS JHS for 30 years plus.  Many were retiring in the 1990’s to take advantage of the early retirement incentive offered by the East Ramapo School district school district. AP programs that were once offered stopped because there weren’t any certified teachers to teach them. The certified teachers had retired. The Music program went downhill as the instrument lessons were cut out of the music curriculum due to a shortage of funds. The Music teacher that had led the band for generations retired, and when he retired the program went downhill. Many key teachers in various departments who were leaders among their peers retired and were replaced by inexperienced teachers who often quit after a few months or at the end of the first year. The teacher turnover rate was almost 40% and the Districts were stealing teachers from one another by offering higher salaries for them to transfer.

One of the biggest reasons for the demise of Kakiat JHS JHS by the end of the 1990’s was the third Principal that had made so many improvements and led the school to the Most Outstanding Junior High Federal and State recognition program was retiring after staying on a few years part-time after his heart attack. The incompetent female Assistant Principal took over in his absence the she could not control the teachers or the increasing discipline programs. It takes a whole faculty to run a school and it takes a lot of self initiated leaders to keep things running smoothly. The formal rules system cannot function unless the informal culture of teaching is healthy and functioning properly. Teachers were being hired because they were black or minority to combat the accusations of racism around the district. Unfortunately, hiring a teacher based on their skin color does not mean the teacher will be successful with black students or minority students. Many of these new teachers quit suddenly after only a few months of teaching. Gone were the mentors of the old days. Everyone was out for he or she and no experienced teachers volunteered to mentor the new teachers. New teachers felt they were on their own. The negative attitude created by the female Principal was undermining everything that went on in the past. She had her favorite teachers who she gave the best schedules to and the rest she ignored. She held grudges against teachers that would not do her will and was vindictive with end of the year evaluations. She could not speak creole or French the language of the Haitian students and she lost control or any communication with these students who were the majority of the school population. Being a Principal involved networking with the community and the Board and this female Principal has no friends on the board and her arrogant attitude from years previously when she was an outspoken cursing administrator didn’t help her cause any. She lost the assistant principal position due to budget cuts and she had to do the school budget which she had never done before and the school academic schedule. The school-within a school concept established in 1991 for grades 7 and 8 was discontinued since there were not enough leaders to keep the program alive.

The final straw was when the district population had dropped so low that the Board of Education voted to convert the Junior high to a 9^thgrade extension building to the high school which was down the road from Kakiat JHS JHS. As of 1999 Kakiat JHS JHS became known as East Ramapo School district Central High School 9^thgrade extension building. The 7 and 8 grades were transferred to the other two Junior high schools that had now become Middle Schools. The faculty was split up and transferred to other buildings and only the 9^thgrade teachers remained. Many decided to just retire rather than transfer to another building.

After a decade of failed programs and declining enrollment in the 2000’s the 9^thgrade extension building ceased and the 9^thgrade students went to the East Ramapo School district Central High School building. The 9^thgrade extension was converted into an Elementary School renamed Kakiat JHS Elementary School. The female principal retired after completely running the program at the 9^thgrade extension building into the ground. Even single sex classes were being used because the administrators could not control the students in coed situations.

So for 40 years Kakiat JHS JHS rose and fell but had some glorious years in the 1970’s and 1980’ both for students and teachers. Many retired teachers remember Kakiat JHS JHS fondly and many students remembered the teachers that inspired them to achieve.

 

(A story about Catholic schools and Colleges run by Nuns.)

The College of St. George of Staten Island

By Dr. Pelham Mead III

Draft copy

Outline

1. Introduction

Each and every College and University in the United States whether a Catholic College or Private or Public College always has something to hide. It seems to be standard procedure to sweep problems under the rug rather than deal with the problems in an honest and outright manner. Sadly, faculty and students suffer in the end from the indiscretions of the Presidents, and administrators. When monies are stolen from accounts and the person is caught, most Colleges deal with it internally so as not to let the story get into the Newspapers and produce a bad image of the College. Colleges and Universities are often afraid of the impact of a bad story and how it will affect their alumni contributions. Their justification is when a major bad story breaks that puts the College of University in a bad light; there is a domino effect as to public opinion and alumni opinion. Colleges or Universities are afraid that alumni will stop making contributions to the school because of bad story of embezzlement, violence on campus, child sexual abuse, administrative misdeeds, and other negative stories.

 

Take for instance the case of Joe Paterno the Football coach at Penn State University shows that he reported a case of suspected sex abuse of young boys by an assistant coach to his superiors and they in turn swept the problem under the carpet until all hell broke loose in the fall of 2010 and the story came to the surface when one or more victims told their story to the Police and the Newspapers. The story went viral and Penn State was put in a very poor light nationally and internationally.  The first effect of this poor image would be alumni concern and a sudden decrease of alumni contributions. Some alumni are such large contributors that they often have great leverage with the University Trustees. In the Penn State situation the Trustees needed to exercise “
damage control,” since the case was in all the National Newspapers. They fire Joe Paterno immediately to stop all the News stories. That had a limited effect. It may also have been that the politics of Penn State Trustees had asked Coach Paterno on numerous times to step down and retire. This bad news provided an opportunity for them to finally be able to take action in getting 85-year-old Coach Paterno to step down. While he was coaching he was a powerful man that could tell the President and the Trustees what he wanted to do. Look at the numbers at Penn State. The football stadium seated 65,000 people all paying for tickets. The alumni contributors for the football program specifically and boosters as they are called who always raise funds for the Football program for full scholarships, uniforms, travel funds, coaching salaries, trainers, printing and marketing expenses. Penn State was an empire of Football income and contributions and at Penn state as well as any other campus the bottom line is money.

 

This book, although fictional in nature, is based on events that actually happened at many Colleges across the United States over a period of twenty years 1980 to 2011. In no way is this book intended to cause malice toward any College or Institution or President or administrative or faculty individuals. The real intention of this book is to show what really goes on behind the scenes in Colleges and Universities in the United States and how “cover up” is the motto of the day.

 

The first story is about a fictitious Catholic College in Staten Island, New York called St. Georges College. This College was on the property belonging to the Sisters of the Holy Cross. Originally, like so many other Catholic Colleges,  St. Georges began  as an all Women’s Collegesin the early 1900’s, and due to declining enrollment became a coed College in 1960. Many small Catholic Colleges that do not have a wealthy alumni base suffer from the same problems, and that is a low or poor alumni funding to help the college survive. Many people do not realize that all Colleges and Universities are tuition dependent as their main source of income. The smaller Colleges public and catholic do not have research departments that generate a lot of federal grants for scientific research, and a lot of funding for faculty, scientists, and facilities.

 

Smaller Colleges also suffer from their inability to have good grant writers. They often have only one Development administrator who usually cannot write grants but only organize grants. It is the professors that have to write grants, or knowledgeable administrators that have the time and the motivation.

 

One source of income for Catholic Colleges used to be endowment such as naming a classroom for an alumnus contribution. Large million dollar donations would grant an alumnus getting a building named after them. This worked well for a few decades, but after time, each and every classroom, building, gymnasium, pool, sports field, etc. had been named for some alumni that gave money. Even scholarships were named after the alumni contributor. Special graduation awards got to departments where previous alumni funded a Communications Department award, or a Biology Department award.

 

Eventually the selling of names on classrooms and buildings much like the selling of pews in churches in the 1800’s and early 1900’s became a thing of the past. Catholic colleges did not have many means of raising funds especially after the Diocese of New York or any other supporting Diocese began cutting funds to Catholic Colleges, and even Catholic Schools in the 1980, 1990, and 2000’s.

 

Since tuition is the main source of Catholic Colleges, unlike their Public College counterparts who also get funding from the State, Catholic College try to keep the tuition low so that they can serve 2^ndgeneration immigrant students, low income, and minority students. Small Catholic College realize  they cannot compete with publically funded State Colleges, so they target their students from the lower pay scale of available students. Since their mission is to help the poor or help the minorities, they practically give away the tuition in grants, scholarships, and special financial awards. These scholarships are based on need and usually reduce the already low tuition to 50% less than full tuition. If the housing or enrollment is limited at a small Catholic college then they are in trouble. They will always be capped at the amount of students they can house and enroll. Commuter students comprise a large portion of many College and University enrollment. St. Johns University in Queens had 20,000 students in 2010, and only a few hundred live on campus in the few dormitories. This means that almost the entire St. John University student had to commute everyday.

 

At St. George’s College of Staten Island only 20% of the students commuted. There were enough dorms on campus to house 2,000 students. The dorms were all old , rundown, and not very attractive. They were cheap as far as monthly rent goes.

St. George’s College did not make much money on dormitory fees, and in the summer the dorms were mostly empty.

 

In the early years of St. George’s College the majority of the college faculty were Nuns from the Order of the Holy Cross. They worked for no pay except a small 10% living allowance, and they all lived in housing on the campus. The College in the early years 1930 through the 1950’s made a nice profit, because it’s faculty costs were extremely low. This changed over time because the Nuns were not getting new novices after WWII, and many were dying off. By 1980 70% of the original teaching staff of Nuns had passed away. Only a dozen teaching and administrative Nuns remained at St. George’s College as of 2000. Many other Catholic Colleges run by Nuns were suffering the same thing with a decline in Nuns on the teaching staff.

 

The Betrayal of the Nuns

At an all Women’s Collegein White Plains, New York the “Sisters of Life.”  ran a College called Northern Westchester College. It suffered a decline in teaching Nuns , and enrollment during the 1960’s, when there was the anti-war, anti-establishment, and anti-church movement in the United States. Their enrollment dropped to an all time low of 300 students. They converted to coed by 1965 but the change came too late, and they were faced with closing. A large University from New York city wanted to locate a Medical School in Westchester on the property the Sisters of Life.  The Northern Westchester College was prime property in White Plains. They negotiated a deal to support Northern Westchester College, and at the same time build their Medical school on the same grounds. By 1970 the Northern Westchester College was closed, and the Medical school was booming with enrollment. The Sisters of Life were left out in the cold when the college finally closed even though the University promised to promote and keep Northern Westchester College open no matter what.

 

Another group of Nuns called the  “Sisters of the Humble Poor,” has a viable Catholic Prep school in Westchester that began in 1901. Their school “St. Peters Prep of Westchester,” began to lose Nuns as they died out, and few replaced them. Originally the rich families sent their children to the famous St. Peters Prep of Westchester because it was well known as a good Catholic school that placed many graduates in large well known Universities such as Princeton, Yale, and New York University. After WWII, the teaching Nuns had dropped to only 1/3 of the faculty, and lay teachers had to be hired which increased the costs of the Prep school. The buildings of the late 1800’s were crumbling and the neighborhood around the Prep school slowly became a slum. By 1975 the Sisters of the Humble Poor were forced to sell the Prep school or default to New York City in taxes. They sold it to a Jewish school that promised on the sale contract to never sell the school buildings or property to private housing developers. The Jewish Yeshiva lasted ten years, and then went out of business. They sold the property and buildings to a private housing developer who wanted to put in condo units. The “Sisters of the Humble Poor,” sued the Jewish Yeshiva and after many years in court they won a one million dollar judgment. Unfortunately, the one million dollars came too late, because by the time of the settlement there were only four Sisters of the Humble Poor still alive. They donated the money to St. George’s College of Staten Island in exchange for a home for the four surviving Nuns to retire, and live out their lives. St. George’s College gratefully accepted the contribution and repaired it’s one hundred year old roof on its main administration building.  “Easy come, easy go” became the motto for the “Sisters of the Humble Poor.”

 

The “Sisters of The Divine Heart,” of Westchester, New York were another group that was taken advantage of by another College. They had a K-12 Catholic School in New Rochelle, New York for over 100 years having been an orphanage originally. It served  Civil War children of fathers who were killed in the war. During the Civil War the “Sisters of the Divine Heart,” served in the War for both the North and the South in Medical hospitals. After the war they formed a small orphanage in New Rochelle sponsored by a millionaire that wanted to leave a legacy in his name so they named the Orphanage Sampson’s Orphanage. In 1910, the orphanage became an elementary school and in 1922 it became a high school also handling grades K-12.  By the late 1930’s, after the depression, they got a charter for an All-Woman’s Collegecalled Mount New Rochelle Catholic College. By the 1960’s, the College was in major financial trouble so it merged with Rochelle Shore College. Rochelle Shore College promised to maintain the Mount New Rochelle College, and its buildings and provide housing for the retired Nuns of the “Sisters of the Divine heart.” By 1972, Rochelle Shore College had become a University, and it closed down Mount New Rochelle College, and sold it for a handsome profit to private housing developers. Unfortunately, the “Sisters of the Divine Heart,” had trusted the Rochelle Shore College trustees, and there was no clause preventing them from selling the property at any time in the future. They were eventually left out in the cold.

 

In Tarrytown high on the top of the Mountain was another All Women’s College Called High Mount College, that actually lasted until the 1990’s by providing a weekend college for women, evening programs, and an accelerated three year degree program for women. They refused to become a Coed College, and it cost them. Hartford College made them an offer to rent space on the college grounds, and they accepted. After five years, a problem developed with the Hartford College faculty who were union and the non-union High Mount Faculty. The Hartford College faculty were restricted to only the one building they leased from High Mount College. Problems developed and Hartford College threatened to pull out. As fate would have it High Mount College was going under financially. They could not keep enough all woman enrollment to survive. They made a deal with Hartford College to buy the property and buildings so long as it continued to support High Mount College. Three years later Hartford College got it’s revenge and pulled out of the property and sold everything to a private school and made a huge profit. High Mount College was closed forever.

 

1. The Betrayal of the Nuns
   1. The Sisters of Life-College in White Plains-Pace took over
   2. The Sisters of the Holy Cross- Iona closed
   3. The Sisters of the Humble Poor- Sold Prep school to a Jewish Temple only to have them close years later and sell the property to a developer. The Sisters sued and won $1 million dollars.
   4. Heritage- Most Monasteries, Nun supported orphanages began in the 1800’s when there was a need for children without parents. Especially after the Civil War when many children lost their fathers
   5. History- Initially the Orphanages did very well and many later became Girls schools and then eventually even Colleges for Women. Traditionally the Church appointed male administrators to be in charge of these Catholic schools and colleges. By the 1960’s many catholic schools were in trouble of going out of business. The Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, the decrease interest in religion and the economy all contributed to the decreased enrollment in Catholic schools
   6. Mission-Many of the Sisters had a mission to help the poor when in fact they themselves lived in poverty. It is difficult to help the poor when the Catholic Church stopped supporting these many Nun supported Catholic schools. Once the Nuns died out there was no one that would work for free to replace them. They kept costs down because they worked for virtually nothing for the Church.

The Catholic Church had it’s own financial problems and could not help the many Nun founded Catholic schools.

Orphanages became a thing of the past. The State of New York moved in the direction of group homes for wards of the state or orphans. Orphanages were in buildings that were built in the 1800’s and were crumbling and rotting away.  They did not have modern electricity and modern plumbing which all had to be replaced over the years. Not having sufficient money to do this maintenance the buildings eventually became unsafe to use and were often condemned by building inspectors.

1. 1. The dying breed

1. Where it was fashionable for Italian and Irish families to have a son become a priest and a daughter become a Nun was an honor.
2. Times changed and the Catholic requirement of celibacy for Priest turned many a man away.

• For the NUNS they were replaced by trained Nurses in hospitals, Teaching changes and technology came into place outdating many NUNs in education. Italian and Irish families changed over the past 100 years to become mixed with other religions and other nationalities. The old world Italian and Irish traditions began to change and were forgotten. So the need for young girls to become a Nun faded. Women wanted equality and got it and they wanted jobs like the men and got that too. Women left behind the role of caregiver, homemaker, nurse and teacher and ventured into the business world. Women became more educated and earned more money and forgot about Nuns tending the poor.

1. 1. Reduction of Sisters of Life over 100 years of service

1. The City of New York took over the services for the poor in many ways
2. Legal challenges to protecting the homeless became the job of the city to find housing.

• The Catholic Nuns lost the significance they once had in society in treating the poor, the homeless, and pregnant young mothers. The role switched to the City schools to reach out to help pregnant young mothers with alternative schools. The State of New York provided welfare support to poor families. Orphanages became old buildings just like mental institutions that fell out of favor with society.

1. 1. Retirement of the Sisters of Life

1. At some point in time even Nuns become to old to keep working so they must retire. There are very few retirement homes or facilities for Nuns that allow them to retire in some comfort with little or no pension money.

1. 1. Changing from a male dominant leadership to a female dominant leadership

1. In the 1880’s the Catholic Church was male dominated and they did not tolerate female interference as in the case of Sister Eliz. Seton who was turned away by the Bishop when she wanted to form a girl’s school.
2. This trend continued up until the 1960 when Nuns had to reach out side to the secular community to help them with teachers and administrators.

• Secular civilians were brought in to replace the Mother Superior to run Girls schools and Girls Colleges.

1. By the 1960’s all girls’ schools were dying out so they converted to COED and allowed boys to attend. At first the change was good but it did not last long with free public schools providing superior educations with well-trained teachers for the first time in a century.
2. Those Girl’s schools that did not want to change like Marymount in White Plains eventually lost their enrollment and had to sell out to Fordham University who in turn closed the school and sold it for a nice profit.

1. The aging of the infrastructure and the inability to prevent deterioration and planned maintenance.

1. It cost a lot of money for planned maintenance and Nuns traditionally id not have enough money left over to upgrade their buildings.
2. Natural disasters are bound to happen or simply erosion, storm damage, rusting facilities, aging decay, poor construction, and out of date structures all eventually fall down or become condemned or burn down from poor electrical wiring.

1. The wolves outside the door of the Sisters

1. 1980’s Sisters of Life ran St. Mary’s College (a 2 year institution) in Yonkers.  I was teaching there as an adjunct at the time.   They were underwater and IONA stepped in to help save the institution.  Within 2-3 years, IONA closed the school, sold the property and made the money.
2. 1980’s the Sisters of Loving Care ran College of Sacred Heart in White Plains.  In 1976.   It was taken over by PACE who promised to continue to run the school with the nuns.   PACE put their Law school there, and in a few years closed the college that the nuns previously owned.  The nuns have been in litigation with PACE for years – I am not sure how or if this was ever resolved.  Probably – information available on the web somewhere.

1. 1. In early 2000’s Fordham took over Marymount in Tarrytown -which was underwater.  They promised to continue the mission of the sisters and improve the college.   Four years ago, Fordham closed them down, sold the property for a good sum.  Marymount sisters were outraged

 

 

 

 

 

1. Administration-Catholic Colleges vs. standard Private colleges, differences similarities
   1. In the Franciscan and Vincentian orders the President works for nothing and that saves a lot of money
   2. In other Catholic orders the Mothers Superior have died out and no one was qualified to take their place. The schools had to meet new NY State Education requirements in both their teachers as well as administrators. Many schools and colleges lacked leadership within and had to seek Educational Administrators outside the Catholic community.
   3. In One Women’s College a new President was being sought. The salary was not high and there were few applicants that wanted to be President of a financially troubled institution. A new male non-religious President was hired and he just happened to be Gay. Sadly, he used his sexual preference to hire boyfriends of his in major College Administrative positions even if they had no previous experience
   4. Gay Male VP of Finance
   5. Gay Male Director of Admissions
   6. Gay Female Director of Athletics
   7. Trustees who had no clue
2. Looking for a scape goat
   1. The VP of Finance who stole from the Grant and how he met his demise.

1. In 1999 the College of St. Paul of Staten Island received a Title V Federal Grant from the US Department of Education for Hispanic Serving Institutions. The College needed 25% Hispanic student population to qualify for the grant which was easy since 35% of it’s population was Hispanic coming from Staten Island.
2. Before a Coordinator for the Title V grant could be hired the College began the grant with no one in place to direct the grant or carry out its goals. The writer of the grant had quit the college and there was no one who understood what the grant required. The VP of Finance at the time saw an opportunity to buy some financial software without informing the incoming President. The VP of Finance also allowed one of the Deans to draw down money from the grant for unrelated stationary supplies for her office and Reading Center. Sixty thousand was spent during the first year of the grant before a coordinator was hired in the spring of the next year.

• Two years after the VP of Finance was removed the opportunity presented itself to look into the purchasing records to see where the missing $60,000 was spent on without proper authorization from the President of VP of Academic Affairs who was theoretically in charge of the Title V grant.

1. 1. The Dean who stood up against the New President’s policies and how she was forced into retirement.

1. As always the case when a new President comes in he or she sweeps house with all the previous VPs and Deans to put in place people that answer to the new President not to the traditions of old.
2. One such Dean was quite outspoken and she did not agree in the direction the new President was taking the college. She protested and was eventually asked to retire or resign. She retired and no one replaced her.

1. 1. The changing of the guard with the VP of Academic affairs, the professor replacement, the Director of Nursing replacement.

1. When you have a constant change of the VP of Academic affairs, the School Controller, and the VP of Financial affairs then no college or school can operate properly. New Policies and procedures cannot be mandated and expect to be successful. If the finances are so poorly managed that even the President does not know how much money there is in the bank, then there can be no financial plan or mission that will work.
2. Kicking out the old guard. Sometimes the faculty and department chairperson age beyond the normal retirement age. They become dinosaurs that cannot change their old habits and become fearful of technology and new methods of teaching a whole new student body from the 1980’s and 1990’s and 21^stcentury. The president saw these as a move forward and forced out the old chairman into retirement or cut their positions to part-time. Along with these old-timers when many a dedicated Nun who had no place to go except teach at the college.

1. 1. The firing of the Director of Personnel (gay man who had no background in finance) and who was hired because he had a relationship with the President. Fell out of favor with the president. Unable to properly manage the renovation of an old building. Blamed for taking retirement funds and using it to fund an elevator in the renovated building due to a summer shortage of funds
   2. Pushing out old Nuns in teaching positions
   3. Phasing out old faculty because they were old
   4. Back stabbing
2. Inter-College relationships
   1. College of St. George and the College of Holy Essence. The College of St. George of Staten Island was founded around the time of the Civil War and many of its buildings were built before the 1900’s. It began as an Orphanage and then became a Girls Prep School and then Woman’s College by the 1900’s. Nursing and Education were the biggest programs at the College. Many of its graduates became teachers and Nurses who never made a lot of money in their lifetime.
   2. The College of Holy Essence was supported not by a Sister hood but the Franciscan Brothers of Staten Island who were well endowed by private donations. In the 1960’s both colleges were threatened with possible closure when they decided to develop a mutual relationship where they would exchange students and faculty to save on expenses. They also became fully coed and attracted a lot of Staten Island students from Italian and Latino families.
   3. Benefits of cross-enrollment

1. The College of Holy Essence had a great Sports program that it gave out many scholarships, whereas the College of St. Mary’s of Staten Island did not have any athletic fields or outstanding sports teams. Both schools were able to share sports facilities to cut expenses.
2. The College of Holy Essence had a very high academic standard and offered Engineering, Math, Chemistry, Computer Programming, and other difficult academic programs. The College of St. Mary’s of Staten Island was service orientated so from it’s long standing tradition Nursing was it’s number one program and Communications was the second largest program thanks to cross-enrollment from the College of Holy Essence.

1. 1. Shortcomings of cross-enrollment

1. Lots of lateness due to the need to catch a shuttle bus
2. Difference in each college’s Missions

• Financial difference between the College of Holy Essence being the richer school and the Poorer College of St. Mary of Staten Island.

1. The athletes on full scholarships at the College of Holy Essence were not smart enough for Engineering and Computer programming so they all enrolled at the College of St. Mary’s Communications Program in Radio and Television that was a much easier and friendlier program.
2. The College of Holy Essence always wanted the controlling power when it came to cross-campus policies and enrollment.
3. The College of Holy Essence was miles ahead of St. Mary’s College of Staten Island in technology since they offered programming and put a high premium on advanced technology, wireless classrooms, Internet access, and smart classrooms and lecture halls.

1. 1. The deadly President’s letter from St. George to the College of Holy Essence and how the contract between Catholic schools fell apart.

1. Effects on the Department of Communications. The department of Communications went from a student enrollment of 2000 students to less than 300 without the students from the College of Holy Essence. The Dean of Communications left for the College of Holy Essence when they offered him a major salary increase and a brand new facility and program that he could set up from scratch. Their only problem was a lack of space on campus to house the new Communications department. The assistant to the Director/Dean was promoted to the position not as Director but as Manager that commanded a lower salary. The Department Chairperson retired from Communications and the staff shrunk from over 20 adjuncts and 5 full time professors to less than ten part-time faculty.
2. Fine Arts, Education, Psychology, Nursing, Math, Chemistry, shared departments, all experience a reduction in class enrollment which translated to many adjunct and full-time faculty being fired.

• Effects on enrollment. Initially the enrollment went down but the College of St. Mary of Staten Island loosened up on its enrollment policies and also hired placement counselors in Connecticut to recruit students.

1. St. Mary of Staten Island had a tradition of not offering Sport Scholarships and this policy prevented the Division III teams from excelling. Instead of sport scholarships, financial grants were given to athletes especially from Connecticut to help improve the Baseball team, basketball team, and Volleyball team.

1. D.The big Title III USDE grant
   1. Minority serving institutions
   2. Meeting the Federal agenda
   3. Integrating technologies into the classrooms

1. Installing smart classrooms
   1. The requirements for the smart classrooms were out of date with the installation of Televisions wall mounted with VCRs. By the 21^stcentury computer projectors and electronic white boards were the teaching medium of choice
   2. Previous movie screen and TV mounts were unsafe and not properly installed
   3. Improved TV mounts with “H” brackets that spread out the weight distribution on the wall. Bolted through the brick and plaster walls to the next classroom that plywood base to prevent the bolts from pulling out over time.
   4. Wireless technology in every classroom.
   5. Loaner laptops to access wireless technology
   6. Theft and classroom security
   7. Wireless projects and why they were easy to install but worked too slowly to be effective
   8. Tutoring faculty how to use technology in the classroom
   9. The shortcomings of the IT department.
      1. Part-time college students
      2. No defined mission
      3. No funding
      4. Developed out of Collegis five million dollar contract that ripped the college off blind. Computers were cheap and did not last three years. Parts were stolen from one computer to repair another computer, resulting in a computer graveyard.
      5. Underpaid personnel
      6. Poor HELP station
      7. Good personnel exit to find higher paying jobs.
   10. Installing smart lecture halls

• Installing smart computer labs

1. Installing new renovated facilities

1. Integrating technologies into the curriculum and lectures
2. Writing a curriculum
3. Finding a facility for a Teacher Excellence Center
4. Finding furniture
5. Getting rid of file cabinets
6. Establishing a relationship with IT
7. Quid pro quo (one hand wipes another hand)
8. Personalities to work around
9. IT Director secrets
10. IT Director’s inability to install new Banner finance software and his making promises to the President he could not keep.

 

 

 

1. II. Catholic Stories

 

1. The Faculty Stories
2. Outsourcing
3. Collegis
4. Banner
5. Food Services
6. Cleaning Services

 

1. IV Expose’

 

1. Teachers caught having a sexual relationship with their students
2. Homosexual relations
3. Sex with female college students by faculty
4. Scandals in hiring procedures
5. The hiring of the Athletic Director
6. The hiring of the Dean of Students
7. The hiring of the VP of Finance
8. The replacement of the Director of Human Resources
9. The hiring of the VPs of Academic Affairs
10. How the VP of Finance tricked the school into a five million dollar contract with Collegis. She was a previous employee of Collegis and no one knew that until she quit her position at the College.
11. Pushing out the Education Department Chair who was a Nun
12. Department chairpersons making overload money
13. How they controlled the summer school system
14. How they were over paid even when they were freed from teaching to supervise teachers
15. The inability to change from the old system to a new system
16. The old way of doing things, cheapest thing goes
17. A constant shortage of money
18. An inability to meet the demands of technology
19. The inability of the Faculty Council to keep the President in line.
20. The spies on the Faculty Council.
21. The elevators
22. How the large elevator really broke down and why.
23. The two 100-year-old elevators that constantly broke down.
24. The lack of safety backup for elevators
25. The condemning of the stair cases
26. The surprise inspection that condemned the stair case to the extension as being dangerous
27. The 6-week disaster as a result of teachers being unable to get to their offices.
28. The falling down outside porch
29. The Nuns outside porch that rotted and had to be taken down
30. The constant repair problems with the remainder of the porch
31. The Administration building built on rock
32. The basement erosion
33. The actual bedrock visible in the basement of the building.

 

1. The Castle/ Student Services
2. The Nun in the tower
3. How she came to be there
4. The four story castle keep
5. Problems with the castle
6. The ineffective security guard system
7. Underpaid security guards
8. A director with no real power
9. No video cameras installed
10. No locked classrooms in the administration building
11. The stealing of smart classroom equipment by a security guard
12. The Friday afternoon thefts of projectors installed in 18 ft. ceilings
13. The motis operande
14. Catching the thief
15. Losing $10,000 worth of equipment
16. The administration doing nothing
17. The break-in to the Communications TV studio and theft.
18. The opportunity to use grant funds for wireless video cameras in the newly renovated building
19. The refusal
20. The eventual break-in and theft of thousands of dollars of TV cameras and recorders.
21. The eventual installation of the wireless video cameras after the theft
22. Reported rapes of female students on campus in the dorms.
23. The lack of safety at night with a poorly lit campus
24. Outside students from other colleges having access to the dorms
25. Local gang students roaming the campus at night
26. The forgotten Point Richard on the Hudson
27. The piece of valuable land cut off by the Metro-North rail road
28. The abandonment of the property
29. The abandoned Metro North Railroad station
30. The original train stop at the College of St. George
31. A change in transportation brings about abandonment of the train station and its destruction
32. The Home for Children of the State next door.
33. Right next to the St. George College property was a State Home for wayward children who often came around the fence to steal things on campus
34. The Westchester sewer plant next door.
35. The smell
36. The inability to control sewage overflow at the Sewer plant
37. The Elementary school run by the Nuns and it’s closing
38. Declining enrollment
39. Closing of the prep academy
40. Selling of the property to raise money
41. The high-rise building that replaced the property that was once the Sr. George Prep School.
42. The effect of a high rise building overlooking the campus
43. The loss of vital land that could have been used for campus expansion.
44. The selling of the first St. Mary Academy to a Jewish organization that folded and tried to sell the property for condos. The lawsuit and the one million the Nuns got which went to repair the administration’s building roof.
45. Declining enrollment
46. The decision to sell and the contract prohibiting being sold for other than educational purposes
47. The lawsuit and the settlement
48. Easy come and easy go, as one million dollar settlement has to be used to repair a seriously leaking administration-building roof.
49. The integration of Technology Over the five-year period of the Title III grants.
50. Hiring a director
51. Selecting staff
52. Completing a budget
53. $60,000 missing before the Director was hired
54. Tutoring 84 faculty over 5 years.
55. The Teacher Excellence Center Ambassadors
56. The Laptop computer loaner program
57. Balancing the grant budget annually
58. Grant rules and regulations
59. The liaison with the Communication Department and its Associate Dean
60. The relationship with the IT department
61. The relationship with The College of Holy Essence and its IT staff
62. The Presidents hiring of the Director of Technology at the College of Holy Essence to work part-time at St George’s College
63. The College of Holy Essence undermining the St. George College’s efforts in establishing technology.
64. 22. The end of the grant
65. The politics regarding promised made in the grant and promise not kept by the President
66. The desire not to fund the Teacher Excellence Center and staff
67. Playing it cheap
68. Finishing the budget on time and on balance except for the $60,000 that was stolen by a previous VP of Finance but never replaced by the President.

by Dr. Pelham Mead

A college student at Hofstra University on Long Island, New York becomes involved in a Car accident in a heavy downpour on Meadowbrook Parkway. He car crashes into another car that was spinning after hitting a deep puddle of water. While his car is upside down he hears a voice. Stephen crawl away from the car. Suddenly, the door of the car swings open and his seat belt releases. Again Stephen hears that voice. Stephen crawl away from the car faster for it is going to explode. Stephen crawls as instructed and suddenly he car explodes into a fiery ball.

Later in the Hospital, Stephen ponders what the voice was that he heard when he was trapped in the car. When he returns home after a week in the hospital, Stephen encounters a stranger sitting in his kitchen. He is frightened and tells the stranger to get out. The visitor explains his name is Michael and that he was visiting Stephen on a special mission. He tells Stephen about the voices he heard while he was in the car upside down. Stephen cannot believe it.

Eventually, the visitor explains that he is Michael the Archangel and that he saved Stephen’s life. Stephen does not believe him so Michael summons two of his Angel friends Gabriel and Raphael. They appear suddenly with full size wings. This scared Stephen so much that he begins to tremble.

Michael explains that Angels need human intercessors often times when they are saving some soul or delivering that soul to the other side. Michael tell Stephen that he and some of the other Angels need a place on Earth to use as an abode and that he Stephen has been selected as a human intercessor to help various Angels compete their tasks on Earth.

Stephen is afraid but dares not say no to Michael the Archangel who is dressed in armor and a short sword in his belt.

So begins the humorous adventures of Stephen and his buddies the Archangels of Heaven.

Dr. Pelham Kenneth Mead III

Author and Movie Script Writer, Ghost Writer, and Masters and Doctoral Thesis writer 2018.

260 E. Bradley Ave., Space 3 El Cajon, Ca. 92021 619-449-8716 drpel@aol.com

Resume’

College Tutor- Online Tutor agency 2014-2018 College Tutor- Helped student from Miami University, Florida write her Master’s Thesis- “Birthplace Motels in Calif” 2016.

College Tutor- Volunteer instructor with Seniors, El Cajon, Ca.

College Teaching Experience (31 yrs. Secondary ed. Teacher, 12 years College Professor and Director. Author- 18 years.

Adjunct Professor- St. John’s Univ. -Freshman course- “Discovering New York 3 credits. Taught Fall of 2006.

Adjunct Professor- College of Mt. St. Vincent- “Computer Graphics-3 credits; Powerpoint Illustrated-3 credits; Adobe Photoshop course-3 credits (I wrote the Curriculum for Photoshop).

Books written and published

“Jesus and John,” (2013) A historical fiction novel about the early years of Jesus of Nazareth, and his second cousin, John the Baptist. This story explains why Jesus verbally attacked the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, but never the Essenes. The oral and written tradition of the Coptic church of Egypt regarding where the Holy Family fled in Egypt from Herod’s soldiers is included. Also explained is how Jesus got his extensive medical, and healing knowledge, and how John came to use Baptism as the basis for his ministry is researched and explained.

“The 23rd Psalm,” A science fiction novel that takes place in the year 3550. A comet collides with the Earth causing the poles to melt and flooding the world to the height of 6,000 feet above sea level. Only a few human groups survive, two of which happen to be in North America near Lake Tahoe. One group is a fundamental Christian church group and another group is a liberal Jewish Temple group. They all seek higher ground to survive. This is a story of a six-year survival trek across the world on oil drum rafts and how spiritual intervention takes place through a Jewish Cantor who begins to have visions that all come true. “Autumn Winds over Okinawa,” (2011) publication by Xlibris.com, 160 pgs. and a non-fictional story mixed with a fiction account of my father Chief Ken Mead at the end of WW II, when he got off the USS Antietam aircraft carrier on Okinawa Aug. 30, 1945 to transfer back to the States. He was trapped there with three other sailors until October due to a naval oversight. He survived two typhoons in Sept. 1945, Japanese snipers, and jungle diseases that made his teeth fall out, and a skin rash that lasted all his life.

“The Chinese Crystal Ball,” (2012) publication by Author-house. Fictional mystery story about the main character John who buys an ancient Chinese crystal ball that Maria ends up in northern Mexico where she has some cousins living there. She makes the mistake of telling them about the crystal ball and her Uncle while at a local bar brags about the magical properties of the crystal ball to the bar tender. The story eventually gets report to a local hoodlum called El Toro. He tracks Maria’s cousins house down and burns it to the ground in order to get Maria’s cousins to tell where the Chinese crystal ball was hidden. A chase occurs and Maria leaves for Mexico City where John’s detective finds her. The Chinese crystal ball is recovered and returned to John. Years later John seeks the skills of a gypsy woman to help him with his crystal ball. On the way home, he accidently drives off the road and is killed and the crystal ball flies out of the car on impact and is smashed into a million pieces.

“The Junior High,” (2012) Published by Xlibris. The story of teaching in the 1960’s and 1970’s, in New York State against the backdrop of the social movements of the day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-War demonstrations, the Free Sex Era, the and the Free Drug Era.

Scripts: (All Listed on http://www.inktip.com) Captain Retro Superhero- An autistic young man develops a formula to winning the Super Powerball Lottery. He wins $370 million and when asked what he will do with the money, he claims he wants to become a Super-Hero and everyone laughs at him. In the end he proves everyone wrong and gets his dream.

The Cammerada Commanders- Hawkmen create a city in the sky over radiated Earth, and go on to develop other winged bird men, The Angels of God, The Eaglemen, The Falconmen, and the Vulturemen. They rein supreme in the skies over mutants living on Earth in radiation and death.

The Bodie Bandit- inspired by a true story about a bad man who held up stage coaches and was caught and sent to jail, only to escape and seek refuge in Bodie, California.

Saving Lincoln- Movie Script. Based on a true story about the first female Pinkerton agent in 1856 who helped save President elect Abraham Lincoln from being assassinated in February 1861 along with Alan Pinkerton.

My Five Reincarnations- A humorous story about an Italian Don who is reincarnated five times.

A Teacher Goes to War- The True story of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and how he saved the Battle of Gettysburg from being won by the Confederates by defending Little Round top and preventing the Confederates from flanking the Union line.

“Don’t Be Square,” (2014) TV Pilot script based on the book, “The Junior High,” which takes place in the 1960’s and 1970’s in a Junior High school in New York State. Based on a real story of a teacher who taught for 31 years in the same Junior High.

“Act II” (2014) the sequel to “Don’t Be Square,” continues the story started in the TV pilot with the emphasis on three male teachers who struggle to survive against the administration and the politics of a Junior High School.

“The Night is a Child, (Usiku Ni Mtoto) The Adventures of Sister Angelina, CIA Nun,” (2015) This is a story about how the CIA and the Vatican Holy See hire an ex-nun to help them investigate the murder of three Nuns in Burundi, Africa.

“A Templar Squire’s Tale,” (2015) This is a script that tells the inside story about Jacques de Molay of the Templar Knights in the late 1200’s and early 1307-1314 and thereafter. It begins in France in 1288 and continues until 1314 when Jacques de Molay is burned at the stake and the Templar Knights that escaped are in Spain and Scotland. An epic story 294 pages long.

“The Fairytale Adventures of Tom Wolf,” (2015) This is a script based on several classic nursery tales that tells the story of a man named Tom Wolf who is arrested for being drunk in London in 1855 and eventually is thrown into Bedlam Mental Hospital in London for telling everyone that he was a wolf. The Doctor Von Hess interviews Tom Wolf many times and each time Tom tells him a story from his past. The first story is about Tom Wolf and three rich children from the Swine family. The second story is about a little girl whom Tom fell in love with called little Red Riding Hood. The third story is about a little boy in Russia whom is warned by his grandfather not to go into the meadow and leave the gate unlocked. After each story the Doctor sends Tom back to his cell with more medicine and more torture with cold-water tanks, chaining to the wall, and hanging upside down in a straight jacket. In the end Tom Surprised the Doctor.

“Solar Sailing Pirates,” (2015) A Science Fiction movie or TV script about a rich young man who accidently shoots a fellow cadet and is expelled from the Sky Hawk Academy as a result. The main character Jake Johnson is the son of a millionaire who uses his connects to prevent Jake from being arrested for accidently shooting his best friend at the academy. Jake goes on to become a well-known Solar Sailing Pilot with his new friend Arrundi Buel. Together they build a new space solar sailing vessel called the Iron Butterfly and win race after race in space against many challengers. A competitors ship called “The Black Dragon,” belonging to pilots Desmonde Adar and Ron Blue is stolen after a solar space race. A five million dollar reward is offered and Jake and Arrundi decide to seek the reward. They revamp their solar sailing ship with laser cannons and other weapons that they can use in tracking down the pirates that stole the “Black Dragon,” Solar sailing ship.

Eventually, Jake and Arrundi catch up to the pirates whom are Count Von Wertz and Shaolin Sun Cho after the pirates intercepted a Mars Cargo space ship loaded with gold and uranium. A chase ensues and Jake and Arrundi chase the Black Dragon into an asteroid belt that is fatal to any solar sailing vessel’s solar collecting wings. Jake attacks the Black Dragon from behind a large meteor and manages to destroy on of the ships solar wings rendering it useless. Count Von Wertz is killed, but Shaolin Sun Cho escapes in an escape pod headed to the moon.

Jake reunites with an old girlfriend on Earth from his academy days and claims the 5 million dollar reward for returning the Black Dragon to its owners. Jake teams up with his girlfriend Veronica, whom is now a Lieutenant in the Sky Hawk squadron. They plan together to capture Shaolin Sun Cho. Shaolin Sun Cho survives and lands on the moon where he connects with old friends and plots revenge against Jake and Arrundi. The plot thickens and Jake and Shaolin Sun Cho meet on Mars where Shaolin has been hiding. Veronica helps Jake find Shaolin only to be wounded herself in a laser gun battle. Jake tricks Shaolin into believing he is dead and shoots him when he approaches. Jake and Veronica go on to become husband and wife.

Technical Booklets and Manuals Written

NY College of Osteopathic Medicine, Faculty Workshop Handbook July 2009 Class and Faculty Assessment Manual for Students at NYCOM-18 pages A Learning Outcome Assessment Plan for NYCOM (submitted to COCA Feb. 2009 for accreditation) 180 pages.

Podcasting Manual- 8 pages for St. John’s university faculty.

St. Johns Univ. –Faculty Pedagogy Guide in Technology in the Classroom Author, “A Simplified Guide to PowerPoint for Faculty,” (2001, updated 2005), 65 pages, published for all College of Mount Saint Vincent Faculty.

Author, “A Simplified Guide to Adobe Photoshop for Faculty,” (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and updated 2005) 80 pages, published for all College of Mount Saint Vincent Faculty.

Author, “A Simplified Guide to Web Publishing,” (2001, 2003, 2005), 77 pages, published for all College of Mount Saint Vincent Faculty.

Teaching Experience: • Health Education Teacher, Physical Education Teacher, Black and White Darkroom Photography instructor-4 yrs. And Dean of Students-6 yrs., Kakiat Jr. High School, East Ramapo Central School District, Spring Valley, N.Y.- 31 years with a permanent Teaching license in Hygiene and Physical Education in New York State, 1967-1998. Retired

• Online Instructor at the College of Mount Saint Vincent- Adobe Photoshop all assignments online using Blackboard with automatic grading and discussion

• Online Instructor for “Smoking Cessation Unit, “ Nurse student introductory course at the College of Mount Saint Vincent- two years. Co-wrote the curriculum for the online course with Professor –Dr. Kathleen Flaherty 2002-03

• Online Instructor at St. Johns University. Certified Online Instructor for Discover New York and Scientific Inquiry CORE courses. Certified by St. Johns Univ. after taking two semesters in Online Teaching for WEBct and Blackboard

• Certified Blackboard Administrator 12 years experience, recertified at St. Johns Univ. and in Jan./2009 at NYIT as Blackboard Administrator

• Adjunct Professor -Introduction To Computer Information systems (CIS) 2yrs.at SUNY Westchester and SUNY Rockland using some online usage of Blackboard.

• Adjunct Professor of Nurse Supervisory Course at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, teaching instructional technology and medial in the Nursing setting.

• Adjunct professor in Adobe Photoshop- 3 yrs.

• Adjunct professor in Computer Graphics 4 yrs.

• Adjunct Professor in MS Word, Excel, Publish, Access, Frontpage, and Powerpoint

• Adjunct Professor in Frontpage Web Development 10 years, NYU, Pace, SUNY

• Adjunct Professor at SUNY Rockland Community College in MAC workshop in Illustrator, Pagemaker, and Photoshop.

Administrative Work Positions in Colleges and Universities:

Senior Educational Technology Specialist for Title III- Title III Grant Educational Technology Specialist for St. Johns University, April 2006-Aug. 2008

• Wrote and helped redesign SJU CORE courses “Core Discover NY,” and “Core Scientific Inquiry.” Taught Online Freshman courses.

• Wrote the Curriculum online for instructional technology for faculty

• Designed a new Faculty Learning Lab with all wireless equipment including

• Designed a new Online training Course for Faculty

• Installed 10 Polyvision electronic white boards on Queens and Staten Island campuses • Adopted Apreso automatic podcasting for 110 classrooms.

• Installed two walk and talk TV modules from Polyvision,

• Planned and provided iPod training for all SJU faculty,

• Provided instruction in advanced Powerpoint training.

• Completed all financial worksheets on Excel for Grant expenditures.

• Develop an online portal http://www.t3portal.org.

• Provide Faculty DVD-R Support disks for software programs,

• Created 1,000 Powerpoint templates and clipart animation.

• Contribute to monthly T3 Newsletter for T3 Faculty.

Director of the Teacher Learning Lab and Faculty Course Designer at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, N.Y.- 2001-2005- Title V grant administrator.

• Trained 80 full time and adjunct professors in technology relating to instruction over five years.

• Podcasting for Faculty, Laptop Loaner system created

• Installed 26 smart classrooms, some including podcasting and electronic whiteboards.

• Curriculum Design and Instructional Technologist Specialist for Title V Federal Grant

• Wrote Curriculum for Instructional Development Director of Communications and Technology at New York University, Professional Development Lab 1998-1999.

• Established the first 120 page web site for the PDL.

• Trained all field supervisors in Instructional Design and Technology applications.

• Organized and taught clinics at 8 NYC school districts in Technology integration into classroom teaching.

• Educational Design Specialist position in setting up tutorials, lesson guides for technology usage, faculty HELP manuals, online resources and web development.

Grant Writer and Research skills

• Course Designer 12 yrs. Experience

• Corporation and Academic Trainer 18 years Experience

• Grant and Proposal Writer 16 yrs. Experience o Wrote $200,000 tech grant in 1992, awarded o Co-Wrote Federal Title V “Cooperative Grant for $600,000”, awarded o Fine Tuned Title III Grant for St. John’s University $1.5 million

• Blackboard Campus Administrator-5 years -e-learning Web Site, trained faculty how to use Blackboard, helped setup Tests online, Documents, Digital Lock boxes, and Conferences.

• Expert Web Master with 16 years Experience using Frontpage, Dreamweaver, Flash, Java, JavaScript, CSS, html coding, Adobe Photoshop and Camtashia.

• Dreamweaver e-learning Plug-in program writer.

• Expert Graphic Artist -12 years experience using and teaching Adobe Photoshop CS2 and CS3.

• Expert in MS Office 2003, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, Access, and Frontpage (taught this in 240 blocks at BOCES, 3-credit course at SUNY.

• Digital movie editor using iMovie and Final Cut Pro- 5 yrs. MAC • Digital photographer and 35 mm SLR photographer-20+yrs

EDUCATION

1992 Doctoral Degree in Education, Educational Administration, Columbia University Teachers College, New York -Minor in Computer Systems Management. * (Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society)

1983-1987 6th Level Administrative Certificate program at SUNY New Paltz, 26 credits, not competed, transferred to Columbia Univ.

1967 M.Ed., Education, Springfield College, Springfield, Mass. (Completed Field work in the L.A. School District School Camp program the summer of 1967).

1966 B.S., Physical Education and Health Education, Springfield College, Springfield, Mass.

* Doctoral Dissertation: “In search of equity in educational funding.”

AWARDS AND HONORS

1975-Teacher of the Year, Kakiat Junior High PTA 1980- Superintendent Special Recognition Award 1991- Inducted into Kappa Delta Phi, National Ed. Honor Society 2005-Feb. – Fulbright Scholar Senior Specialty program Instructional trainer 2009- Selected by Stamford’s Who’s Who Blackboard of Leaders in American Education.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Self-Employed Author -2010-present- wrote and published five novels, and numerous Movie and TV scripts (see above) Five novels published and 15 movie Scripts.

New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY

• Director of Faculty Development and Assessment

• Member of the Department of Academic Affairs

• Instructional designer for new Medical ONLINE courses

• Reported directly to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

• Instituted a new student volunteer evaluation team approach to course evaluation

• Instituted and installed WEAVEonline as an online all college assessment system

• Tutored MDs and Dos in instructional technology for their lectures

• Provided Assessment data from all departments and compiled that data for reports to the Assoc. Dean

• Developed a test database from the past five years of tests St. John’s University, Queens, NY

• Senior Course Designer Instructional Technologist for a Title III

2.5 million dollar Federal grant

• WEBct and Blackboard administrator

• Wrote the Faculty Online Training Course for all Title III participants to use and contribute their individual success stories. See portal:

• http://www.t3portal.org

• Did the annual grant assessment and compiled the financial records

• Tutored 52 faculties over 3 years in instructional technology techniques in the classroom and lecture hall.

• Developed faculty workshops each semester

• Installed automatic podcasting in 5 campuses

• Installed electronic whiteboards in Queens and Staten Island Campuses

• Planned faculty training lab, designed and purchased all furniture and technology equipment

College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, NY 05/2001-12/2005

• Director of the Teacher Learner Center and Title V Grant Coordinator

• (Course Designer and Educational Technology Specialist),

• Blackboard Systems Manager-5 yrs., e-Learning Manager,

• Adjunct Professor of Communications, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, NY. (Taught Photoshop, Multimedia, and Computer Graphics Undergraduate courses at night)

• Worked directly with the President and the VP of Academic Affairs

• Taught 80 professors how to use technology over 5 years.

• Established a new TLC Ambassador program to get faculty to continue ongoing training for 5 years.

• Installed 26 Smart Classrooms.

• Converted an Old Communications lab into state of art.

• Planned and installed New Communication lab in newly constructed Maryvale building 2004.

• Supervised two staff members and 3 student workers

• Supervised a 1.1 million dollar federal grant.

• Started and finished the Title V grant with each year for five years having balanced the grant budget. The Grant was successfully completed in Dec. 2005.

• Established a Teacher Learner Center from a storage closet.

• Co-wrote a Title V Cooperative Grant $600,000

• Web Sites created:

• E-learning see http://www.profweb.ws

• Electronic Portfolio see http://www.profweb.ws/~mead10 BOCES of Nyack, NY Adjunct 2000-2001 April Adjunct Instructor for Advanced Office Skills Training, BOCES of Nyack, Nyack, NY- Developed web e learning back up site for adults taking BOCES courses. Worked with adults of foreign countries in 240 hr. block of MS Office program training for job placement. Also taught evening classes in Photoshop and Web Development.

SUNY Community Colleges of Rockland and Westchester Adjunct o 1999-2000 Aug. Adjunct Professor of Computer Studies, SUNY Rockland, Suffern, NY- Used Blackboard, Website with e learning.

• 1998-2000 Aug. Adjunct Professor of Computer Studies, SUNY Westchester, Pace University, Valhalla, NY- Used Blackboard.com, Class website with e learning.

• 2000 Sept.-Dec. Adjunct Professor of Web Development, Purchase University,Pace University Adjunct Pleasantville, NY- Taught basic web site, e-commerce, elearning,

Assumption Academy Catholic School • 1999 Aug.-2000 June- Director of Technology, Assumption Academy, Emerson, NJ New York University 1998 Aug. -1999- Director Technology for the Professional Development Lab, College of Education, New York University, NY (Course Designer and Instructional Technology Specialist for 7 NYC school districts) Wrote and created a 120 page web site for the PDL Became a full Professor of Research at NYU Directed and managed all financial records for an AT&T grant for $500,00 for one year.

Wrote Teacher Manuals how to integrated technology into the classroom for eight New York City school districts.

Ran technology clinics for Harlem District 5, Manhattan District 2, Brooklyn districts 15 and 18, and Queens Districts 26 and 27 Supervised a staff of 4 and 6 graduate students

Sample of WEB SITES PUBLISHED http://www.drpelhammead.com- mead novels http://www.meadnovels.com wordpress Blog 2013-2018.

http://www.profweb.ws Online faculty workshops 2001-present http://www.profweb.ws/~muriel.kneeshaw Student Nurse “antismoking” Interactive training site.

http://www.profweb.ws a student teacher observation form site with Interactive forms to fill out the report.

http://www.profweb.ws the Teacher Education Department Web Site done with Prof. Arlene Moliterno. http://www.t3portal.org – Title 3 Portal site posted 2007. http://facpub.stjohns.edu/meadp – Draft site for Title 3 information http://www.blogger.com/facultyswamp – Blogger Site serves as a demo-training site for T3 faculty.

REFERENCES Matthew Melee- fellow local board member at Anchor-down mhp, El Cajon, Ca. mrmrsv@gmail.com

Dr. John McCarthy, worked as a colleague at NYCOM, now at SUNY Oswego University in NY jmccarthyjr@oswego.edu or john4warner@yahoo.com

Bonnie Granat, Director of Assessment, NYCOM, bgranat@nyit.edu Dr. Brad Shope, Title III Coordinator at St. Johns University, now at N. Texas Univ. at Denton; bshope@ntexas.edu

Dr. Qi Lu, Physics Professor, luq@stjohns.edu, 718-990-6437 Dr. Pat Grove, Biology Professor, 718-405-3242, patricia.grove@mountsaintvincent.edu (A colleague and student of mine and leader of the college, and supporter of instructional technology)

Dr. Kathy Flaherty- Nursing Professor, kfrnn@aol.com, 718-405-3780 Prof. Richard Barnet- Professor of Fine Arts, Richard.barnet@mountsaintvincent.edu, 718-405-3400 (Working as Assistant in Color Photography and Black and White Photography course last spring 05 and Fall 2005 semester)

The Night is a Child

(Usiku Ni Mtoto)

A story of Africa By Dr. Pelham Mead ED.D. 2

Chapter 1-The Massacre

“(RNS) Three elderly Italian nuns murdered in Burundi were laid to rest Thursday (Sept. 11, 2014) in a Xaverian cemetery in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid heightened calls for action about their death.

Sister Lucia Pulici, 75, Sister Olga Raschietti, 82, and Sister Bernadetta Boggian, 79, of the Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary were gruesomely murdered Sunday in their convent in the Kamenge area of Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura.

The triple murders shocked Christians across the globe and ignited calls for the protection of sisters worldwide. The nuns were reportedly beaten and killed with a knife. At least one nun was decapitated. There were conflicting reports about whether they had been raped.

While mourning their deaths, Sister Enelesi Chimbali, general secretary of the Nairobi-based Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa, said such women left their comfortable homes, convents and native countries to serve the poor and downtrodden.

The nuns were buried in Bukavu town in the DRC, where the order has a cemetery. The order’s district covers both Burundi and parts of neighboring DNC. The sisters had wanted to be buried in Africa according to the Xaverian order’s former regional superior, Sister Delia Guadagnini, to mark their love for the continent to the end.” (Associated Press) 3

Chapter 2-September 15, 2014, Parma, Italy

“Seniore Boggian, come quick. Have you read the Newspaper today? Guiseppe shouted. “No, Guiseppe, I have not had a chance to do so. What is upsetting you?” asked Sisto Boggian. “Oh, a terrible thing Seniore. Your older sister Bernadetta Boggian, the Nun, was killed in Burundi, Africa,” Guiseppe responded. “What? Let me see that paper. Oh my God, Jesus, how could this happen? Sisto exclaimed. “No one has contacted me from the Vatican or from the Italian consulate in Burundi,” Sisto said. “Guiseppe call the Italian Consulate, and see if they have any information regarding this story in the newspaper La Repubblica,” Sisto asked. “Yes, seniore I will call them right away, Guiseppe replied. “This is so tragic for my sister who had devoted her whole life to serving in Africa as a Nun for the Xaverian sisters of Mary. She was my only sister,” Sisto exclaimed. “I will have to talk with Father Ramone, and arrange to have a requiem mass in her honor. Perhaps Cardinal Giovanni of the Holy See, my old friend can help me look into my sister’s murder?” Sisto said.

“Hello, Ciao Cardinal Giovanni, this is your friend Sisto Boggian. How are you doing today? I called to discuss a most disturbing report I just got in the newspaper today. Were you aware that my older sister Bernadette Boggian who was a Nun in Burundi, Africa was brutally murdered on September 11 in her convent, along with two other nuns?” “Ciao Sisto, it is good to hear from you in so many years, and I am sorry for your loss,” Cardinal Giovanni replied. “Yes, I recently read about this tragedy in Burgundi, Africa in the Republicca News, Cardinal Giovanni replied. “My condolences Sisto. How may I help you?” Cardinal Giovanni asked. “Cardinal is there 4

anything you can do to find out who this killer or killers of my Sister and the other two Nuns were?” Sisto asked. “We do not have any authority in Burundi, other than as the Roman Catholic Church. I am sorry Sisto,” Cardinal Giovanni responded. “Is there anyway outside of the church or the Holy See that you can have this investigated Cardinal?” Sisto asked. “I will speak to the Pope, and we will see what influence or favors are do elsewhere in the world that would help us in this matter, Cardinal Giovanni said. “I will get back to you as soon as I hear something, Sisto. God be with you this day,” Cardinal Giovanni finished his talk. “Ciao.”

(Langley, Virginia, USA, CIA Headquarters)

E-mail message: To Bill Beatrand, Intelligence division Re: Nuns killed in Burundi, Africa Bill do we have any Intel that the Hutus and or Tutsis are planning any actions in Burundi? This seems like a savage and senseless killing the kinds the Hutus or Tutsis are capable of.

Wm. Brandt

Hello Bill, this is William Brandt; did you get my e-mail today?

Yes, I did William, and thank you for making me aware of the sad incident in Burundi. I have checked around, and we have no Intel on any Hutus or Tutsis plans or terrorism. Well, if you hear of anything let me know. I just want to stay on top of any plans to return to the civil war between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Will do William, I will keep you informed if anything comes across my desk. Send me a copy of the news article about the Nuns, and I will follow up on the story. Thanks Bill, take care. 5

(Riverdale, Bronx, New York, Sisters of Charity Headquarters)

I just returned to New York City after taking a leave of absence from my vows as a Nun in the Sisters of Charity Order in Riverdale, New York. I was in Africa in the Congo, Kenya, and Burundi working with school children for 18 years. I developed health problems this past year, and when I attended a hospital in Bujumbura the capital of Burundi, the doctors determined that I had breast cancer and needed treatment immediately. I asked for a leave of absence from the Sisters of Charity Headquarters in Riverdale, New York, and was granted a year’s leave of absence to seek medical treatment in New York. I had joined the Sisters of Charity when I turned 18 after graduating from Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York. My parents were opposed to me becoming a Nun, yet they had no money for me to attend College either. All my life as a young girl I admired the Nuns and the work they did to help people. They were always giving of themselves and offering peace and support to anyone who needed it. Many of my teachers were Nuns at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens. We have live in Queens for several years and because of my fathers low pay at the time and my mother not working we all received scholarships to Archbishop Molloy High School.

Upon graduation I was accepted at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York. It was there that I met and became friends with Sister Ilene McCarthy. She became my mentor for the four years at the College of Mount Saint Vincent. I graduated from the College in 1992 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. Immediately, upon graduation I entered the Order of the Sisters of Charity in which Sister Ilene McCarthy was a member. 6

I took the name of Sister Angelina when I was accepted as a novice. My real name was Angela Vespucci, and I was born in 1970 in Rhode Island. My parents moved to New York City, when my father who was an advertising executive, was transferred. We lived in Brooklyn, and Queens, for ten years or so. My brothers and sisters, Bill and John, Sally, Jean, and myself all attended Archbishop Molloy High School while living in Queens. I took four years of French in high school, and that language would serve me well later on in life. I had always dreamt of living in Africa as a Nun teaching children. When I enrolled at the Sisters of Charity Headquarters in Riverdale they sent me to Pennsylvania for my first year as a Novice. When I was accepted into the Order of the Sisters of Charity I volunteered to join with some Catholic missionaries in The Congo in Africa to teach young children. In six months I was on a plane with the Catholic missionaries headed to the Congo as a Nun to begin my career in teaching African children in various missionary sites in the Congo and later on in Kenya and Burundi. I soon learned how to speak Swahili and many natives in Burundi spoke French as well as Swahili. My first assignment was in the Congo in a small missionary site next to a convent of the Sisters of Mary from Poland and Italy, and the Sisters of Charity from the USA.

I went to the New York University Medical center downtown to get a diagnosis regarding my breast cancer. Dr. Joel Wellmud was the Oncologist that I saw and after taking x-rays and a cat scan he recommended chemotherapy at first to see if that would kill the cancer. So I began a rigorous chemotherapy treatment of my breast cancer over the next six months. Fortunately, when the Sisters of Charity learned that I was suffering from breast cancer and had no family home to go to in New York, they allowed me to use an apartment they had on the campus of the 7

Sisters of Charity and the College of Mount Saint Vincent for free. This made it possible for me to survive without having to work to survive. After six months the chemotherapy I was making some improvements. I returned to Dr. Joel Wellmud at the NYU Medical center, and he said all of the cancer in my right breast was gone and the prognosis looked good. I still needed to watch my diet and keep rested. I began attending services with the Sisters of Charity that were retired and living on the grounds.

A year after my cancer scare I began to realize that my priorities were changing and I had never held a real job and had no money to survive in New York City. I asked for an extension of my leave of absence and was granted another year. I spoke to Sister Kathryn the Sisters of Charity Director about my need for change and a feeling that my mission had changed regarding my life as a Nun. She understood and encouraged me to seek God’s understanding and go and teach in New York City public or Catholic schools. So, I went to a local New York State employment center in the Bronx to see if I could find a teaching job. Several problems presented themselves. I did not have a New York State teacher’s license and I had never taken the New York State Teachers Competency test. This process could take months or a year I was told. I was beginning to feel depressed when I saw a flyer on the wall saying Government Jobs were available in the CIA and other Government agencies in Washington, D.C. I filled out an application and then proceeded to forget about the whole thing until my phone rang one day and it was a woman asking me if I was interested in traveling to Washington, D.C. for an interview for CIA as a civilian support staff person. She offered to pay for my train trip down to Washington, D. C. and back and my food and hotel expenses. I said,”yes,” enthusiastically and an appointment was set 8

up for two weeks later. After I committed to the interview, I realized I knew nothing about the CIA but what I saw in the movies with spies shooting one another.

Two weeks later, I was on the Amtrak train to Washington, D.C. for my interview at Langley, Virginia. I was to be met at the train station by a black limo and a driver who would drive me to Langley, Virginia the CIA headquarters. I was very excited about getting a real job for the first time in my life other than being a Nun. The train trip was a quick three hours and I slept most of the way. When I got to the Union train station in Washington I was met outside the front of the building by a chauffer with my name on a sign Sister Angelina Vespucci. “Hi I am Sister Angelina,” I said. “Welcome to Washington, D. C. Sister, name is Joel Forbes and I will be driving you to CIA headquarters just over the river at Langley in Virginia,” he said. “Great,” I replied as he put my luggage in the trunk of the black executive car. The ride to Langley CIA headquarters was just under an hour. When we got there, Mr. Forbes instructed me that Supervisor Ms. Walsh would be interviewing me for the clerical job. “I will wait her for you until all your interviews are finished and then I will drive you back to Washington, D.C. to your hotel,” he said. “Sounds great to me,” I replied.

As I entered the office, Ms. Walsh, who was a woman in her forties greeted me, with slightly grey hair, and horn-rimmed glasses, and a business suit. I was dressed in a simple navy blue skirt and a white blouse. I did not have a lot of civilian clothes, so I had to make do with what I had. I don’t think I actually owned a business suit in my entire life. Ms. Walsh was the Executive assistant for a CIA Supervisor for a man names John Sauer. The interview began promptly at 9

3:00 on Thursday, and CIA Supervisor John Sauer interviewed me. Mr. Sauer was a CIA field supervisor, and a man in his fifties, bald, with a round face, and a small mustache. He obviously smoked because there were cigarette ashtrays everywhere in his office full of old cigarettes. His shirt and jacket reeked of cigarette smoke. Good afternoon Sister Angelina, or shall I just call you Angelina? Angelina is just fine. Ok, then Angelina, I read your application, and it says you served in the Congo, in Africa, and Burundi. You also speak French and Swahili. Your command of three languages is very impressive. Why did you choose to go to Africa Angelina? “Well as a little girl I always wanted to go to Africa and serve the poor there as a Nun,” I said. We are looking for clerical work in Washington, D.C. at present with bi-lingual capabilities in French, Swahili, and English. Would you consider moving to Washington, D.C. for a full-time position in Langley, Virginia at our headquarters? “Yes, I guess so if the pay scale is worth the move,” I responded. “Good,” Mr. Sauer responded. “I understand you are on leave from the Sisters of Charity in New York. Do you plan to leave the order,” he asked. “Yes, I have spoken to the Director of the Sisters of Charity about my doubts and need for a change in my vocation and my Nun’s vows,” I replied. “I will take that response to mean you are willing to leave the Sisters of Charity order if you get another job in the civilian world,” he said with a smile.

The interview went on for an hour with questions about what I did in Africa, and who my family was, and where they lived. Finally, at the end of the interview, Mr. Sauer told me that he would be getting back to me in a week or two and inform me whether my application had been approved. “Thank you Mr. Sauer and I look forward to hearing from you soon,” I said. 10

On the bus trip back to New York City, I dreamt of the days when I was in the Congo, and how polite the native women were to us Nuns. Surprisingly, many of the African natives are all Christians, and on Sundays the churches are packed with parishioners. I remember the colorful dresses the woman wore with beautiful patterns in the Congo. In Burundi things were very different. The capital Bujumbura was a spread out city that was ten miles across, and densely crowded with everything from concert cinderblock buildings to shacks. The monastery was a very old building from the early colonial days of the Germans settlers. I loved teaching the young African children, English and other life skills. My cancer brought all that to a halt after 22 years of service to African children in the Congo, Kenya, and Burundi.

True to his word, Mr. Sauer called two weeks later to inform me that I had been approved for the first level of interviews, and the CIA was sending me a plane ticket out of New York City to Washington, D.C. A special car was to pick me up at Washington International Airport, and drive me to Langley, Virginia. A few days after the phone call the plane tickets and FedEx delivered a check for $1,000 dollars to my room. I cashed the government check for $1,000 dollars to have money to travel with and to pay for a hotel to stay in Washington, D.C.

I left three days later for Washington, D. C. after taking the subway to Kennedy Airport on Long Island. The plane trip was uneventful, and I arrived at Washington Airport in the early afternoon. As soon as I reached the baggage claim area I noticed a gentlemen in a black suit and a chauffer hat with my name on his sign. “Sister Angelina,” he asked. “Yes, that is me,” I responded. Wait one minute, I have to retrieve my bag,” I said. “Sure Madam, take your time,” he responded. 11

After I got my bag he helped me carry the bag outside to a large executive car that was waiting for us. “It will be a little over an hour to get to Langley, Madam, he said.

“No problem,” I responded, “I am in no rush.” “My name is James Asher, Sister,” he said.

It was the fall season in Washington, D.C. and the leaves had all turned to reds and oranges, and were just as brilliant as New York in the fall. I fell asleep in the ride to Langley, and awoke as we were stopped at the security gate. “Mr. Asher for Mr. Sauer, “ the driver told the security guard at the gate. “You are cleared to go ahead Mr. Asher. Mr. Sauer is waiting for you in conference room B 102,” the security guard said, “We are here Sister Angelina.” Mr. Sauer is going to meet you in the conference room B 102. I will take you there, and bring your luggage. They are going to check you into a hotel after the interview and take your luggage at that time, “ Mr. Asher told me.

When we got to Conference room B 102, Mr. Sauer was already waiting with his secretary. “Good afternoon, Sister Angelina, “ Mr. Sauer commented. “How was your flight to Washington, D.C.,” he asked? “Fine, it was a very nice flight,” I responded. Your application has been approved for the first level and today you will meet with two interviewers who will make the final decision as to whether to hire you or not. Let me first introduce you to Mrs. Jill Mandel and Mr. Frank Giaggi both are CIA Directors of human services. We entered another office, and Mr. Sauer knocked on the door and then entered. Standing in the doorway of the office Mr. Sauer introduced me to Mrs. Jill Mandel, and Mr. Frank Giaggi who were seated at a long conference 12

table. “Good afternoon Sister Angelina,” Mr. Giaggi commented. “Hi,” Mrs. Jill Mandel commented. “I am happy to be her,“ I responded.

We have reviewed your application, and looked over Mr. Sauer’s interview comments, and agree you seem suitable for a civilian position here at the CIA headquarters. We have a unique opportunity that has just come to our attention Sister Angelina that requires the skills you have in speaking Swahili, French, and having knowledge of the culture in the Burundi,” Mrs. Mandel said. “What kind of position are you talking about,” I asked?

“We have need of field agents in Burundi at present, but you will have to undergo some training first if you want to take this assignment. The position pays very well; over $100,000 to start and all travel expenses and food and clothing are paid for. In addition you will receive full medical benefits and a retirement package,” Mr. Giaggi said. You will be classified as a field agent who will secretly be representing the CIA. We are also responding to a diplomat favor for the Vatican Holy See who is concerned with a problem in Burundi, but cannot overtly react to the situation since it is in a foreign country and the Catholic Church has no policing powers in a foreign country.

Do you think you might be interested in returning to Burundi to work with school children and in a Woman’s care center,” he asked. “I most enjoy teaching and working with the native woman,” I responded. You would not be alone in Burundi, the American Embassy would be available to you at all times, and we have support staff that can help you address any problems you come 13

across. Do you think that would interest your?” he asked. “Definitely, I responded.” I left the order because they kept transferring me from one country to another and not giving me time to adjust to the local conditions and because I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wanted to teach but my cancer put all that on hold. The salary seems really good, and with full medical and retirement, I would be better off financially working for the CIA, than retiring as a Nun with no funds. “This is a timely assignment with a lot of political pressure, and cooperation between the Roman Catholic Holy See, the CIA and the USA federal government. There was a mass murdering of three nuns in Kamenge Convent in Burundi and the repercussions extend all the way to Italy and the USA. We need to teach you some basic skills that will take a month or so and then send you to Burundi. You will not be trained in the use of guns or weapons of any kind. Your job duties will be secretive and investigative. We hope that from the inside of the Kamenge Convent you will discover the real facts involving the murders and relay that information back to us. Does that sound interesting to you? “Very much so, “ I replied.

“Good, would you be willing to start training next week? We can have all your belongings shipped, and we will pay for your hotel until we find a more permanent housing for you near Langley while you undergo in-service training. You salary would be $100,000 plus full medical and a pension plan. Does that sound about right for you?” “While you are on assignment in Africa we will pay for all your expenses. You can save your salary at home for retirement. Will you accept this position, Sister Angelina as a CIA field agent? We will provide you with a cover as a Nun when in fact you will no longer be a Nun in the order you once served. We plan to have you pose as a Nun from an Italian order in Palma in the Sisters of Mary. We will create all the 14

necessary paperwork to back up you story, and will clear with the Vatican this special clearance and cover as a Nun to cooperate with us in gathering Intel regarding Hutu and Tutsi activities in Burundi. Does that sound like a plan? Mr. Giaggi said.” “Yes, I will enjoy returning to Burundi so long as I am not transferred around every few months of years, I said. “You have a deal, Sister Angelina, he said. “I will have the employment papers drawn up, and you can sign them tomorrow,” he said. Meanwhile, I will have Mr. Asher take you back to Washington, D.C. to your hotel. We have arranged for dinner for you at the hotel tonight, and all expenses are paid for by us,” he said. “I will meet with you tomorrow to finalize your contract and what kind of field training we are going to provide you with in your position at a monastery in Burundi, Africa, he concluded. “Have a nice evening and it was a pleasure meeting you Sister Angelina,” he said. “Mrs. Mandel and I will see you tomorrow, then,” he said. “I got up and shook both their hands, and left to go outside for my car driver to take me to my hotel in Washington, D.C.

The next day, I signed a two-year conditional contract as a CIA field agent assigned to Burundi, Africa. My cover story was I was from an Italian order of Nuns called the Sisters of Mary in Parma, Italy, and assigned to work with children teaching and abused mothers in the monastery woman’s clinic.

I was very excited to go back to Africa, on my terms this time, and looking forward to the training the CIA was going to provide me with. I began working for the CIA in a clerical setting for about a few weeks until they transferred me to Chicago where I was to receive a month of training in CIA field agent skills, and communication. 15

From Chicago I was transferred to Paris where my overseas papers and background information was completed. I was there for only a week and I received my final orders to fly to Burundi and contact the convent in Bujumbura where Italian and Polish Nuns were teaching children, and serving abused wives of Hutu and Tutsi woman. I barely had time to collect my things, and I was off to Africa. The CIA had provided me some regular clothing to wear since the Nuns of the Order of Mary did not wear Nun habits. The Sisters of Mary wore regular dresses rather than traditional Nun’s habits.

Just before leaving I got a message from one of the sub-directors of the CIA about a gentlemen in Palma Italy, whose sister was an Italian Nun who was murdered in September 2014, along with two other Nuns at the convent in Kamenge. This gentleman’s name was Boggian, and he had several high level connections in the Vatican. A Cardinal from the Vatican Holy See Giovanti, had personally contacted the American CIA, to request a favor in following up on the murders of the Nuns outside of the local police investigation. They did not want to let anyone know the Vatican was looking into the murders, officially. Wow, everything seem so hush, hush with the ‘powers that be’ regarding this terrible tragedy in Burundi.

It was expected that my passport would be French, not American, and the paperwork for my backup story was to be created in Paris, France. The CIA did not want any links leading back to the CIA, or an American interfering in an African countries local Policing policy. Paris was beautiful in the spring of the year 2015. My apartment was ½ a mile from the Eiffel tower, and 16

for that week I reported to the CIA Paris office in the U.S.A. Embassy to review documents, and study my phony background information. Since I was a Nun from the same order, the Xaverian Sisters of Mary may be more inclined to accept me into their fold. The Vatican Holy See was providing the Roman Catholic Church’s story, that I was a one of several replacements for the sisters that were murdered. The truth is no other sisters were being sent to Burundi.

Paris is the spring is so beautiful with all the trees along the boulevards blooming. The harsh winter days were over and the warm days of sunshine had returned. The week in Paris went by quickly, and before I knew it I was on my way to Burundi, Africa. The Holy See of the Vatican, in advance of my arrival, had sent a letter, so that the Mother Superior in Kamenge convent to expect me to arrive shortly.

Chapter 3-Burundi, Africa

I boarded the plane on Air Uganda airlines to Burundi, and had first class accommodation all the way to Africa. I departed early in the morning at 6:00 am arrived in Bujumbura the Capitol of Burundi in the early evening. The sun was just beginning to set as the plane arrived at the airport. I was met at the airport by a CIA field supervisor Dennis Roddenberg. “Bonjour monsieur,” I said, when we first met at the airport. He was a very gracious man dressed in a tie and dress shirt and slacks. He drove me to a hotel in the capitol city, Bujumbura to stay overnight, and then the next day I would have my final briefing. I was to be assigned a field operative, whom I was to report to on a weekly basis without the Nuns knowledge. He was to be a local that would blend in with the natives in Bujumbura. 17

When we arrived at the Hotel, I first met the local field operative I would be working with. “Sister Angelina, I would like to introduce your field operative Kwami,” Dennis said. Dennis went on to say that Kwami was a Hutu native, and he spoke French, Swahili and a limited amount of English. I tried a little Swahili on him also, “Habari,” I said (which means hello in Swahili). “Nzuri,” he responded which in Swahili meant “I am fine.” Kwami was a tall six feet African native, with short cut hair, and a shaven face. His skin was very dark, and he had a scar across the right side of his face. He was dressed in kaki pants, and kaki shirt looking almost like a uniform. He wore sandals, rather than boots however. I hoped he could see I had a good command of both French, and Swahili as we spoke casually in the foyer of the USA Embassy. Kwami would be most useful at the convent in Kamenge in the outskirts of Bujumbura, the Capitol, in providing me with information I needed, and in monitoring my stay with the Nuns at Kamenge Convent. “Sister Angelina, I have been instructed to take you to the Kamenge Convent tomorrow after you are briefed here as to the political situation, and the murders of the Nuns last year,” he said. “Since the Nuns are allowed to have cell phones you will be given a special cell phone to contact me or anyone at the Embassy when making reports or in case of any emergency,” he said. Do not tell anyone about the cell phone and try to hide it somewhere safe where it will not be discovered. No one will ever call you on the cell phone. It is strictly one way for you to call out. This will prevent an unwanted phone ringing sound when you least expect it Sister,” he said. “Mr. Roddenburg will introduce you to some of the staff here at the Embassy and take you to a few briefing meetings to help you become aware of the local situation in Kamenge Convent, and in Bujumbura as a whole,” he said. “Thank you Kwami,” I responded. “I 18

am looking forward to working with you,” I said. “One more thing Sister Angelina. I am the food vendor that brings food to the convent several times a week. The days when I come will allow you to keep me informed if no one is watching you,” Kwami said.

The meetings went on all day, and finally, I was driven back to the Hotel Dolce Vita Resort. I collapsed in my bed and slept for an hour before going downstairs for dinner. The CIA briefed me on everything, the murder the year before, the supposed culprit the police say was caught with the keys to the convent and a cell phone from one of the Nuns. The CIA felt the whole thing was a setup and the man caught has a reduced mental capacity, and could have easily been bought off to take the fall for the murders. Secondly, the Hutu and Tutsi conflicts were a sensitive issue in Burundi after the years of civil war. Most of the Italian Nuns had come from the DRC, Congo, after working with mothers and children for many years. Only in the past few years was it safe enough to come to Bujumbura, the Capitol, to work in a convent with abused women and children who needed schooling. All the facts were whirling though my head. So much to remember and I have to remember to be humble and to be careful about asking too many questions. After a vegetarian dinner, which was delicious, I retired back to my hotel room to pray and relax. The next day would be the beginning of a whole new career.

The next day Kwami showed up soon after breakfast with an old worn out looking jeep. “Good Morning Sister Angelina. How did you sleep last night,” he inquired. “I slept very well, thank you Kwami,” I answered. “We are off to the convent in Kamenge which is three miles from the U.S. Embassy today,” he said. “I will leave you without ceremony because I do not want anyone 19

to recognize me when I drive you to the convent. Remember I am the food delivery man and you will see me around a lot on deliver days in the kitchen,” he went on to say. “ I am excited to meet the Nuns at Kamenge Convent,” I said. “Do you have your bag packed, Sister?” he asked. “Yes I am packed and ready to go Kwami,” I said. “Let’s get going then,” he said, as he lifted my bag into the old jeep. Ten minutes later we arrived at the convent which was a simple cinderblock building in an off-white color next to a community church with some other buildings in a cluster. Young African children were playing soccer by kicking a can around the dusty parking lot. A rooster could be heard in the distance crowing as the sun began to rise for another hot African day. Kwami stopped and took out my suitcase and big me farewell and good luck. “I will see you next week Sister Angelina, Kwami said. “Be safe and most of all be careful Sister,” he said. “God Bless you,” I said as he got back into the jeep and drove away. There I was standing in a cloud of dust outside the convent door. I knocked on the door and a Nun came to the door, and asked whom I was. “Hello, I am Sister Angelina Vespucci,” I said when the door opened. “Welcome Sister, I am Sister Kathryn Collati, come right in,” she said. Sister Collati was dressed in a flowery dress and plain shoes. She could have easily passed for a housewife in Italy with no problem. Her grey hair indicated she was at least in her fifties or sixties. The Italian accent gave her away as being an Italian. It was almost lunchtime, and the Nuns were all in the chapel praying when I arrived. Sister Kathryn, and I waited in the dining room for the sisters to finish their noontime prayer.

Several African women were milling around and serving food on the table as we sat and chatted. “So have you come all the way from Italy or America Sister,” She asked? No, I was assigned to a 20

convent in Paris for a while,” I lied., “Have you been to Africa before Sister Angelina,” She went on to ask? “Yes, Sister Kathryn, I served two years in the Congo, Burundi, and in Kenya as a teacher for the Sisters of Charity in Riverdale, Bronx, New York,” I replied. “That sounds wonderful,” she replied. Mother Superior will be along shortly after noonday prayers. We have six other Sisters at this convent; Sister Louise, Sister Elaina, Sister Margarette, Sister Madeline and myself.

Mother Superior is also known as Sister Julianna, but we do not call her by that name. Just then I heard the Nuns singing an African song as they emerged from noonday chapel. The last Nun out of the chapel was Mother Superior. As Sister Kathryn, and I sat on the bench in the dining hall Mother Superior approached us, and introduced herself. “Welcome Sister Angelina, we have been waiting for you for several weeks since we got a letter from the Vatican Holy See that you would be coming to replace our departed sisters,” she said. Reaching out her arms to give me a hug, she exclaimed, “How wonderful it is to finally get to meet you.” “Come you must tell us all about your travels, and your time in Africa in the Congo, Kenya, and Burundi, she exclaimed. “Thank you Mother Superior, I am glad to be here back in Africa. I have always loved Africa,” I said. “Come sit down, and I will introduce you to all our sisters after Grace, she said. Sister Kathryn led the Grace for the meal. “Father we ask thy blessing on this food today and all those that are to partake in this meal. Bless the hungry in Africa and the World. Bless the poor in Africa and the world and help them to bring Jesus into their life. Bless our volunteers, our students and our mothers that we counsel. All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.” 21

Sister Angelina allow me to introduce Sister Louise, Sister Elaina, Sister Margarette, and Sister Madeline. You have already met Sister Kathryn I believe. Let’s us all eat, and enjoy in celebration of a new member to our convent. Some of the Nuns spoke better French than English, out of respect I spoke French. I told them of my days in teaching in the Congo, and Burundi, and how I was transferred to Kenya against my wishes and my cancer scare after 22 years in Africa. I explained that I had taken a leave of absence for medical reasons and returned to the United States to seek treatment for breast cancer. All of the Nuns were most sympathetic.

After lunch all of the Nuns returned to teaching children and counseling abused women. Mother Superior showed me to my room in the convent. She told me after I rested I could join them in the school. I unpacked my suitcase in my barren room with nothing on the walls but a crucifix. After washing up I returned to see what was going on in the children’s school the Nuns taught in. The first classroom I saw was what looked like a kindergarten class with six little toddlers sitting in a circle playing with clay. The next classroom, had ten early grade level students who were using water paints to create pictures. The third and last class, was eight upper grade level students who were learning the English alphabet along side the French alphabet. It warmed my heart to be in a school once again. I could not wait until I would be able to join with the Sisters of Mary in teaching. Sister Kathryn gave me a tour of the buildings and the church next door. In another building there was a lounge, and several bedrooms for women seeking refuge from their abusive husbands. I observed one Nun, Sister Elaina sitting talking with an African woman in a room that had a one-way mirror for observation of counseling sessions. In the lounge sat a dozen 22

African women with infants, babies crying, and screaming. The noise echoed off the cinderblock walls, and rang in my ears. Some of the mothers were singing to their children and others just rocking them in their arms. It seemed like a peaceful place to be despite the babies crying. One cute little boy came running up to me and said, “shikamoo,” which means in Swahili, I touch your feet as a sign of respect (younger to older greeting in Swahili). “Marahabaa,” I responded (meaning I acknowledge your respect. I patted him on the head and he turned and ran off. Sister Elaina pointed out that the children were very friendly. “They have not had to suffer from the terrible terror in the civil wars,” Sister Elaina said. “I see, is the civil war still on their minds,” I asked? “The anger between the Hutu and the Tutsi is just under their skins as you can imagine,” she said. “How often do the children come to school,” I inquired? “Everyday, Monday to Friday,” Sister Elaina responded. “I love working with young children. To look into their innocent little faces gives great pleasure,” I said. “Come I will show you their lunch room. “We give them either a box lunch each day or a hot meal or stew if we can afford the meat,” she said. We entered a high ceiling room with bare beams in the ceiling. Ceiling fans moved the air around and kept the lunchroom cool from the African heat. Small groups of children were already lined up for their lunch. “Sometimes this lunch is the only meal they get all day,” Sister Elaina remarked. “We make the difference between them starving or living healthy, she went on to point out. “We get aid from the USA, Italy, and the World Health organization. Sometimes it is dried food and other times it is medical supplies. All of our students have had all the necessary vaccinations to prevent most childhood diseases. We are also very cautious to detect any signs of Ebola. We have not gotten the new serum yet, but if there is a problem we have asked for serum to fight the disease,” she said. “I can see it is very important to stay ahead of any diseases to 23

insure the children and their families stay healthy,” I commented. “Let us go into the Abused Women’s Counseling Center,” Sister Elaina said. “We have served over a thousand woman in the past year alone from abuse from their husbands. The Burundi men treat their women poorly like cattle and show them little respect. It is a poor tradition we have worked hard to correct. You must be especially sensitive to whether the women are Hutu or Tutsi and be sure not to mix them together in discussion groups. The hatred between the two ethnic groups has a long and bad history back to the civil wars in the 1990’s. Some of our volunteers will help you sort out which women are Hutu or Tutsi, “ she said. “I will keep you advise in mind Sister,” I commented. “So, what do you think of our little Convent and School” Sister Elaina asked? “I think you have a wonderful setup here with many loving Sisters and volunteers,” I responded. The village I served with in Burundi a few years ago was much more primitive and did not have any permanent buildings other than grass shacks,” I commented. “Well, we hope you are going to like it here. “We are short-handed with only seven Nuns total including you,” she said. “It will take some time and patience to get used to working with the abused women,” she went on to say. “Sometimes they are beaten up so severely that we have to hospitalize them to heal their wounds,” she said. “Is it advisable to talk to their husbands,” I asked? “No, do not approach the husband ever,” she pointed out. “Their male pride gets in the way of their thinking and they do not want to be singled out for beating their wife or wives,” she remarked. “Yes, you must know some of the richer men have several wives if they can afford them,” she said. “I see,” I remarked. “Let’s sit down and have some tea and I will have Mother Superior talk with you for a while and work our what your first assignment will be,” she said.

“That sounds wonderful,” I said. 24

We talked all morning about stories of Africa and stories of home Italy an America. All of the Nuns I noticed were quite old in their seventies and eighties. They were in need of some young blood to be sure. I didn’t feel I was young blood, but in comparison to their ages I was 20-30 years their junior. I observed there was some tenseness in the air that you could not put your finger on, but it still lingered just the same. I felt from the beginning there was more to this assignment than helping battered women and teaching children. The reality is that this was Burundi the land of many decades of dreaded violence and ethic cleansing. I was well informed about Burundi, and it’s history at the CIA, but I was already aware of the tensions from the short six-month assignment I had in Burundi a few years ago.

That afternoon I met with Mother Superior to discuss my assignment and the rules of the convent. Mother Superior pointed out that the Nuns dressed casually in dresses rather than habits so they would blend in with the natives. Some Africans saw the Nuns habits as a kind of uniform of the old colonial days of the whites invading Africa. We discussed my strengths and desire to teach children, so Mother Superior assigned me to assist Sister Elaina in the early elementary grade classroom. Mother Superior suggested that down the road I could begin to assist in working with abused women in the clinic. I was excited to begin teaching, but the day had passed by with talks and meetings. After talking with Mother Superior I want back to my room to get ready for Evening prayer and dinner. I changed into another dress for dinner and Evening prayer and walked over to the Church Chapel for prayers. 25

Some of the Sisters were practicing some African spiritual songs and their voices blended together so beautifully. I sat and listened to their bird like voices. It was a most pleasurable moment for me. The light was beginning to dim and shadows covered the chapel. The heat of the day was beginning to subside and all the cares of the day seem to float away in the chapel at that moment.

Chapter 4- Settling In

As the week went by I began to adjust to the African heat, and the busy daily schedules: Morning prayer at 6:00 am, breakfast, daily chores, Teaching assignment to noon, Noon Day Prayer service, Lunch, rest time, Afternoon teaching assignment, Evening Prayer with song, dinner, prayer and mediation time, and evening vespers. The Nuns were most welcoming to have another hand to help in their mission.

As the second week progressed, I met the cook, Doto, who was a smiling cheerful heavy woman in her early 50’s. She was a woman who had been abused by her husband many years before. She took her two children at the time, and fled her village, and came to the convent at Kamenge. The Nuns hid her, and protected her in their convent. Later on Tutis rebels killed her husband when they raided her village. Doto began a new life at the convent cooking for all the Nuns, staff, women, and the children. She spoke Swahili, French, and some broken English. I knew she would be important to get to know because my CIA contact Swami would be delivering food to 26

her once or twice a week, and I would need to make contact with him during that interval of time.

Bahati was another abused woman of late 30’s or early 40’s. She was the assistant cook for the convent. She was also a volunteer. Like Doto, she was always smiling and worked hard to provide three meals a day for the Nuns, staff, women, and children. Sometimes Bahati and Doto would come to Morning Prayer or evening prayer with the Nuns. They were always welcome. “Habari Doto,” I said in Swahili early that morning before Morning Prayer. “Nzuri,” she responded with a wild smile. She was busy chopping carrots in the kitchen at the time. “Jina langu ni Angelina,” I responded the first time we met. “Nafurahi kukuona Angelina,” (I am pleased to meet you Angelina) Doto answered. So, our first meeting, I had to rush to Morning Prayer. “Kwaheri Doto,” (good bye Doto) I answered as I rushed off to Morning Prayer.

The following week on Monday, Swami was to make a delivery to the convent. I tried to make sure I was around when he delivered the food to give him a short message that the Nuns, and the staff were accepting me, and there were no problems. As I was in my classroom with Sister Kathryn teaching our young children English words and phrases I looked out the window to see Swami in a white food truck. I excused myself with Sister Kathryn when we were teaching the children, saying I had to go to the bathroom. As I entered the courtyard where the food truck was parked, Swami noticed me coming toward the truck. As he passed by me with a hand truck full of boxes of fresh vegetables, I handed him a small paper note, and kept walking toward the bathroom. That was my first drop as the CIA called it. If problems developed or Hutu or Tutsi 27

husbands made physical threats against me, I needed to inform the CIA at the American

Embassy. I also had a throwaway cell phone, but I could never use it with anyone around me. I

did not want the Nuns or staff knowing that I was contacting someone outside the convent.

A few days later Sister Margarette taught me a song we could sing with the children in Swahili.

Sister Margarette was in her 60’s, grey hair, short and Italian. She spoke French, English, Italian,

Swahili and several other African languages spoken in Kenya and South Africa. She was very

talented with a guitar that seemed as old as she was with the many wrinkles in her face and

hands. “Sister Angelina we are going to teach our students how to sing this simple song in

Swahili,” Sister Margarette said. Here is the first line. I have written it down for you to memorize

easier.

Let us begin in the cord of C with Sina Mungu mwingine ila wewe (I have no other God but You) Now A minor, Moyo wangu watambua jemedari (My heart recognizes the Commander) To the F cord, Nafsi yangu yakutamani ewe (My soul desires You) Back up to the G7 cord at the top of the guitar, and back to the C major cord again with the last line.

Roho yangu yahitaji Tabibu (My spirit needs The Physician) (From the top) Shuka kwa utukufu wako nikuone (Let me see you come down in Your Glory) Am cord, Shekinah, utukufu wako (Shekinah Glory) F major cord, Utukufu wako (Your Glory), This last line we repeat four times in the G7 cord,” She said.

I hummed the tune as Sister Margarette played the song over, and over on her guitar. “I wish I

could play a guitar,” I responded. “Perhaps you can learn someday with practice,” Sister 28

Margarette answered. “Perhaps,” I agreed. “Let’s take it from the top again Sister Angelina,” Sister Margarette said. “Sina Mungu mwingine ila wewe,” she sang the first verse so easily. All day long I was mumbling the song under my breath to memorize the Swahili words. It was a simple and beautiful song. I prayed that evening at Vespers that might one day learn to play the guitar like Sister Margarette. I am a Soprano, and several of the other sisters were sopranos also, with a few Altos to sing the second line of music. The church chapel echoed our beautiful voices given up for the glory of Jesus Christ. I slept well that night.

Toward the end of the first week our first crisis developed. Late in the evening of the second week there was a lot of noise in the courtyard of the convent. Dogs were barking, chickens clucking, and loud voices could be heard yelling something. All of the Nuns were in Vespers at the time. We stopped what we were doing, and rushed outside to see several of the woman staff members Hasanti and Halima carrying a badly injured woman who was bleeding from the face and arms. She was a local Hutu wife whose husband accused her of having affections for his brother in their tribe. He beat her severely almost killing her. After he fell into a drunken stupor, she escaped and walked ten miles to the Kamenge Convent. Mother Superior had the women and a few nuns take the woman into the clinic to be bandaged and cared for. We all returned to finishing Vespers afterward.

The next morning knowing the husband would try and follow his wife we prepared to hide her in the church in a hidden room behind the altar. As expected the raging mad husband showed up later in the afternoon asking where he wife was. The wife’s name was Ngozi Eze, and we hid her 29

in the secret room behind the altar. The male volunteers tried to calm the man down. Matata and Bongani told him that they had no seen any women named Ngozi. They told him to look in the markets in downtown Bujumbura. After an hour of raving and ranting he decided to leave, when Matata threatened to call the local police and have him arrested. After he was gone Mother Superior sent Malaika to the local courthouse to file a restraining order against Ngozi Eze’s husband, named Gwembeshe Eze, for fear of her life. We knew now that Ngozi would be a marked woman until the representatives for the Church could file legal papers to protect her and possibly give her a divorce from her husband. The problem in these domestic abuse situations was always the children left behind. Sometimes were able to send someone to retrieve the children and sometimes we are rejected. Mother Superior told me it always comes down to money or barter in the end especially when the husband has several wives. “Sometimes it take a few goats or a donkey to trade for a battered wife to be free of her husband,” Mother Superior told me one day. After the husband was gone I went to the clinic to see if I could help the suffering woman with her wounds. She needed stiches on her face from a long knife wound. She also had deep slash cuts on her arms. Sister Louise and I sewed up her wounds while Sister Margarette put iodine on the bruises to kill any infection. Mother Superior supervised while we worked on this poor woman. “Ngozi, you understand that if you stay here with us at the convent that we will have to file legal papers first in order to legally protect you from your husband,” Mother Superior said. “Do you want to divorce your husband,” Mother Superior asked Ngozi? “Yes, Sister, my husband is crazy and he will kill me for no reason. I have no interest in his brother. It is his brother that tried to make my husband jealous and he overreacted by beating me senseless. (All this she said in Swahili and French) Sister Louise interpreted what she said to 30

Mother Superior for me. I understood some of her French but not all of the Swahili. Another learning experience, I said to myself. I could see how the Nuns had all gone though this experience before and were well equipped to caring for abused women and hiding them for their own safety. Eventually, one of our male staff volunteers would take some goats or another prized animal and go out to the tribe and make an offer to buy the wife from the abusive husband. Once the husband got over his anger, money or barter always worked.

“Well I have to get back to my students,” I said and prepared to leave the clinic. “If you need any assistance Mother Superior, do not hesitate to call me, “ I said. When I got back to my classroom we worked with clay and made little animals with the children. They love to work with their hands and mold different turtles, frogs, and birds. After an hour or so of clay work we cleaned up and had the entire student wash their hands. One little girl named Abena was having difficulty washing the clay off her hands. I went over to the sink to help her out. She was the cutest thing with a little round face and a nice flowery blue African style dress on. I showed her how to use the hand brush to get the clay out of her nails. She smiled and thanked me, “Asante,” she said. I replied in Swahili, “Nakutakia siku njema Abena,”(Have a nice day Abena). Our paths had crossed and a little bond was created that day.

We kept Ngozi in hiding for several weeks until the paperwork was finished. Matata and Chinwe, two or our male volunteers took two goats and a bottle of wine to the husband of Ngozi to buy her freedom and to get the husband to sign a divorce decree from the courts. They left 31

early in the morning after breakfast to walk the ten miles to the tribal village on the outskirts of Bujumbura the Capital.

Early that evening they returned without the goats and the bottle of wine. The husband drove a hard bargain, but they got him to sign the paperwork for the divorce decree. Mother Superior decided it would be safer to send Ngozi to work in the Convent in the Congo rather than have to go into hiding for a year in Bujumbura. “You will be safe there until we can call you back to our Convent in six months or a year,” Mother Superior explained to Ngozi. Ngozi cried for her children and her family, but she knew Mother Superior was right that if she stayed at the Convent, even with the legal divorce, her husband when drunk might come looking for her.

Ngozi left in a taxi for the railroad station in downtown Bujumbura. Mother Superior had given her some cash and a letter to the Mother Superior at their Congo Convent to allow Ngozi to reside there until the danger from her husband was over. Ngozi left with only a small travel bag of used clothes the Nuns put together for her. That was the last we saw of Ngozi for a year.

Ebola and AIDS were two deadly viruses everyone in Africa was afraid of contracting. Nuns had heard horror stories of the flesh eating Ebola virus that had no cure. Fortunately, a Doctors and a volunteer woman assistant came down with Ebola were flown back to the U.S.A. to the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia to be treated with a new serum from San Diego, California which had not been approved by the FDA yet. The serum and treatment of containing the virus worked and the volunteer worker was released first and then the Doctor recovered and he was released. Small 32

portions of the serum were being flown to Africa to use in combating Ebola in some patients that have the disease. Mother Superior had a discussion one day about the symptoms of Ebola or AIDS and how we should proceed. We were told to use plastic gloves at all times and facemasks to prevent inhaling any viruses that can transmit through the air. AIDS required direct contact and in that case we are to inform public health to prevent an epidemic. We were all afraid of both diseases, but went about our work daily without showing the fear.

Chapter 5- Researching the case.

Two months later Swami my CIA contact left some news articles about the Nuns that were murdered at the Kamenge convent a year before. I was briefed about this tragedy at the CIA but no follow-up was provided. Now the CIA wanted me to ask the Nuns what they knew about the murders and the murder caught. Some Nuns had gone on record in the Newspapers a year ago saying that one man could not have done all these killings in one night. The killer was declared a mental patient and sent to a Mental Hospital without a trial. The local authorities called it case closed, but many lingering facts do not support the local police version. The CIA wanted me to find some facts that could not uncover, but at the same time I was to be extremely careful and not to enter into any tribal villages seeking information about the massacre.

One day Mother Superior and Sister Elaine Luna went for a day trip to a tribal village ten miles away from the convent. Mother Superior wanted to check up on several abused wives that she 33

had worked with over the years to see how they were doing. This gave me an opportunity to enter Mother Superior’s office after she left with Sister Elaine. I made an excuse I wasn’t feeling well that day and would spend the morning in bed in my room. No one was around Mother Superior’s office at the time and the door was unlocked. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for but I started with the file cabinets that seemed to have a file on every child and every abuse mother that attended the clinic over the past ten years. I search through file cabinet after file cabinet until I realized that if I checked abused mothers that were counseled in the spring of 2014 I might find something of interest. I did find that Sister Bernadetta Boggian worked with some Hutu women that were abused from a tribal village nearby. The woman’s names were in the file, and the months they stayed at the clinic until Sister Boggian, Rawschetti, and Pulici were murdered. That seemed strange, perhaps the husbands of the battered Hutu woman took revenge on the Sisters for sheltering, and treating the runaway Hutu wives? There were several husbands listed next to their wives in one folder of a file that Sister Bernadetta had kept. I wrote the names down: Tumbuka Nkruma, Simisola Oluwaseyi, Opeyemi Omobolanle, and Nwanneka Nkiruka and stuffed the paper in my pocket. As I was closing the file cabinet, Malaika one of the volunteer teaching assistants, walked by the office, but did not realize I was behind the closed door. I waited until she left, then I slipped our of the office, and back to my room. I now had a theory that vengeance might have been a motive for the Nuns being murdered. I would inform the CIA of the men’s names so that they could investigate these Hutu men, and see if they had ever threatened any of the Nuns or Mother Superior. Noonday prayers were being offered, and if I did not show up some of the Nuns would begin asking questions as to where I was? I hurried over to the chapel in the church and arrived just in time for the first hymn of the service. I had to find a 34

way to see if any of the Nuns knew who these husbands were that I found in Mother Superior’s file cabinets.

Two weeks later I was talking to Sister Margarette about the dangers of working with Hutu abused women, Tutsi abused women, staying out of politics, and local hatreds. Sister Margarette. “You know Sister Angelina you have to be very careful when counseling abused wife’s of Hutu or Tutsi tribesman,” Sister Margarette commented. “Sometimes you could be could be very involved in saving a women from her abusive husband and not realize the danger if the husband is violent and seeks revenge or justice as he sees it, Sister Margarette said. “I understand Sister Margarette and I am learning,” I responded. “What happened to the Nuns that were killed a year ago,” I asked Sister Margarette. She had a startled look on her face when I asked the question. “I cannot talk about it Sister and you would be wise not to ask anyone,” Sister Margarette warned. “Ok,” I responded. It was obvious a painful and secret kept by all the Nuns for some reason. I went about my daily activities painfully aware that none of the Nuns were going to be helpful in discovering the real facts about the murdered Nuns a year ago.

That evening Mother Superior returned with Sister Elaina just in time for evening prayer. “How was your day in the Hutu tribal village,” I asked Mother Superior?

“It went well,” she said and that was all. Getting information from Mother Superior was like pulling teeth. She was always very secretive and spoke very little about sensitive issues of politics and the Hutu and Tutsi situation. 35

The next day Swami came with a food delivery. I gave him a paper note with the names of the Hutu men of several abused women that Sister Olga has treated in the spring of 2014. I need the CIA to research these men and see if they were still alive or whether, they had ever been interviewed by the local police after the murders. I could see that I was never going to get any information from the Nuns without arising suspicion. Perhaps there was some other explanation that I was not aware of involving the murders? After Swami delivered the food for the day, a priest visited Mother Superior. His name was Father Michel Tognazzi, and this was the first time I had seen him visit the convent. “Sister Madeline, who is this Father Michel Tognazzi,” I asked. “He is the Priest in charge of our Convent assigned by the Vatican,” she said. “Oh, I said, I wonder why he is visiting Mother Superior,” I asked? “It is usually about some major issue,” Sister Madeline said. “He seldom comes just to visit,” she said. I wish I could be a fly on the wall that day, but that was never going to happen, so I kept my doubts, and questions to myself. Father Tognazzi stayed for evening prayer, and then left before darkness.

I would not discover the real reason for Father Tognazzi’s visit until a month later when Mother Superior mentioned at dinner one night that there was some trouble with some of the Hutu tribes, and we were warned by Father Tognazzi to be careful with both Hutu woman and Tutsi women and children. Strange how Mother Superior mention this as a matter of fact? I guess she had gotten use to the political dangers of working with Hutu and Tutsi women and children? It was very puzzling to me. I prayed about it that night. 36

One day I spoke to Bongani, one of our male volunteers, who was working in the gardens outside the church building. Speaking in Swahili I said, “Habari Bongani,” (Hello) “Hujambo,” (are you fine?)? “Sijambo,” he responded while planting some beautiful flowers. “Ninaitwa Angelina (My name is Angelina),” I said. “Nimefurahi,” (I am pleased to know you) he responded. “Do you speak any English Bongani. “? Kidogo tu,”(Just a little bit) he responded. “Your flowers are beautiful,” I said. “Do you like living here in the convent,” I asked. “Yes, Sister, he responded. “How old are you Bongani,” I asked. “I am age 23 Sister,” he said. “Where do you get these beautiful flowers,” I asked him? “Some people give them to the Nuns as gifts, and other flowers I dig up myself growing wild,” he said. “They add much beauty to the church,” I said. “Thank you Sister,” he said. “I will see you later,” I said. I went to teach my students wondering in the back of my head what kind of a life Bongani had working as a volunteer for the Sisters?

Mother Superior asked me one day if would like to visit the Cathédrale Regina Mundi, “Queen of the World Cathedral in the Capitol city Bujumbura.” “Yes, Mother Superior, I would be thrilled to see the Cathedral. I have never see it before,” I said. “Good, we will bring Sisters Kathryn, Louise and Madeline with us today,” she said. “Matata will drive us to the Cathedral,” she said. When we went outside the buildings, there was Matata in a Jeep ready to drive us to the Cathedral that was nine miles away from the convent. “Bon Jour, Sisters,” Matata said. We all eagerly climbed into the jeep for a day at the cathedral in the heart of Bujumbura. Thirty minutes later we arrived at the Cathedral. It was surprisingly modern with a high tower the dominated all the buildings around it. The interior of the nave was very large and could handle hundreds of 37

people. Everything about the Cathedral was modern. I was used to Cathedrals built in Gothic style as in America with St. Peters Cathedral and the Washington Cathedral in Washington, D.C. We spent some time praying at the small chapels around the outside edge of the Cathedral. The bell tower was most impressive rising about seven stories above the ground. At the gift shop we purchased a few religious items to give to our staff at the convent, and to give to the battered woman we counseled. We ate lunch nearby at the Sion public market, and had a most entertaining day.

Chapter 6- The Monte Carlo Casinos, Monaco

(Casino du Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco) “I wish to place fifty Euros on number 15 please,” said Alfonse Boggian. “I always do well at Roulette,” he said. “Francisca, come and watch me win,” he shouted to his girlfriend. “Oh, Alfonse you are so lucky,” Francisca said with a mile wide smile. “Number 15 is the winner, you won 1750 Euros Sir, congratulation, said the croupier. “Yes, now I am the winner. Come on Francisca I am going to play some poker and win back the money I owe the Casino du Monte Carlo. Alfonse walks over to the poker table and sits down. “1,000 Euros in chips please,” he asks. “Yes Sir, 1,000 Euros in chips for monsieur,” said the croupier.

Several hours later Alfonse was down $50,000 Euros that he has borrowed against his house credit. He plays he last hand with two pair and loses his last $100 in Euros. Can I borrow an additional $25,000 Euros,” he asks? “I am sorry sir you are over the house limit on borrowing,” said the croupier. 38

Well honey I am out of money for the night. Let’s go to the Casino du Paris Francisca, maybe I will be luckier there,” Alfonse said. “Hail a cab for us Francisca, I have to go the bathroom,” he said. Minutes later they were on their way to the Casino du Paris in the early hours of the morning. Alfonse gambled there all night into the daylight hours until he exceeded the houseborrowing limit again. “Let’s go back to the hotel Francisca, I am exhausted and need to get some sleep,” he said. “Sure sweetie, I am very tired to and drunk from to many drinks,” Francisca said. Francisca was a typical young Italian party girl, with long brunette hair and light olive shaded skin, thick eye brows and lots of make up. Alfonso had met Francisca in Rome while on vacation on year. She was a waitress in a café in Rome at the time. He lived in an apartment in Padua at the time now far from his father’s estate in Padua where hundreds of acres were dedicated to wine vineyards. After a short weekend romance Alfonse asked Francisca to come and live with him in Padua. He had convinced her that he was a millionaire living in Padua and having a share in his father’s vineyards. The truth was that Alfonse had no interest in wine making or had ever shown any interest in nothing but money. Francisca agreed to move in with him in Padua and she looked forward to the life of a jet setter and international playboy, only to realize after a month that Alfonso was broke and owed everyone in Italy and many other countries around the world.

They returned to their room in the Hotel du Monte Carlo and collapsed in their bed. Around noontime they both woke and ordered lunch to be delivered to their room with some Champaign. “Well we are broke, so I guess it is time to return to Padua Francisca,” Alfonse said. “Maybe I 39

can borrow some money from poppa Boggian when we get home,” he said? “It will be fine dear, “ Francisca replied. Let’s go home before the casinos come after me for the loans they made,” Alfonse said. “Yes that sounds like a good idea,” Francisca commented. “I’ll go down and pay the hotel bill with what money I have left,” Alfonso said. “You call the porter and have him come up and pick up our bags,” Alfonso told Francisca. “I’ll meet you downstairs sweetheart,” he said and kissed her goodbye. Downstairs Alfonso tried to pay the hotel bill on a credit card but it was rejected. Instead he paid the bill with some cash and another credit card that wasn’t maxed out yet. “Francisca, I have tickets for a flight back to Rome, Italy for this afternoon, so let’s go to the airport early,” Alfonso replied. So another big weekend gambling was over and Alfonso returned to Padua and the wrath of his father Sisto for squandering thousands of Euros gambling. It was not going to be a fun experience for Alfronso.

Chapter 7- Suspicion Raised it’s Head.

A week after our return from the trip to the Cathedral, I sensed a change in Mother Superior’s attitude toward me. She was becoming more and more suspicious of my asking questions that all seemed to center on the three nuns that were murdered a year ago in the summer of 2014. I tried to be discrete but getting information out of Nuns that did not talk a lot was like pulling teeth. Finally, Mother Superior called me to her office one day. I had a feeling she was questioning my real mission at the convent and this would be the showdown. “Good afternoon Sister Angelina,” Mother Superior said as I entered her office. “Good afternoon to you also, Mother Superior,” I replied. “Sit down Sister Angelina. I have some growing concerns,” she said. “Oh, what are your concerns,” Mother Superior. “I was suspicious before you arrived when I got a letter directly 40

from the Vatican Holy See about your coming to our little convent. Of all the convents in Africa, why our convent and why now after we had three nuns murdered in the summer of 2014,” she said? “Many of the Sisters have told me you have asked a lot of questions about the murder of the three nuns from our convent, and that seems unusual to them,” she went on to say. “I come to your convent Mother Superior with only the purest of intentions,” I said. It is true that I have expressed an interest in the murder of the three nuns only because I have been asked to do so behind closed doors in the Vatican Holy See and from Senore Sisto Boggian, the brother of slain Sister Olga Boggian, “ I replied. “I see said Mother Superior,” with a concerned look on her face. “I know of Senore Boggian, and his son Alfonso,” she said. “They are very rich land owners in Padua Italy where Sister Olga grew up before joining the Sisters of Mary order,” she said. “I had a feeling he would try to interfere with the Police investigation here in Kamenge because he is such a powerful person back in Italy, she went on to say. “So what is your real purpose for coming to our convent,” she asked? “Mother Superior I came because I was asked both by the CIA of American, the Vatican Holy See, and Senor Boggian who grieved for the loss of his older sister,” I said. “This is to be confidential because the Vatican Holy See cannot in open public admit to investigating the murder of catholic nuns in Africa where it has no jurisdiction,” I said. “I understand,” Mother Superior said. “My concern she said was stirring up resentment between Hutu and Tutsi tribes or between Hutu or Tutsi abusive husbands and their runaway wives,” Mother Superior said. “I realize that if I try to send you back to America, I will have the power of the Vatican Holy See down on my head and there will be many questions here at the convent as to what was wrong,” she said. “Trust me Mother Superior I have at my disposal a great deal of political power from two countries, The Vatican, America and from a very rich man Senore 41

Boggian. “I understand,” Mother Superior responded. “How they may I help you to expedite this matter and put it to rest,” Mother Superior asked? “You mentioned you know of or have met Sister Olga’s brother Sisto Boggian,” I asked. “Yes, the week before Sister Bernadetta, Sister Lucia, and Sister Olga were murdered Senore Belgian’s son Alfonso came to visit his Aunt Sister Bernadetta all the way from Italy, “ she said. “Oh, do you know what the purpose of his visit was by any chance,” I asked? “Yes, Sister Bernadetta was very upset after his visit, “ she said. “Why is that,” I asked. “Sister Bernadette told me that her nephew, Alfonso wanted his Aunt to change her will which upon her death transferred all the family properties in Padua, Italy to her younger brother Senore Sisto Boggian,” she said. “What interest did the nephew Alfonso have in the estate and family riches,” I asked? “Apparently, the nephew Alfonso was deep in debt as a result of his gambling and he wanted Sister Bernadetta to change her will to include him in a portion of the family estates and riches, “ she said. “I see he is in financial trouble then and he wanted his aunt to help him out by changing her will,” I said. “May I ask you Mother Superior do you believe that this man Christian Buoy Claude was really the killer of the nuns,” I asked? “No, Christian used to hang around the convent. He was a mentally challenged your man, naïve and often unable to care for himself. We gave him odd jobs and free food because we all felt sorry for him. He was a Tutsi and was hit in the head by a club from a rebel Hutu when he was a child and it caused brain damage and he was never the same after that,” she said. “I read that Christian was caught with keys to the convent on him and one of the Nun’s cell phone,” I said.

“That is either the dumbest murderer even or someone put him up to taking the keys and cell phone,” I said. “The police seemed convinced because he is a simple man and a Tutsi and could not really defend himself. He made for an easy solution to a major massacre for the local 42

officials that were under pressure from the President of Burundi and the Vatican,” she said. “In my heart I do not believe this simple minded man could have done this at all,” she said. “Where is he now Mother Superior,” I asked? “I think he was put in a mental hospital for examination, “ she responded. “Do your think it would be possible for me to interview Christian in the hospital Mother Superior,” I asked? “I imagine it might be possible if I ask a favor of the local Police,” she said. “You must take Matata since he can drive and he personally knows Christian,” she said. “This will be our secret,” I said. “Yes, it troubles me that no resolution ever came from our dear sisters deaths that seemed to have no meaning. There was no theft or destruction of property, just the brutal killing of three beloved nuns, “ she continued. “Would you please make arrangements with the local police for me to go to the mental hospital and interview Christian to hear his side of the story,” I asked? ‘Yes, yes I will contact the local police today on your behalf and mine and I will ask Matata to drive you to the hospital after we receive permission,” she said with great sadness on her face. “ I hope that we will get to the bottom of this situation and resolve who the real killer or killers are to put our minds at rest and to satisfy the political powers that be,” I remarked.

“It seems strange that, Alfonso the Nephew, would travel all the way to Africa to ask his Aunt, that he had not every seen before, to change her will,” I said. “Yes I believe Sister Bernadette was surprised and angry at the same time that her nephew would challenge his father’s right to the family estates and riches. “Why were the family estates and riches in Sister Bernadette’s name and not in her brother Sisto’s name, “ I asked. “Sister Bernadette parents died when she was young and they left the estates to her because she was the oldest child at the time and her 43

younger brother was too young to inherit the family fortune. Soon after her parents death she became a Nun and orally agreed that her brother would manage the estates and family fortunes so long as she was in Africa as a nun. The issue had never come up before between her brother Sisto and her,” Mother Superior commented.

Chapter 8- A Visit to The Neuropsychiatric Centre of Kamenge

Several weeks after my talk with Mother Superior regarding my real mission at the convent, she managed to get permission for me to visit Christian at the local mental hospital in Kamenge, Bujumbura. Matata drove me to the Neuropsychiatric Centre of Kamenge near our convent early in the morning to meet with the NPCK director Hyppolite Manirakiza regarding Christian Butoyi Claude. Director Manirakiza was a brother of the Congregation of the Brothers of Charity that had a worldwide organization. As we arrived at the NPCK which was a little north of the convent and only a few miles away, we were welcomed by Hyppolite Manirakiza who was a gentle overweight, short African man with dark skin, and short cut hair and horn rimmed glasses. He was wearing a white lab coat over a shirt, tie and slacks. “Habari, Hyppolite,” I said. “Nzuri,” he responded. “No need to be so formal speaking Swahili, I speak English also,” he said. “Thank you,” I responded. “I am here to interview Christian Butoy Claude who was accused of murdering three nuns last year in September 2014. “Ah, yes, I know the young man well. He has been a very non-violent quiet patient the past year. He is brain damaged from a child-hood injury 44

you know, “ He said. “Come let us sit down in my office and talk,” he responded. Mother Superior told me she was never satisfied that Christian Butoy Claude was responsible for these horrible murders. He was too simple of a man who never threatened or hurt anyone when he hung around the convent,” she said. “Yes, I agree but the evidence seems to make him guilty,” he said. “Christian changes his story from day to day,” Hyppolite said. “He has never told the same story twice over the past year,” he said. “The police said he told them he owned the land on which the Covent was built, “ I remarked. “Ah, yes, another fairy tale,” he said. “Christian has never owned anything in his entire life. His parents were killed by Hutus and he was clubbed in the head and left for dead,” Hyppolite said. “What is your opinion as Director of the Hospital,” I asked? “I don’t think we will ever know,” he said. “Someone gave him the cell phone and the keys and perhaps paid him to make up a story. He never could have gotten the keys because the nuns wore them around their waist in a belt, “ he said.

I am having an attendant bring Christian into the interview room for you to talk to. Keep your assistant with you. What is his name? “ He asked. “Matata is his name,” I answered. “You and Matata can go into the interview room now, Christian will be here shortly,” he said. We went into a brightly lit room with many windows and a center table and padded executive style chairs. “Well the moment of truth,” I told Matata. “Yes, Sister, he was a good but simple man when I knew him, “Matata said. Just then an attendant brought Christian into the room and sat him down in a chair. He was dressed in a simple baggy pants and matching shirt that you see in prisons and state institutions. “Good morning Christian, “I said, Hujambo. He responded in Swahili sijambo (I am fine).” Can you speak any English,” I asked. He responded, “No.” Ok, no 45

problem. Matata will translate for me in Swahili. “Unazungumza Kiswahili (Do you speak Swahili),” I asked him. “Yes,” he replied. “Matata will you help translate for me,” I asked? Christian was short and very thin with a distorted looking face. A huge depression stood out in the side of his head, evidence of the blow he took from a club when he was a child. He looked down at the floor the whole time never seeking eye contact and barely speaking loud enough to be heard. “Matata, tell him I am Sister Angelina from the Kamenge convent and I am his friend,” I said. “Yes Sister,” he replied. Christian seemed to smile when learned I was a nun I noticed. “How are you feeling today,” I asked him? Matata translated for me. “Do you still keep Christ in your heart,” I asked? He replied, ”He prayed everyday to Jesus to take him away.” “Do you remember your friends Sisters Olga, Lucia and Bernadetta at the convent,” I asked. “ I do not remember anything,” he responded. “Why is that,” I asked? “Too many drugs, I cannot think or remember,” he said. “God will forgive you if you tell me did you hurt the Sisters, I pleaded” “No he said, bad men hurt them,” he said. “Who were these bad men Christian,” I asked. “Hutu,” he responded. He began to get very agitated and started banging his head on the table. “Matata call the attendant, I think Christian is not feeling well at this time.” “Yes Sister,” he responded. Minutes later the attendant came in and removed Christian. “Well, I did not learn a lot,” I told Matata. “It is obvious that he is not aware of reality and is in his own little world,” I said. “I was hoping we would learn something new and all we learned was that some Hutu men were responsible, not Christian,” I said. “Let’s go back to the convent, Matata,” I asked. “Yes, Sister,” was his response. “What do you think of Christian, Matata? You once knew him,” I asked. “He is not well sister I think,” Matata said. The drive back to the convent was short and I reported to Mother Superior what I had learned which was very little. 46

Chapter 9- The Boggian Vineyards

“Seniore Boggian your son Alfonse is here to see you,” said the butler Filippe. “Send him in Filippe, please, “ Seniore replied. “I am on the balcony having some wine,” Seniore Boggian called out. “Good morning father,” Alfonso said. “How was your trip to Monte Carlo, Alfonso,” Seniore Boggian inquired. “It was wonderful father,” Alfonso responded. “Francisca and I had a wonderful time at the casinos and the hotel,” he said. “How is the wine vintage this year,” Alfonso asked? “It is good my son,” said Seniore Boggian. “Father I need a million Euros to pay off the Casinos in Monte Carlo. I won a lot of money at first and then I lost it to the tune of almost a million Euros to several casinos in Monte Carlo. I had to borrow against our well known name in the wine industry father,” Alfonso said. “ I knew you had come for some reason Alfonso other than to tell me I make good wine, “ senior Boggian remarked. I cannot give you a million Euros Alfonso even if I wanted to,” remarked Seniore Boggian. Most of my cash reserved are invested to shipping our wines overseas and developing new varieties of wine that will sell well in Europe and the USA,“ Senior Boggian said. “What about all the money and estates you inherited after Aunt Bernadetta was killed last year? I know she gave you everything and me nothing,” Alfonso said. “Nothing changed, Sister Bernadetta and I have an agreement to keep the vineyards in the family for generations to come. You showed no interest in the wine industry and decided to go your own way,” Senior Boggian remarked. In fact, since your mother died you have done nothing but spend money, first you allowance, then your investments you 47

sold, then your stocks and now you have nothing, “ said Seniore Boggian. “You even went behind my back to my sister Bernadette in Burundi, Africa to try and convince her to change her will to no avail,” he said. “Oh you knew about my trip to Africa Father,” Alfonso asked? “Yes, you fooled no one my son,” Seniore Boggian remarked. “Now you are in debt over your head to the casinos in Monte Carlo my son,” Senior Boggian commented. “When is all the spending going to stop Alfonso,” he asked? “I have a good mind to take you out of the will after I die to protect the vineyards for generations to come,” Senior Boggian stated. “You wouldn’t do that to your own son, would you father,” he asked? “I can put the estates, vineyards and all the money in a trust account to keep the corporation operating until your son, if you ever have one, or some descendent of our Boggian family can take over the business,” Seniore Boggian threatened. “I am your only son father, would you cheat me out of my inheritance, asked Alfonso? “Yes, my son in a heartbeat, because I cannot trust you with money,” Seniore Boggian responded. “I will take you to court if I have to,” Alfonso challenged. “ So be it my son, but you will get nowhere,” Seniore Boggian exclaimed. “Everyone in this valley and all across Italy and Monte Carlo know you are a gambler addicted to spending money,” Senior Boggian shouted. “Do not raise your voice to me my son or I will throw you out on your ass,” Senior Boggian exclaimed. “You will live to regret this father,” Alfonso exclaimed as he stomped out of the room.

(Kamenge Convent, Sisters Of Mary, Bujumbura, Burundi, Africa) 48

Mother Superior I met with Christian at the hospital and he does not look well. All he could tell me is that two Hutu men gave him the keys and cell phone and that they murdered the nuns, not him. The hospital administrator, a member of the Brothers of Charity, told me that Christian changes his story on a daily basis. He said that we might never know what really happened, however, he felt after a year of observation that Christian was not a violent man and was not capable of extreme violence as in the case of our sisters at the convent. The police however, will not accept that as the facts since they caught Christian with evidence pointing to the fact that he was involved either as an accessory or a murder, “ I told Mother Superior. “We may never know the real reason for the massacre sister Angelina,” Mother Superior stated. “Thank you for your intervention, it has always plagued me in my sleep and daily thoughts as to what happened and how we might have prevented it, “ she said. “I was away that day you know, Kathryn, Louise Elaine and Margarette all accompanied me as we visited the outlying tribal villages,” she whispered. (Crying) “I should have protected them somehow, I blame myself, God forgive me,” she exclaimed. “Forgive me for this outburst sister,” Mother Superior explained.

A month later one of the Hutu woman that we helped came to Mother Superior and told her of three Hutu men in her tribal village that got drunk one night and bragged that they killed the sisters as revenge for sheltering and turning their runaway wives against them. They also said they fooled some guy into letting them into the convent since he knew where an emergency set of keys were hidden. Later the police blamed the killings on the poor guy that did not any better. When Mother Superior heard this story she got the names and turned them into the police. Their names were Tumbuka Nkruma, Simisola Oluwaseyi, Opeyemi Omobolanle, and Nwanneka 49

Nkiruka. That night the police went to the out country to the Hutu village to find these men only to find out that Tumbuka Kkruma was killed a month ago in a hit and run car accident. Simisola and Opeyemi fled the village when they heard the Police were looking for them and disappeared into the brush. Nwanneka Nkiruka sped away in his car and the Police gave chase in the darkness of the night. A water buffalo crossed the road on which N Nwanneka was speeding away from the police. He swerved to avoid the water buffalo and drove right into a tree straight on and was decapitated as he flew through the windshield from the impact. The police chasing after him found him on the ground after the crash.

The following morning a police escort drove into the convent courtyard. The Police chief Abimbola Karamira personally visited Mother Superior to tell her two of the potential killers were dead and accounted for, one was killed in a hit and run a month ago and the second tried to escape in his car and crashed into a tree in the middle of the night. Two have escaped so the Police Chief is providing two police to stand guard at the convent until the two Hutu men are captured. “We are looking for Simisola Oluwaseyi and Opeyemi Omobolanle in the bush country outside of the capital Bujumbura area and are hopeful they can track them down without a car to escape with, “ Police chief Karamira explained. “Thank you Chief Karamira, we are most grateful, and God Bless you and your men,” Mother Superior said. “I will leave two of my men as guards for you and the sisters and your staff until we capture these men Mother Superior,” the chief said. 50

Everyone in the convent was tense knowing two Hutu men were loose fleeing the police for a possible murder of nuns at the Kamenge Convent a year ago. Mother Superior has the sisters and staff all alerted and all the doors were locked all day and night. No one was to give out their keys to anyone to keep the buildings secure. At prayer in the chapel in the church in the morning, afternoon and evening we had to lock the door from the inside during services.

Two weeks later Police Chief Karamira came to the convent again to report to Mother Superior that the two men Simisola Oluwaseyi and Opeyemi Omobolanle had been captured hiding in bush country. They were taken into custody and return to the Police jail in Bujumbura. “We have questioned the suspects extensively Mother Superior,” he said. “We caught them with a total of 500 Euros each on them. They said a white man paid them to kill Sister Bernadetta Boggian, but when they entered the convent another nun, Sister Lucia Pulici was there so they were forced to kill her to cover up the fact that she witnessed them enter the convent with knives. After they killed both nuns, another nun accidently came into the convent church to pray, and they had to kill her to cover up their murders. They had planned to bury the knifes, but they ran into Christian while they were exiting the church, and gave him the keys of the convent to hold, and one of the nuns cell phones. Since Christian seemed dumb to them, he seemed like the perfect fall guy for the murders. All four of the men were paid $500 Euros each. Simisola and Opeyemi did not know what Tumbuka and Nwanneka did with their money. Tumbuka was the man who fled in a car and crashed it into a tree and no money was found on his body. Neanneka was killed a month earlier by a hit and run incident while he was walking along the side of the road at night. “So Mother Superior, Christian is innocent and will be freed from the mental hospital. We regret that we arrested the wrong man. I hope you will forgive us,” the police chief said. “We are 51

delighted that you finally solved the murders Chief Karamira,” said Mother Superior. “You have taken a burden off of my mind,” Mother Superior said. “What we don’t know Mother Superior is who the European white man was and why he wanted to kill an innocent nun,” Chief Karamira said. “In time I am sure the whole mystery will unravel,” Mother Superior exclaimed. “May God go with you Police Chief Karamira,” Mother Superior said, as she saw the Chief off.

Later that day Mother Superior and I met and she revealed to me all the terrible details of the men that were caught and the ones that were killed. Together we tried to figure out why a white man would want to kill sister Bernadette Boggian, but we could not come up with an answer. “I will talk with each of the sisters and see if anyone knows of a white man who had a grudge against Sister Bernadette,” Mother Superior said. “We are grateful for your support Sister Angelina and I hope you will continue working with us here at the convent,” Mother Superior stated. “We have ¾ of the whole story Mother Superior and perhaps my CIA superiors can investigate what we know further to find a solution,” I said? “That would be wonderful Sister Angelina, “ Mother Superior exclaimed. “May Jesus be with you this day sister, “ Mother Superior said. “? And you also Mother Superior,” I said.

The next day Swami came with the food supplies for the week and I slipped him a note telling the CIA what we learned about four Hutu men being hired to kill Sister Bernadette Boggian by a white man, perhaps European. I asked my superiors if they could try to track this white man that was around a week before Sister Bernadette was killed along with two of her sisters. I personally felt I was at a dead end because I did not have the means to investigate this case further. At least 52

Christian was soon to be released if his mental condition improved. He was an innocent man that was taken advantage of because he was a dumb person. We prayed for Christian in our prayers that evening and for the departed sisters who had been murdered a year ago. The mention of the nuns’ names brought many a tear to many of the nun’s eyes during Evening Prayer. It was a moment that I felt both joy and sadness for the nuns who only wanted to serve in the name of Jesus. I would have to be patient and see how God’s plan worked out in the end for these hard working and dedicated nuns.

Chapter 10- Fitting the Pieces Together

(Padua, Italy, summer of 2015)

“Excuse me seniore, do you know of a Seniore Alfonso Boggian, “ a stranger asked a local peddler? “Yes seniore, he lives in an apartment on the top of that hill over there about four blocks from here,” the peddler commented. “Thank you seniore,” the stranger said. The stranger got into a black limo, and drove off toward Alfonso’s apartment. The stranger was in fact a strong arm collections agent hired by the Monte Carlo casinos to collect the one million Euros Alfonso owed them. When he got to the apartment house he rang the bell to enter but no one was home. Francisca was out shopping at the time, and Alfonso was having his car repaired in downtown Padua. The stranger waited outside the apartment in his black limo for hours until Alfonso returned home. When Alfonso pulled up to park in front of his apartment , he noticed the new limo parked in front of his apartment. The windows of the limo were all darkened and he could not see who was inside, but the license plates were from Rome, and were not local plates. 53

Alfonso got out of his car and began to walk toward his apartment when the stranger got out of the car with a gun in his hand and said, “Seniore Alfonso, I have a message for you from all the casinos in Monte Carlo, pay up or die,” the stranger shouted. Just then the gun went off, and Alfonso ducked behind a car, and ran back to his car as the stranger chased him. He turned on his car, and put the car in reverse to get as far away from the stranger as he could. The car spun around as he cut the wheel sharply to the left, and he drove off as fast as he could as bullets hit his car in the trunk. Looking in his rearview mirror, Alfonso could see the stranger getting into his limo, and beginning to chase after him. Alfonso drove as fast as he could to his father’s estate where the outer gate was locked and would admit only family and friends. As Alfonso approached the gate he keyed in the security code, and the gate opened. He drove in and the gate automatically closed after him. When he got to his father’s mansion he ran into the house to talk with his father. “Father, father, the casinos from Monte Carlo have sent a hit man to get their money or shoot me,” Alfonso yelled out loud. Meahwhile, Seniore Sisto Boggian was relaxing by the pool when Alfonso came running onto the pool deck. “What is the matter, Alfonso,” he asked? I have a hit man on my tail from the casinos in Monte Carlo seeking money. I am broke father,” Alfonso cried out. “Calm down, calm down my son, this hit man cannot get past the locked gate with his car. I will ask Guiseppe to let out the dogs to roam the yard. “Here sit down, and have a drink, Alfonso,” his father said.

Meanwhile, the hit man realizing the gate to the estates was locked decided to sit, and wait until Alfonso came out from hiding. He called his superiors back in Monte Carlo to report that he had found Alfonso and that he was hiding on his father’s estate behind a locked gate. The hit man’s 54

superiors told him to bring back the money owed them approximately which was about one million Euros, or bring back Alfonso’s body. Alfonso had used the wine vineyards as collateral for some of his loans, but the Casinos had discovered somehow that he owned no interest in the vineyards at all. This oversight had cost one Casino supervisor his job, and now drastic action had to be taken by all the Casinos in Monte Carlo to recover the money Alfonso them.

“Father what am I going to do, Alfonso cried out loud? “You created this problem yourself, and now you come to me to bail you out,” his father exclaimed. “You are going to have to solve this problem by yourself,” Alfonso’s father stated. “Take the old Jeep and leave by the vineyard exit where the hit man cannot see you,” his father said. “Thank you father,” Alfonso exclaimed as he ran to get the old jeep and drove it away to safety. As he was driving away, Alfonso knew he could not go back to his apartment. He called his girlfriend on his cell phone. “Francisca, do not go back to the apartment, a hit man is waiting to kill us from the Monte Carlo casinos. Call me back,” he said. Alfonso drove off into the country to hide at a friend’s villa high in the mountains until the hit man stopped pursuing him.

The following week a CIA operative arrived in Padua to talk to Seniore Boggian about the murder of his older sister Bernadetta Boggian, and the recent revelations our od Burundi concerning the four Hutu men hired to kill her by a European white man who’s identity was unknown. The CIA operative’s job was two fold, to inform Senior Boggian as a favor, regarding his older sister, and to inquire if anyone had a grudge against his older sister that would want to have her murdered. Upon arriving in Padua the CIA operative by the name of Harold Sweeting 55

checked in at a hotel in downtown Padua. He had just flown from Washington, D.C., and was tired from jet lag. His plan was to rent a car and drive out to the Boggian’s vineyards on the outskirts of Padua. He had been informed by his superiors of the details involving the recent capture of the Hutu men in Bujumbura, Burundi. This mission had top priority because the Vatican Holy See wanted answers, as well as the CIA who worried about Hutu and Tutsi conflicts in Africa.

Francisca got Alfonso’s message on her cell phone, and called him back. She was afraid to go back to their apartment for fear of being shot, so she went to a girlfriend’s house to hide until Alfonso called her, and told her all was well. Alfonso was in fear for his life. His debts had finally forced his casino creditors, to whom he owed almost a million Euros, to take drastic steps to recover their money. His plan was to hide out at an abandoned Shepherd’s shack back in the hills of Padua. He had to figure out a way to pay back the casinos.

Back in Kamenge Convent things were normal. Only Mother Superior and Sister Angelina knew that some of the mystery of the murder of the three nuns had been solved. What still remained a mystery was who was the white European man who paid off the killers? Sister Angelina prayed for guidance and a solution to the murders. She knew the CIA had sent an agent to Italy to speak with Seniore Boggian to find out any additional clues regarding the case. Meanwhile, she would just have to be patient and wait to hear the results from her contact Swami. 56

The Casino henchman meanwhile was searching Padua for Alfonso, and waiting outside the Boggian vineyards to see if Alfonso entered or left the house. It was just a matter of time before he closed in on Alfonso. He would wait patiently until he sighted Alfonso. His employers want results, and not excuses, so he would sit, and wait until Alfonso made a mistake and showed himself.

The next day Jake Dremmen, the CIA agent rented a car and drove out to see Seniore Boggian. Upon arrival he noticed the black car parked outside the gate when he arrived. He said to himself, someone is staking out the house. I wonder who and what for? As Jake pulled up to the Iron Gate he pushed the intercom button and said, “ Mr. Dremmen for Seniore Boggian.” The person on the intercom answered, yes, come on in, the gate will open slowly. Jake drove up the long driveway to the two-story house with a circular driveway in front. As he got out of his car a butler met him at the door. “Good morning Sir, Senior Boggian is waiting for you on the breakfast patio, just this way,” the butler commented. The butler showed Jake to a beautiful stone patio surrounded by grape bushes and flowers over looking the pool. “Good morning Senior Boggian,” Jake said. Seniore Boggian replied with “Buongiorno Mr. Dremmen, how may I help you? Seniore Boggian said. “As you know I am here as an unofficial representative of the Vatican Holy See and an official CIA field agent sir,” Jake replied. “I have been sent here to update you as to the investigation we have launched in Burundi regarding the murder of your older sister Bernadetta Boggian. “Ah I see, sit down Mr. Dremmen, Coffee?” Senior Boggian replied. “Yes, coffee would be nice, thank you Seniore Boggian,” Jake commented. “Let me get down to business Seniore Boggian and tell you what we have done and what we have learned to 57

date,” Jake said. “As you know we placed a Nun working for the CIA as a field agent in the Kamenge Convent with the Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary to secure an information about the murders from the inside,” Jake commented. After many months we were able to determine several Hutu men hired by a white man did the vicious murders. The police caught a simple man with limited mental ability from a childhood head injury with the keys to the convent and one of the nuns cell phone. They were eager to close the case and they charged the young man of 33 years of age and had him committed to a local mental hospital. The case went cold after that. Our field agent Sister Angelina discovered that four Hutu men who abused their wives had a hatred for the nuns for hiding their runaway wives. Their names were researched by the CIA and it was determine that one was killed in a freak hit and run accident a month before. Another man when approached by some of our CIA operatives fled in a car and ended up smashing into a tree in the middle of the night. The two remaining men in the same Hutu village fled into the bush and hid there for two weeks. With the help of the local police and the CIA we caught these two Hutu men hiding miles away in bush country. They were returned for questioning. We were able to get a confession out of them that a European white man came to the Kamenge Convent in Bujumbura the capitol of Burundi in August of 2014 and paid them $500 euros each to kill Sister Bernadette Boggian. The white man did not explain the reason for the planned killing they confessed, and a week later they made their move in the darkness of night. The four killers found Sister Bernadette and Sister Olga Raschietti in the Convent praying. They killed both of them with a knife and were getting ready to flea when a third nun entered the Convent chapel and saw them after they had killed the two nuns. She ran out and called someone, but before anyone could respond the killers followed the nun and killed her in the convent office. Leaving the three 58

nuns dead they began to run from the convent courtyard when they stumbled upon a simple man called Christian. They gave him the Convent keys they had taken and one of the nun’s cell phones and fled into the dark of night. Christian did not know why they had given him the keys in the middle of the night and the cell phone and because he was a simple man he went to sleep under a tree in the courtyard as he had always done before. The next morning the murders were discovered and the Police were called. The first person they found was Christian who had the convent Keys and a nun’s cell phone and he could not explain where he got them. He was arrested and charged and the police deemed the case closed,” Jake concluded.

“The two Hutu men are still in jail, and Christian may be released soon if his mental condition improves,” Jake said. “What we seek now is a clue to whom the white European man might be that visited Sister Bernadette a week before the murders,” Jake inquired. “From what the surviving nuns and Mother Superior told us is that Sister Bernadette seemed to know the white man who visited her. They were heard arguing in the convent when he spoke with Sister Bernadette,” Jake commented. “What we don’t know is who is this white man, and what was his purpose for visiting Sister Bernadette,” Jake asked. “You say a white man visited Sister Bernadette,” Seniore Boggian asked? “Yes, white and not from Burundi, is all we know,” Jake said. “Recently I had an argument with my son Alfonso Boggian regarding his money problems with the Casinos in Monte Carlo,” Senior Boggian said. “I am aware that Alfonso went behind my back and went to my sister Bernadette and asked her for money to help him pay back the Casinos in Monte Carlo. I believe that was in August sometime in 2014,” Seniore Boggian said. “Jesus Christ, I hope my son did not have anything to do with the murders of the three nuns in 59

Burundi,” Senior Boggian replied with fear in his voice. “Did your sister Bernadette have any money as a nun,” Jake asked? “No, but she was the oldest of all the children when our parents died she was left with the entire estate and vineyards by my parents,” Senior Boggian said. “Under a mutual arrangement when my sister Bernadette joined the Sisters of Mary Order, in Padua, she gave me all legal rights to run the vineyards, and keep the estate of my parents,” Senior Boggian said. “Well if Sister Boggian did not have any money how could your son get any money from her,” Jake asked. “He couldn’t without her changing her will,” Seniore Boggian said. “Oh, she had a will did she,” asked Jake? “What did the will provide for if I may ask,” Jake said? “All the estates and vineyards and any bank accounts would be given to me,” Senior Boggian said. “That still doesn’t give your son any money, however,” Jake commented. “This is true, but that never stopped Alfonso before since he was desperate to pay the casinos in Monte Carlo back or they might send someone to collect one way or another,” Senior Boggian commented. “So if Alfonso flew all the way to Burundi, met with his Aunt Bernadette, argued and flew back to Italy, what does they say,” Jake inquired? “I do not know Mr. Dremmen,” Seniore Boggian responded. “That is strange, then the murder of Sister Bernadette would not benefit your son Alfonso in any way, unless of course you were also murdered. Who inherits the vineyards and estate,” Jake summarized? “Alfonso would inherit all of the Boggian vineyards, the estate and the bank accounts when I die,” Senior Boggian declared. “That means if Alfonso was really desperate, then you could be in danger Senior Boggian,” Jake said. “I cannot believe my son Alfonso would have his Aunt Killed and his father also just to get money to pay back the Monte Carlo Casinos,” Senior Boggian exclaimed. “I know we do not see eye to eye, and he is lazy, but a murder, Jesus, I do not believe it,” Senior Boggian said. “The facts seem to indicate 60

Senior Boggian that you could be in danger if your son is desperate for money to pay back his bills to the casinos,” Jake commented. “How much does he owe the casinos Senior Boggian,” Jake asked. “ I think he said somewhere around a million euros to several Monte Carlo casinos,” Seniore Boggian declared. “Wow that is a lot of money, one million euros, that might be incentive enough to kill both you and your sister to inherit the Boggian vineyards and estates,” Jake exclaimed.

“What do you recommend Mr. Dremmen,” Senior Boggian asked? “I don’t know, I will have to contact my superiors first.” Let me ask you, did you notice a black executive car parked outside your main gate this morning as I drove in,” Jake asked. “Yes, Mr. Dremmen, the black car showed up on the closed circuit video. Who is in the car,” Senior Boggian asked? “I am not sure but he must be someone casing the place or looking for your son Alfonso,” Jake said. “Does your son Alfonso have a cell phone Seniore Boggian,” Jake asked. “Yes, he has a cell phone. Do you want the cell phone number,” Seniore Boggian asked? “Yes, we need to find out where he is and whether he is in hiding from the casino recovery agents or not,” Jake said. “Where does Alfonso live Seniore Boggian,” Jake asked. “He lives in an apartment in downtown Padua,” Senior Boggian replied. “Ok, let me get back to my superiors and see what they want to do regarding this situation,” Jake said. “Your son Alfonso seems to be our number one suspect Senior Boggian, but I am afraid he is on the run if the casino collection agents are chasing him for their money,” Jake said. “I have to get back to Padua and call my superiors in our CIA office in Rome and see how they want to handle this situation,” Jake said. “Meanwhile, I want you to be very careful Senior Boggian. Do not go out in your car alone and stay away from Padua for now until 61

we get a handle on this situation,” Jake commented. “I will call you later today or tomorrow as soon as I hear from my superiors in Rome, “ Jake stated. “Thank you Mr. Dremmen and I hope we can find Alfonso before anything serious develops,” Seniore Boggian commented.

Jake was off to Padua to make a call to the CIA office at the USA Embassy in Rome. All arrows seem to point to Seniore Boggian’s son Alfonso having motive, and desire to get money at any means necessary, Jake thought to himself. When he got back to his room in Padua he called Rome on a secure line he had in his room. “Hello Mr. Sauer, this is Field Agent Jake Dremmen in Padua, Italy calling on a secure line,” Jake said. “Yes, I hear you Jake,” Mr. Sauer responded. “How is the investigation going in Padua,” Mr. Sauer asked? “I think the son of Seniore Boggian might be involved. He owes the Monte Carlo Casinos around one million Euros, and was seen visiting his Aunt Sister Bernadette Boggian in Burundi a week before the killings in early September 2014,” Jake reported. “All right where is this son of Seniore Boggian now,” Mr. Sauer asked? “His name is Alfonso Boggian, and he is in hiding because a Casino enforcer has arrived in Padua, and is tracking him down for the money he owes the casinos,” Jake commented. “Well put all of our resources on this, I want this guy Alfonso brought in for questioning immediately. Is that understood? Mr. Sauer commanded.” “OK, I am already looking for him but the enforcer is trailing me also hoping I will lead him to Alfonso,” Jake said. “Get rid of him right away,” Mr. Sauer said.

After a week had gone by the enforcer from the Monte Carlo casinos began to think about giving up searching for Alfonso Boggian. He called his superiors and reported that Alfonso had 62

disappeared, and probably fled Padua. His superiors were so upset that they told him that if he did not find Alfonso, he was fired. They told him to check the airlines, buses and train stations for Alfonso’s name, and not to come back until he found Alfonso.

Chapter 11- Escape to Switzerland

Meanwhile, the CIA has the same thought. If Alfonso was fleeing, he had to take a car, train, plane or bus to flee Padua. They set out in the Rome CIA office to electronically track Alfonso, to see if he used his name with a credit card to book a plane, train, or bus. If he took his own car then the only evidence might be if he used a credit card to buy gas outside of Padua. Agent Jake Dremmen researched the local train station, and the bus station. He got a hit on Alfonso buying a train ticket to Switzerland a few days before. Jake called the main CIA office in Rome in the USA Embassy to inform them he had evidence that Alfonso bought two tickets to Switzerland, which means he took his girlfriend with him. Immediately the CIA office in Rome began tracking Alfonso to determine where in Switzerland he was headed. A week later a credit card was used in Alfonso Boggian’s name at the Benedictine Monastery St. Johnann in Mustair. Mustair was located near the border of Switzerland.

Agent Dremmen was dispatched immediately to the Benedictine Monastery of St. Johnann in Mustair, Switzerland to track Alfonso Boggian down. A government jet was provided to allow agent Dremmen quick access to the Benedictine Monastery in Switzerland. By the time agent 63

Dremmen got to the Monastery, Alfonso had already checked out. The trail had come to a dead end for the time being. Jake checked into the Benedictine Monastery for the night, hoping to hear something in the morning from the CIA office in Rome. The trail had gone cold for a while. Jake tried to figure where in a days travel Alfonso could have traveled, especially if he did not have unlimited cash funds. One oversight Jake had made was in not finding out the name of Alfonso’s girlfriend before he left Padua. It was possible that Alfonso was using his girlfriend’s credit cards to avoid detection electronically?

The following morning after a hearty breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and coffee, Jake made a cell phone call to the CIA office in Rome. They had no further information on Alfonso at that time. Jake’s supervisor suggested checking the local train station again by showing a photo of Alfonso to the ticket agents. That was all they had to go on at that time. Jake was a little upset that he had come so far only to have Alfonso slip away. 64

SKY MASTERS

By Dr. Pelham K. Mead III (c) Western Writers Association

Summary: This is a science fiction story of men and women that modify their DNA in order to survive and grow wings to fly and create cities in the skies over radiated Earth.  All the politicians and rich left in space ships after the nuclear wars of 5005 leaving behind the less fortunate and poor on Earth. Fortunately, Scientists learned to modify the human DNA with that of birds of prey to save most of the people on Earth. Others became mutants from the radiation and millions died that could not survive.

 

ACT ONE- THE NUCLEAR MISCOMMUNICATION

SCENE 1- INT. DAY- THE PALACE OF PRESIDENT TIEGO MUAGI OF THE AFRICAN COUNTRY OF BOTSWANA

1

2

FADE IN:

AZUEL (45) VICE PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA President Tiego, President Bakomito of the Congo is threatening to wipe out the country of Botswana with his nuclear missiles.

TIEGO MUAGI, (60) PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA I’ll be dammed before I let that idiot Balomito of the Congo, blow up my country. Tell the Generals to ready the nuclear missiles aimed toward the Congo.

When I get done with them they will only be known as the hole in Africa.

AZUEL Yes, Mr. President. I will give the order immediately. The red button switch is next to your communicator sir.

TIEGO MUAGI, Yes I see it. Inform me when the missiles are ready.

FADE OUT. Meanwhile hundreds of miles away up the African coast north of Botswana at the Municipal building for the President of the Congo. 2.

PRESIDENT BALOMITO (55) CONGO Ikolo what have my generals determined regarding the Botswana nuclear missiles?

IKOLO, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CONGO (45) VICE PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA Our satellites tell us that Botswana is arming it’s missiles, and aiming them toward the Congo as we speak President Balomito.

PRESIDENT BALOMITO That bastard. Who does Tiego Muagi think he is King of Africa of something? Tell the missile launchers to activate the nuclear missiles and aim them toward Botswana.

GENERAL TITO KABALA (60) CONGO President Bakomito the Botswana President Tiego Muagi has launched a dozen nuclear missiles toward the Congo. We must flee to the bunker Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BALOMITO I am pushing the red button now to fire 24 or our nuclear missiles toward Botswana’s major cities and utilities. Let’s get to the bunker underground quickly. How many minutes do we have?

GENERAL TITO KABALA Six minutes Mr. President. Hurray.

Back at Botswana in the President’s Palace.

AZUEL, VICE PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA.

President Tiego Muagi, I have bad news. The Congo President Bakomito has fired two dozen nuclear missiles at Botswana’s major cities, the palace and all the countries major utilities.

(MORE) 3.

AZUEL, VICE PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA.

We have to run to the underground bunker Mr. President. We have four minutes.

TIEGO MUAGI, PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA Damm, that fool. I thought he was all talk. Now see what he has done. Inform the Army to brace for a nuclear attack. Let’s get to the bunker fast.

AZUEL, VICE PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA.

Follow me Mr. President. We have just a few minutes left.

Five minutes later twelve nuclear clouds are seen over the Congo and twenty four nuclear clouds are seen over Botswana. The explosions are so violent that man, animal and plants are swept off the face of the Earth replaced by sand dunes of nuclear waste. Death is everywhere and not one survives even the Presidents in their bunkers. Radiated air seeps into their bunkers and they and their staff all die of radiation sickness with seared lungs. Black rain begins to fall and sweeps across the land. The black dust from the fallout rises as high as two miles above the land and the sun is completely blocked out.

FADE OUT.

3

SCENE 2- THE ARMY HEADQUARTERS OF ANGOLA, AFRICA. 3

FADE IN:

PRESIDENT SOBA NGENDA (70) ANGOLA General Bagamba what is the emergency you called me to the Central command post for?

GENERAL ABDOURAHIME (55) BOTSWANA ARMY President Soba Ngenda I have extremely bad news.

(MORE) 4.

GENERAL ABDOURAHIME (55)

The President of the Congo has sent many missiles to wipe out Botswana and some of the missiles have veered off course and are headed toward Angola. We have 3-4 minutes to do something as a counter measure Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BALOMITO That monkey face Bakomito. What the hell has he done now? Ready 18 missiles to fire back at the Congo immediately. We will retreat to the Presidential bunker underground in the meantime. Keep me informed.

GENERAL ABDOURAHIME Yes, Mr. President. 18 nuclear missiles activated and directed toward major cities in the Congo and the Municipal Presidential building and all utilities.

BOTSWANA

FADE OUT.

The Congo receives not only the Nuclear missiles from Botswana, but after the first attack of nuclear missiles a second wave hits from Angola. The Congo as a country no longer exists. It is a desert waste-land and no one survives. A nuclear cloud head north toward all west coast countries in Africa and on very deadly cloud heads to Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia military command headquarters a day later.

FADE IN:

GENERAL ASWAMI (66) EGYPT Prime Minister Abarou we have detected a nuclear cloud headed our way at 5,000 feet above sea level. The best we can determine is that several African countries Angola, Congo, and Botswana have released their nuclear missiles at one another and completely wiped out their countries.

Animals, people, and plants are gone.

(MORE) 5.

GENERAL ASWAMI (66) EGYPT (CONT’D)

Destroyed by multiple atomic explosions. What should we do Mr.Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER TOMAS KAWALLER (50) The best we can do is to warn everyone in our country to get gas masks and go indoors or hide underground in municipal buildings.

We cannot stop the cloud from descending on our country. Hurray we must prepare for this disaster.

In Jordan confusion exists.

GENERAL FRANCES GODARDO (55) JORDAN King Farouke the 40th, a nuclear missile is headed toward Jordan and it seems like it is coming from Egypt sir.

KING FAROUKE 40TH (35) JORDAN Egypt? What the hell are they doing? We have no quarrel with them. Call the Prime Minister of Egypt immediately.

GENERAL FRANCES GODARDO King Farouke, we do not have but 4 minutes or less to get to a protected area such as your bunker. If we do not hurray we may be all killed by the explosions by nuclear radiation. We need to run and maybe you can take the call from the Egypt Prime Minister there?

KING FAROUKE 40TH Inform my family and personal guard we are to flee to the King’s bunker.

FADE OUT.

Four minutes later two misguided missiles hit Jordan and the country becomes a desert waste-land unlike any seen before in the history of man kind. Sand storms of black dust and sand rip across all of Jordan killing everything in it’s path from radiation dust. 6.

Meanwhile in Italy, the Prime Minister is in a special meeting with his associates when the General In Chief of all Italian forces bursts into the room.

FADE OUT.

GENERAL ANTONIO GRANDOSO (45) ITALY Prime Minister, Sir, Egypt and Jordan have disappear off the map according to our satellites. Several African Nations have also disappeared and Atomic clouds have risen into the air two and three miles above the Earth. Several clouds have crossed over the entire African continent already and may be headed toward Spain and Italy and or Greece.

PRIME MINISTER SISTO ALONZO (60) ITALY What? What are you talking about General.

A nuclear war in Africa? What does that have to do with us?

GENERAL ANTONIO GRANDOSO Sir, a cloud of black radiated dust is headed this way killing everything in it’s path, and causing black rain to fall on the Earth, and radiating everything in it’s path.

PRIME MINISTER SISTO ALONZO Whose fault is this cloud?

GENERAL ANTONIO GRANDOSO Egypt or maybe Jordan Sir. No one has survived the nuclear strike. We could send some nuclear missiles back at Jordan or Egypt, but we think they are all dead already.

PRIME MINISTER SISTO ALONZO We must retaliate immediately, and then seek shelter underground.

(MORE) PRIME MINISTER

7. SISTO ALONZO (CONT’D)

Inform the Pope and our Nations leaders to seek cover underground in our subways or municipal buildings. Activate twenty nuclear missiles, and send ten against Jordan and ten against Egypt. Let me know when to push the red button.

One hour later.

GENERAL ANTONIO GRANDOSO The missiles are activated now Mr. Prime minister. You can push the button at any time. Meanwhile, we have but a few hours to seek refuge from the radiated black cloud of dust coming our way. We must rush to open the dormant bunker from centuries before.

PRIME MINISTER SISTO ALONZO Hurray them. Gather my family and the imperial guard. I believe the Vatican has it’s own underground caves to hid in during the cloud assault?

FADE OUT.

Six minutes later Egypt receives a second wave of atomic missiles that kills any survivors from the first attack. Jordan receives more missiles that destroy the Palace and all the cities of Jordan. Mountains become valley wastelands, and desert dunes become crystals of glass from the high heated explosions.

FADE IN:

4

5

ACT TWO- THE UNITED STATES TRIES TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ALL OUT NUCLEAR WAR WORLD WIDE.

SCENE 1- INT. DAY- THE OVAL ROOM IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

FADE IN:

Vice President George Marshall is a career politician. He is short and overweight with a balding head and wears thin rimmed glasses.

4

5 8.

GEORGE MARSHALL (55) VICE PRESIDENT OF USA Mr. President we have a world-wide catastrophe in nuclear wars beginning in Africa, and spreading to Italy and Europe and even South America in Brazil. Errant nuclear missiles and bombs have landed in different countries everywhere. We have to protect ourselves and our population if Russia or China get involved. It is only a matter of time before they are attacked and our Generals tell me that Russia will blame us and China also.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND (66) USA George, We have known for centuries that one day some third world country with nuclear missiles or bombs would make a mistake and attack another country and then it would escalate from there. We cannot sit and wait to be attacked. Tell the Military to go to depcom 3 immediately. Prepare all bombers on stay-by and activate all missile cruisers and submarines. We can all least provide some counter-measures even if we cannot stop all the nuclear missiles and bombers from reaching the United States.

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA Yes, Mr. President. I will alert the Joint Chiefs of Staff immediately. You had better gather up your wife and family and head down to the White House bunker.

FADE OUT.

Several hours later in the White House bunker.

FADE IN: 9.

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA

(CONT’D) Mr. President several nuclear missiles struck Los Angeles and San Francisco and another batch struck Virginia near the CIA headquarters. It is possible Washington, D.C., will be hit next.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND What about the counter-measures we took?

GEORGE MARSHALL Yes, they worked but the missiles and bombers kept coming like ants to honey. We don’t even know where half of the missiles are coming from sir. All hell has broken loose and our defenses are in ruins.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND What are our options George?

GEORGE MARSHALL Well sir, we are defenseless after all our nuclear missiles and bombs are gone. American and all of the other countries will be nuclear desert wastelands where no human can survive, or plant or animal.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND What the hell are we going to do?

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA Mr. President, do you remember Operation Star Bound? It was a scenario when all hope to saving the country was lost and our country’s scientists and leaders needed to survive.

(MORE) 10. GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA

Remember you set into motion four years ago the development of reserve interspaceships to evacuate a small number of leaders, military and civilians?

FADE OUT.

6

7

ACT THREE- THE RUSSIANS BECOME INVOLVED.

SCENE 1- INT. DAY- SOMEWHERE IN THE KREMLIN.

6

7

FADE IN:

MAJOR VADIMIR POTESKI (50) KREMLIN President Trevenko we are being attacked in all our major cities by atomic warhead missiles. We think they are coming from the United States but we cannot be sure. They are coming from every direction and our estimate is their are thousands of nuclear missiles in the air now. What should be do Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BORIS TREVENKO (60) PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA.

Those sons of bitches. We will not let the USA bury us under nuclear waste. Order the military to release everything we have to counter the Americans. Inform Admiral Boganiski to send the launch signal to all our submarines around the world and to air their nuclear missiles at all the major USA cities, especially Washington,D.C., and New York City. 11.

MAJOR VADIMIR POTESKI As you command President Trevenko. I advise you to inform your wife and seek refuge in the Presidential bunker ten stories below this building.

PRESIDENT BORIS TREVENKO Make sure all the Generals meet me in the bunker planning room immediately.

Thirty minutes later the first nuclear missile hits Moscow, and then another, and another until the city remained a pile of rocks and the river Moskva ran red with blood.

FADE TO BLACK.

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9

ACT FOUR- OPERATION STAR BOUND SCENE 1- INT. DAY- USA PRESIDENTIAL UNDERGROUND BUNKER

FADE IN:

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND Does anyone have any reports regarding our country? What the hell do we do know that the whole world is radiated?

SCIENTIST WILLIAM LAWRENCE (60) Mr. President we have several options.

Saving the USA is not one of them. This nuclear radiation has killed millions around the USA, not to mention around the world.

Operation Star Bound is up and running.

Another option is our DNA research in modifying the human body to withstand radiation. We also experimented with creating cities in the sky far away from the radiation on the Earth.

8

9

(MORE) 12.

SCIENTIST WILLIAM LAWRENCE (60)

Genetically, we have been able to create wings in the shoulder and back muscles of a human so that at high altitudes where the air is thin, a human DNA modification could fly.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND Men with wings, cities in the sky, bullshit.

Let’s get real here. Having wings and living in the clouds seems like science fiction, however taking space ships aimed toward inhabitable planets out in space seems more realistic. Only a select few will be able to make the trip. Those that can afford to pay for it and the Scientists and rich leaders that are needed to establish a new society out in space. How soon can we leave George?

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA The spaceships are loaded with fuel and food, and ready to blast off for outer space now Mr. President. They are located at hidden sites away from the major cities in America. Boulder Colorado is one major space ship site and another is found in a corn field in Indiana. We have about 200 space ships ready to take our people into space to seek a new planet to seek a new life.

ADMIRAL GENE BEEMAN (50) CHIEF COMMANDER OF THE NAVY AND MARINES.

Mr. President, I need to inform you that the CIA approved the list or who is eligible to go on the Space ships and who is not eligible.

(MORE) 13.

ADMIRAL GENE BEEMAN (50) CHIEF

Many Scientists involved with the Cities in the Sky project and DNA manipulation involving winged humans are staying at an underground lab in Canada and in Mexico which did not suffer as much nuclear damage. The black rain which is full of radiation however, is not able to be controlled and is blown around the world in the jet stream killing people, plants and animals on contact.

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA We expect there will be rioting of our civilians and military when they find out that they are not going on the space ships to other worlds. We have prepared for that eventuality, and have send specially coded messages to those that have been selected by the council. Any rioters will be shot on the spot by the military. We have several divisions standing by to protect the space ship take-off platforms around the USA.

God protect us in this last ditch mission to save American.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND What about Russia and China?

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA They have similar programs with Space Ships ready to take their leaders, scientists and politicians that have money into outer space seeking habitual planets. Those that remain behind will have to live underground until Scientists figure how to create cities in the sky high above Earth, far from the radiation.

(MORE) 14. GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA

DNA modifications have successfully created humans with wings and new muscles needed to have enough strength in the back muscles and shoulder muscles to allow a human to fly with wings. Creation of the first city in the sky will begin immediately while the DNA reproduction of a new form of human with wings, smaller body frame and the inner brain balance to fly and glide through the air.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND That is truly amazing, but I have more faith in outer space, then I do with a new species of bird men living in a city up in the clouds. Let’s get the hell out of here now. Have the Secret Service get the helicopter ready for us to fly out of here. Are you coming George?

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA Yes, Mr. President. I will be there right along side of you and your family and my family. We are part of the privileged few.

The Helicopters are ready now to fly to the space ship departure platform. Good bye Washington, D.C.

GENERAL JOHN SWEENY (60) Mr. President, the rioting and radiation infected population is like watching a zombie movie. We have to take special precautions to get you to the space ship blast off area. You will all have disguises when you leave the building to take you security transport vehicles to the space ship port. We may have to shoot some civilians in order to clear them out of the way of the vehicles.

(MORE) 15.

GENERAL JOHN SWEENY (60)

(CONT’D)

I advise you and your family not to watch this carnage. We have no choice Mr. President.

FADE OUT.

The President and his family and the Vice President and his family embark on the helicopters for the space ships waiting to blast off.

FADE IN:

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND Look at the damage the atomic blasts did to Washington? Not one building standing.

Half the city is under water with the Potomac river over-flooding it’s banks.

Look at that the Washington’s monument is under water. Amazing and disgusting at the same time.

GENERAL JOHN SWEENY Shoot those civilians that are blocking the road out of Washington, D.C. Everyone get down they are shooting back. This will be a difficult journey until we can get out of D.C.. Sit back everyone and keep your heads down until we get over the Potomac river. Does everyone understand? This limo is bulletproof but not bomb proof, so remain calm.

FADE OUT.

Later at the space port.

FADE IN:

GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA Mr. President we are cleared to enter the Space Ship. As you know everyone will be placed in a frozen state to protect them over the many light years of travel. Good luck.

(MORE) 16. GEORGE MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT USA

I will be joining you after all the passengers are checked out.

PRESIDENT MARK BACKRAND Thank you George. This has truly been a nightmare. I feel so guilty about leaving millions of Americans behind. God, I hope they survive long enough to implement the DNA bird man alternative with a city in the sky. I am without words with my sadness.

Oh, well time to board the space ship.

MRS. ELIZABETH BACKRAND (40) PRESIDENT’S WIFE Mark I cannot stop crying for the people we are leaving behind. This is so sad, I will never be able to sleep at night knowing these people we are leaving behind face certain death. Oh, God, forgive us.

FADE TO BLACK. Minutes later the first of thousands of space ships blast off toward the stars. Millions of humans are left behind to die of radiation disease, starvation, and murder.

FADE OUT.

10

11

ACT FIVE-THE AGE OF THE HAWKMEN AND WOMEN.

SCENE 1-INT. EXT. ARIES, THE HAWKMEN CITY IN THE SKY, GRANDFATHER GOOLIN

10

11

500 years after the great space ship escape from Earth, three miles up in the sky lies the city of Aesir (Viking Heaven), where 10,000 Hawkmen and Hawkwomen live, far from the radiated wastelands of Earth.

MARIE (9) DAUGHTER OF GODAR THE FIERCE Grandpa Golin please tell us the stories about the history of the Hawk-people, please. 17.

DILLEN (10) SON OF GODAR THE FIERCE Yeah, poppa tell us how we built the city in the sky, Aesir.

SHARP (12) OLDEST SON OF GODAR THE FIERCE Yes, poppa Golin, tells how the rich people of the Earth left everyone behind, and flew off into space never to return. I love that story.

GOLIN BANDAR (70) RETIRED HAWKMAN GENERAL Gather around me my beloved grandchildren and I will tell you the stories from 500 years ago. Remember before I told you had the President of the United States and other wealthy politicians and Generals fled the radiated sand dunes of Earth to find life on another habited planet in space. They left behind millions to die of radiation sickness with no remorse. Fortunately, deep in the bowls of the Earth the Scientists who began fifty years before on DNA modification in humans to allow them to fly like a Hawk.

The scientists had for centuries figured out the complete DNA and gene map of the human body. Over hundreds of years they figured out how to manipulate human DNA with HAWK DNA and slowly change the overall skeletal size of humans to 100 pounds and to add muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back that could be powerful to fly wings growing out of the back of the new hawk men DNA modification. When the Presidents of the many countries of the world left for outer space these scientists of the world-wide DNA modification labs were the only last chance for the human species left on Earth to survive.

(MORE) 18.

GOLIN BANDAR (70) RETIRED HAWKMAN

The task at hand for the scientists was immense. First they were determined to create a city in the sky high enough to not be affected by the radiation and black nuclear rain on Earth. The magic figure was three miles above the Earth so as not to collide with Mount Everest or any other high mountains on Earth. Remember how I told you a spider could spin a web that was so strong it could resist water, wind, sand, and heavy bugs? Well, the scientists came up with a spider web weaving machine that created a unbreakable plastic and metal strand that was only microns thick but when weaved together in a pattern like a spider web the base of the City in the Sky named Aesir, the Viking Heaven, could support any amount of weight over the span of several miles. The base was the first miracle created. The second miracle was how to keep the city base floating in the air constantly through the use of powerful antimagnetic engines that were attacked to the city base. If I take this round rug and pretend it is the spider like web spun together with millions of strands of magical weaving material. Now if we imagine antigravitational machines attached to the city base it will slowly rise into the sky. To make the city move solar power panels would provide the power for giant fans that could turn and direct the giant sky city in the direction it needed to travel by computers and Hawkman pilots on duty 24/7.

DILLEN How did the city of Aesir create buildings like the one we are sitting in right now Poppa? 19.

GOLIN BANDAR Be patient Dillen. I was getting to that. The scientists knew weight was the major factor to control in order to keep the city of Aesir floating high in the sky. They knew they could not use bricks or wood or metal to build houses and buildings, so they developed computers that could create a holograph of each and every building according to a master blue print developed by the greatest engineers and scientists of all time. The city would revolve around a circular center and all the paths would emanate from that core outward for several miles. The computers would create walls and spaces for the human eye only that existed only in a person’s mind. Millions of small computers would control each building’s hologram image to create a dwelling with no weight.

MARIE So how did the Hawk-people get from the caves below ground on Earth to the city in the sky Poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Good question Marie. The sky city was not finished for a year after the great escape in the year 5053. Once the great city platform was lifted into the air, three miles high, all available planes and helicopters were put into action to send the humans that had successfully developed the DNA characteristics for wing and muscle development and the decrease in skeletal size to allow for less weight to fly with. From babies these modified humans came from normal humans and had their DNA and genes modified in the womb of the mother.

(MORE) 20.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

Their skin color was light brown so as not to cause a racial issue between blacks and whites. They were raised until age 15 in a protected lab environment and were educated with computers and tutors to make them as smart as possible. Besides the Hawk society would need Engineers and Scientists to continue the research and DNA modification for many generations to come before they became completely mutated into a bird man prototype. After the great escape, the survivors on Earth had to live under ground with radiation filters to prevent radiation from infecting the air below Earth. Food supplies were extremely limited and scientists had to both concentrate on growing more and more hawk people, a new race, while at the same time trying to keep the surviving humans alive. There was no central government or police, and keeping peace was an impossible job. The scientists had to be locked into labs where no nonscientists could be admitted. Many humans tried but no one ever succeeded in breaking into the birth and research labs.

SHARP How many Hawk people were ready to leave for Aesir a year after the great escape, Poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Approximately, 1,000 female and male hawk people were developed enough to be able to fly with their wings grown from birth. A second group of hawkman and hawkwomen were created through surgery to allow for more trained adult workers and scientists to support the new Hawk era.

(MORE) 21.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

The ability to fly failed, but at least they had wings with the proper circulation necessary to at least look like a normal DNA modified Hawk-person. These Scientists and Engineers were the people who taught the teenage Hawk people how to manage and control the city in the sky. How to grow food from seed and allow for all the problems of a new society.

MARIE Poppa, who was the first leader of the Hawkman and Hawkwomen?

GOLIN BANDAR Ah, yes, the first leader of the Hawkmen was named Thor, after the Viking God. Every leader since Thor the first had been named Thor in honor of the Viking God. It was Thor, and the great council that set up the Golden Rules prohibiting guns, violence, and killing any Hawkman. They decided that the lifestyle of the men known as Vikings in the 900’s A.D.. Would be copied as a lifestyle for all Hawkman and Hawkwomen. They worshipped the Viking Gods of old and all the habits of the viking way of life except clothing because dress with little weight was necessary to be able to fly at the height of three miles above the Earth. The first leader, Thor was a short young man with a full face beard, dark skin, and a short temper. He was born artificially in a lab and his genes were modified like all the other Hawk people in the womb. He was extremely brilliant and a good leader. Early on many Hawkman and Hawkman came down with an illness during the first few months of living in the city of Aesir. At first scientists thought it was altitude sickness, but they were wrong.

(MORE) 22.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

Finally, it was determined that Hawkman and Hawkwomen needed more zinc and iron than the normal human species. The problem was there was no place in the city of Aeris to develop or grown zinc and iron minerals. Thor came up with a plan, when he realized that zinc and iron was easily available back on Earth. Thor accompanied a small army of twenty hawkmen and hawkwomen flew down to Earth to bargain with the mutants that lived in caves. They had underground caves for many miles with access to salt mines, and minerals in great abundance. It was called the Great Deal when Thor offered the mutants green plants grown by the Hawk people on Aesir. The mutants had no green vegetables because radiation had killed all the plants on Earth. Only mushrooms underground, and tubers survived.

FADE OUT.

12

SCENE 2- INT. DAY- THE SCIENTIFIC LABS ON AESIR Flashback to the early days

12

FADE IN:

THOR (23) FIRST LEADER OF THE HAWKMEN My fellow Hawkmen and Hawkwomen. Our scientists have determined that we need zinc and iron in our bodies because of the DNA modifications, but we have no zinc or iron in Aesir. I propose we try to trade with the mutants on Earth by offering to give them green vegetables in exchange for zinc and iron minerals. It will not be easy because the mutants are not predictable and not always of clear minds. 23.

ANGOR-BLACK (20) HAWKMAN How will you prevent the mutants from killing you when you have no guns or ammunition? We have only bows and arrows according to our Golden Rule.

THOR THE FIRST LEADER You are right Angor-Black, the mutants may have weapons of the old world. We have only bows and arrows, but we can fly, and they cannot. I will take 25 of my best warrior Hawkmen to protect me during this negotiation. Who is behind me?

All the Hawkmen and Hawkwomen respond.

HAWKMEN AND HAWKWOMEN We are with you great Thor. Let’s us prepare to leave for Earth below.

Thor and 25 Hawkmen and Hawkwomen leave Aesir, and glide down to Earth, three miles below.

THOR THE FIRST LEADER I see a small band of mutants traveling over the radiated desert sands on Earth. Let us fly by to see their reaction.

As the Hawkmen come swooping down out of the sky the mutants to run and scatter.

THOR THE FIRST LEADER (CONT’D) Mutants we come in peace to trade with you for green vegetables. We have need of minerals of zinc and iron.

CONKIRK MUTUANT LEADER (22) Go away or we will shoot you out of the sky Hawkmen. What do you want with us Hawkmen? We have nothing for you. Why do you invade our land?

THOR THE FIRST LEADER I come in peace to trade fresh green vegetables with you for minerals we need. 24.

Conkirk has survived radiation sickness, but he paid for it with many body scars, a disfigured face with almost no nose. His air was in bunches and he walks with a limp. He had one eye almost completely closed from a scar.

CONKIRK, MUTUANT LEADER Minerals is what you want? Why should be trust you Hawkmen?

THOR THE FIRST LEADER We have brought a basket of fresh green vegetables we grew in our greenhouses as a sign of good faith. We will leave the green vegetables with you now. All we ask is that you bring back a pound of zinc, and a pound of iron powder. We will return in one week at the same time, and place, and bring you double the amount of green vegetables for the zinc and iron.

CONKIRK, MUTUANT LEADER We will take your offer Hawkman, and when you return next week at the same time we will have your zinc and iron waiting.

THOR THE FIRST LEADER Thank you Conkirk of the Earthmen. We will return in a week. Goodbye Earthmen.

Thor and his group of Hawkmen fly away after leaving a basket of green vegetables for the mutants.

FADE OUT.

13

SCENE 3- INT. DAY- THE STORY CONTINUES.

13

FADE IN:

DILLEN Poppa when did the second group of birdmen come into existence? 25.

GOLIN BANDAR Ahh, yes, the white ones, they called themselves the Angels of God, because they had white wings, white skin and long straight white hair. At first scientists who were working on DNA and gene modification thought they were albinos, but by accident they discovered the gene that controlled the color of the bird men’s wings. After the initial discovery the scientists consulted with the Hawkmen whether to continue with this new breed or kill it. It was decided that the more variety that can be developed the greater the possibility of all species of bird men could survive the ages.

MARIE Why didn’t the white winged ones call themselves the white wings or the Doves or something?

GOLIN BANDAR Early on the new breed was allowed to mix with the hawkmen and women. They were called White Wings by the other brown winged Hawks. Unfortunately, they were treated as a minority and abused. After a few hundred years the white winged ones adopted the centuries old religion of Christianity. They prayed for a messiah to come and rescue them from being a minority in a Hawk society that followed the Viking Gods, and practices centuries before in the years 900, and later. The white winged ones soon developed an identify over hundreds of years, and began to call themselves the Angels of God. They got the idea of Angels from Christianity concepts where men with white wings were called Angels. 26.

SHARP Why are the Angels of God not living with our society of Hawks anymore, poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Good question Sharp. The Angels of God eventually numbered in the tens of thousands out of a population of 50 thousand Hawks. They began to make demands and threatened the peaceful order with work stoppages and strikes. They wanted their own city to live in the clouds and after hundreds of years Lord Thor the 15 and the council decided to let the Angels of God go and live in their own city in the clouds. The Hawkmen and women even offered to help the Angels of God build a new city in the sky called Alta.

MARIE How long did it take for the Hawks and Angels of God to build the new sky city called Alta poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR A little over fifty years it took to build Alta. Technology had improved greatly since the Hawks first built their city with the help of Earth bound scientists. Now the Hawks flying computers called Buzzbots, and Bigbots. The buzzbots, which we use in our homes today, helped to spin and weave the base of the new city by working 24/7 around the clock, spinning and weaving the very strong plastic and fiber material. The bigbots were the heavy duty computers that could fly and work on major construction projects like large computers that could run the antimagnetic force to elevate the city to three miles above Earth.

(MORE) 27.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

The bigbots were able to turn out millions of small computers to create the holographic images in the city for each building and home. The blueprint for the city of Alta was twice as large as the city of Aesir to allow for a larger population, and for the fact that the Angels of God had larger wings and a larger body. Without the computers it would have been an impossible job creating the city of Alta. Finally, after 54 years of building the day came for the Angels of God to leave Aesir. It was a sad moment for those who accepted the white winged ones, and it was a happy moment to see the Angels of God and their superior attitude leave the city of Aesir.

DILLEN Who became the first leader of the Angels of God, poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR The first leader of the Angels of God was Michael the Arch Angel. Actually his real name was John Redman. Every elected supreme leader of the Angels of God since has been renamed, Michael the Arch Angel, just as we rename our leader Lord Thor each generation when a new leader is selected upon the death of the previous Lord Thor.

MARY Why are we not friends with the Angels of God, Poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR We are no longer friends with the Angels of God because they consider themselves a superior race to ours. They have a built-in attitude that science made them bigger and stronger, which in fact was true.

(MORE) 28.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

Their wing span was two to four feet larger than our wing span. They could do a vertical dive at 100 miles per hour and we could not. They felt that white feathers and white hair showed superiority. It is our own fault because our scientists created them and allowed this DNA modification to come about. They were not able to predict that the new breed of bird men like the Angels of God would feel that they were smarter and stronger than Hawkmen and women.

DILLEN How did the rebellion of the mutants come about poppa? I head that the Earthmen mutants started a was against all Hawkmen and women, and the Angels of God. Why?

GOLIN BANDAR The War of the Rebellion of the Mutants is complicated. It was partially our fault by sending defective Hawk children down to Earth after we clipped their wings. Our laws did not allow us to kill our own kind. Secondly, the mutants were tired of a miserable life of scavenging and depending on the Hawkmen and women for fresh vegetables. The mutants decided after hundreds of years, that they had enough of their poor life and the constant threat of death by radiation exposure. One day when several Hawkmen were delivering fresh vegetables to the mutants a group of mutants attacked the Hawkmen and killed them all. When Lord Thor heard of this killing he sent an army of one hundred Hawkmen warriors to Earth in revenge for killing the Hawkmen. They tracked down the mutants that killed the Hawkmen, and killed everyone of the mutuants and defective Hawks, and women and children too.

(MORE) 29.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

The mutants went crazy from that point on and war was declared. Fortunately, the mutants could not fly or attack the cities in the sky, so we were safe. It was only when the Hawkmen and Angels of God flew to Earth that battles began. The mutants had old firearms, and black powder and could shoot a Hawkman or Angel of God out of the sky. The mutants did not recognize the Golden Rules of the Sky Masters.

SHARP So who won the war poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR No one. It was a stalemate after a year of bloody killing on Earth. As Hawkmen, and even Angels of God we have a mineral deficiency we have to take care of and the longer we go without zinc and iron minerals the sicker we get. No one wants to admit it but, we need the mutants to dig the zinc, and iron in their mines where they live underground. We cannot do it because the longer we stay on Earth the greater the changes of getting radiation sickness and death. The Hawks, and the Angels of God went for eleven months without minerals and finally, the Angels of God made a truce and bought out the mutants of a tribe from another continent.

MARIE Few Hawks talk about the people that fled after the nuclear attacks to live under the ocean. I think they are called aquatines? How do they live under the water poppa? 30.

GOLIN BANDAR The aquatines are the sea people under the oceans of the Earth far away from the radiation on the surface of land. Underwater buildings and cities had already existed at the time of the nuclear wipeouts. They were primarily research facilities, but when there were few alternatives many went below the water. Air filled structures below the surface of the ocean were safe and not affected by radiation. Eventually with DNA modification they were able to produce undersea people with small gills to breath underwater. They are fortunate to have the bounty of the sea to eat for their diet. We trade with them from time to time. They can provide us with fish which we find difficult to capture. Their brothers are the whale and the porpoise and they never kill their sea brothers.

DILLEN That sounds cool to live underwater all the time. Do they have a leader like we do?

GOLIN BANDAR Yes their leader is called Neptune who in Greek mythology was the God of the Sea. They named their city Atlantis after the city that in history disappeared under the sea in ancient times. I am getting tired now, and need a nap. Let’s finish our stories tomorrow my grandchildren.

MARIE Thank you poppa. See you tomorrow.

FADE OUT.

14

SCENE 4- INT. DAY- GOLIN BANDAR’S HOME SPACE. 14

Golin continues his stories of the bird men evolution to his grandchildren 31.

Marie, Dillen, and Sharp.

FADE IN:

DILLEN Good morning Grandfather Golin. How are you today?

GOLIN BANDAR I am good Dillen. Where are Marie and Sharp?

DILLEN They are coming poppa.

Minutes later Marie and Sharp enter Grandfather Golin’s home space.

MARIE Hi Grandpa Golin.

SHARP Good to see you again poppa Golin.

DILLEN Can we hear more of your stories of the Hawkman and the Masters of the Sky?

MARIE You mentioned the GOLDEN RULE yesterday. What are the golden rules for all birdmen poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR When the scientists and DNA engineers were assembling a new society of men and women with wings they realized that the one thing they wanted to prevent was War and Violence that created the nuclear wars that destroyed the Earth. The first Golden rule is Killing is Forbidden with no exceptions except attacks by another society. The second law is Guns of any kind are forbidden upon pain of exile to Earth.

(MORE) 32.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

The third rule is there will be no sexual reproduction naturally in order to control the DNA modifications of both DNA and genes to keep the modifications to the human body with wings, additional muscles to fly these wings, a smaller skeletal size to make flying easier and the ability to breathe at higher altitudes. We also have many SILVER RULES which relate to management of the Hawk society.

SHARP I heard that the first leader of the Angels of God was a strange person. What does that mean poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Michael the first Archangel of the Angels of God, ahhh, he was an insane man perhaps from overdevelopment of his mental abilities, we were not sure. He made it perfectly clear that he believed the Angels of God were a superior race of birdmen. He was once quoted as saying,”I am Michael the Archangel of God and the biggest pain in the ass in the skies around Earth for the Hawkmen.”

DILLEN He was quite a character poppa.

GOLIN BANDAR He was more than that, he was responsible for the first war between the Hawkmen and the Angels of God. A war that achieved no results except fear and hatred of one another.

MARIE What defenses do we have against the Angels of God, poppa? 33.

GOLIN BANDAR We have many defenses against attack. We can move the city of Aesir by powering up our giant fans. Since guns, and ammunition are banned by the Golden Rule, we have only bows and arrows and cross-bows to defend ourselves, along with arm shields. Hawkmen can go into vertical dives up to 80 miles per hour when attacking a foe. Around the edge of the City of Aesir are laser cannons that can kill anything within a one mile range. After the war with the Angels of God was over we learned a lesson how inadequate some of our defenses were including speed in flying and diving, so we developed yet another birdman species of Falcon-men who were a little smaller than Hawkmen, but could do a vertical dive of 200 miles per hour and fly twice as fast as Hawkmen. It was our intention to develop these Falcon-men as soldiers in support of the Hawkmen society.

DILLEN How did the Falcon-men end up with their own city in the sky poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR By our own rules we could not kill anything we created, so overpopulation became a problem with Hawkmen, and Falcon-men in less than 500 years. As hard as we tried the Falcon-men were treated as a minority as the Angels of God were in the beginning. After a few hundred years we parted ways with the Falcon-men, and helped them build their city, called Avalon. Our relationship with the Falcon-men has always been positive and that relationship has endured for centuries.

(MORE) 34.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

They have always sworn their alliance to the Hawkmen, unlike the Angels of God.

MARIE So how did we end up creating the Eaglemen, and the Vulture-men poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Over a century of development always with the quest of scientists to develop the best breed of bird men possible with the Hawkmen as the core breed. After the Falcon-men left the City of Aesir, our scientists began to try and develop a bigger body and larger winged bird man, and they developed the largest of all birdmen species, the Eagle-men. They designed this species of modified DNA after the large winged Eagle, with both white head feathers on maturity and brown body feathers. One unique feature was a second eye lid like Eagles had to protect against the wind in a vertical dive. The second eye lid covered the eye, but could be seen through during a vertical dive of 100 miles per hour.

DILLEN Are the Eagle-men are friends poppa?

GolIN BANDAR Yes, we learned our lesson with the Angels of God by allowing them to turn on us. We prepared all Eagle-men, and Falcon-men, and Vulture-men, with a small gene that would block any hostility toward Hawkmen. We did not want a repeat of the Angels of God war.

SHARP The Vulture-men seem the strangest of all the Sky Masters Poppa. What makes them so different? 35.

GOLIN BANDAR Well most of the Sky Masters are vegetarians who eat fish when available. No red meat is available anymore except the artificial Hawk protein bar. The Vulturemen, however, are carnivores, and scavengers. They often raid the Earth, and eat the dead bodies of mutants. In battle they were designed to clean up so to speak. They are huge bird-men, and proud, with bald heads without feathers designed after the California Condor and the Western Vultures of old.

MARIE So how did the council of the Sky Masters come to be, poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR After several thousand years of development of bird-men it became necessary for all of our societies to communicate in order to survive and to maintain the peace. A council was established of all the birdmen societies of the sky called the Sky Masters including the Hawkmen (the original breed), the Angels of God, The Falcon-men, The Eaglemen and lastly, the Vulture-men. Each society has a representative on the Sky Masters council along with the most superior leader, and leading religious leader from each society to represent it’s own birdmen society. This Sky Master council has kept the peace for hundreds of years, and allowed the different birdmen societies to share similar interests in order to survive. Our sacred Sky Master oath is, “when one of us is attacked, we must come to their defense, each and every birdmen society.” No Sky Master society stands alone. 36.

SHARP What happened with the Rebellion of the Mutants on Earth?

GOLIN BANDAR As you know Lord Thor the first negotiated in the very beginning a trading truce with the human mutants on Earth to trade the minerals we needed, zinc and iron in exchange for fresh green vegetables we raise in our green houses in the sky. In the 60th century after an era of relative peace between the Sky Masters and the mutants of the Earth, disaffection developed with the mutants who were beginning to die out from a mysterious disease. The human mutants decided to attack Hawkmen and Angels of God seeking trading of minerals for green vegetables. They killed some of our warriors and also some of the Angels of God warriors which incited a full scale war.

MARIE How die the Mutant Rebellion come to an end poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR We had a catch ‘22 situation with the human mutants,and without our minerals we were in danger of extinction, and the mutants were dying from some unknown disease. Finally, Lord Thor the 33rd leader of the Hawkmen came up with a plan to offer the mutants our scientific services by giving our scientists a sample of a sick mutant’s blood. We promised the mutants to do our best to try and find a cure.

DILLEN What did our scientists find in the mutants blood sample? 37.

GOLIN BANDAR They were dying from lung disease from thousands of years of breathing in radiated air. We developed small nasal breathers that shot a small amount of medicine into the mutants lungs to cure them. We also developed air filter masks for them to wear to filter out the radiated air. When we gave the medicine to the first group of mutants in North America, they were so thrilled that they gave us a promise of eternal peace and supply of Zinc and iron for us. In Asia we did the same and all the other continents. This gave our Hawkmen and the Angels of God something to focus on with their population in producing this lung medicine and facial breathers for the mutants.

MARIE So something good came out of the Mutant Rebellion poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Yes, we learned that we are all in this process of survival together. Earth was dead from radiation and plants or animals would never again exist with the radiated soil, the black rain storms, and the burning rays of the sun on the Earth.

DILLEN Did the aquataines ever develop gills to breath underwater by DNA modification?

GOLIN BANDAR Yes, they did after thousands of years of research and experimentation they developed gills behind the ears. Their fingers and feet also became webbed to allow for faster underwater swimming.

(MORE) 38.

GOLIN BANDAR (CONT’D)

They also learned how to domesticate dolphins to ride on throughout the seas of the Earth. Even the giant whales of the oceans became brothers of the aquataines.

MARIE Do we still trade with the Aquataines poppa?

GOLIN BANDAR Yes, they are our only source of fish in our diet. We trade technology and medicine developments with the Aquataines in exchange for fish they capture. They are a network of nets throughout all the oceans of the Earth and are able to survive on tons of fish caught each day in different oceans. They have developed a very successful underwater society, just as we have with the Sky Masters society.

FADE OUT.

15

16

ACT FIVE- THE AGE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD SCENE 1- EXT. DAY- THE CITY OF AESIR 16 In hopes of perfecting the perfect species of Hawk-men their scientists modified and experimented for hundreds of years to come up with a second model of winged-men that had white features instead of the brown feathers of typical hawk-men, a larger wingspan, long straight white hair on their heads, pink eyes, and very white skin. It was thought that this model might be an improvement, but that hypnosis proved to be wrong over time. The risk of these experiments always provided the risk that some of these new birdmen could become defective in some manner which would require their lab demise or if it developed later in an child or adult which mean expulsion to Earth and clipping of the mutuant bird-man’s wings.

15

FADE IN: 39.

LORD THOR THE THIRD (30) Tell me my beloved scientist, how is the new breed of bird men you have developed with superior characteristics coming along?

CHARGER-MILL (20) SCIENTIST We have developed a winged species with white feathers instead of brown my Lord.

We have extended the length of the wings by an additional two-four feet. We lost coloring in the species head hair and all of our models have white head hair. The eye coloring is different with a pink-like color again showing a lack of pigment through DNA modification. We can release these new winged models to the general population in a few years.

LORD THOR THE THIRD Can they survive in the general Hawk population?

CHARGER-MILL, HAWK SCIENTIST They actually have superior qualities Lord.

Even though they have only white feathers they are stronger and fly faster and dive faster than hawk-men. They also have superior intellects. We are not sure how the normal Hawks will treat them.

LORD THOR THE THIRD Let us educate the population about this new breed of Hawkmen, as we let these new white feather Hawkmen into our society.

CHARGER-MILL, HAWK SCIENTIST We will keep extensive records to see how the Hawk society assimilates the white feathered ones. 40.

LORD THOR THE THIRD I wanted them treated as equals not inferior Hawkmen.

Enters Captain Swift-see, Captain of the Lord Thor’s Personal Guard.

CAPTAIN SWIFT-SEE (20) CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD OF LORD THOR Lord Thor, I have fifty of the white feather new breed of Hawkmen and women to be released into the general population. We have special habitats build for them on the edge of the city Lord.

LORD THOR THE THIRD Then make it so. Treat them with dignity and equal rights, and provide them with all the food they require.

CAPTAIN SWIFT-SEE Your wish is my command Lord.

Captain Swift-See resettles the new white feathered Hawkmen on the edge of the city of Aesir in new facilities set up just for the new occupants.

C. BRIGHT (19) HAWKMAN CITIZEN I see the new white feathered Hawkmen and women have arrived. I hope they get along with the other brown feathered Hawkmen and women. Wow, look at their hair, pure white, and straight as an arrow? Even their eyes are different with a reddish color, and their body skin color is as white as rice.

They are certainly a different breed.

SHEILA-LOOKA (21) HAWKWOMEN CITIZEN Are these the new white feathered and white hair breed they have recently developed in the DNA labs? They certainly are different and all young. 41.

JOHN REDMAN (15) WHITE FEATHERED HAWKMAN Hello, my name is John Redman and I will be your neighbor. What is your name sir?

C. BRIGHT, HAWKMAN My name is C.Bright. We welcome you John Redman. Your white feathers are certainly very beautiful. Tread carefully with other Hawkmen, and women because they are proud of their brown feathers and Viking tradition.

JOHN REDMAN, WHITE FEATHERED HAWKMAN Why do the Hawkmen feel they are like Vikings friend?

C. BRIGHT, HAWKMAN It was decided by the scientists and DNA engineers as appropriate to give identify to the Hawk society.

JOHN REDMAN, WHITE FEATHERED HAWKMAN We were taught little about the Viking culture except from digital books and mind data feeds. It is interesting to see Hawkmen wearing chest armor like the Vikings from the 900 A.D., Centuries ago.

C. BRIGHT, HAWKMAN You will get use to it in time. Have a good day neighbor.

FADE OUT.

17

SCENE 2- EXT. DAY- THE WHITE FEATHERED HAWKMEN 17 SOLUTION Over the next three hundred years the white feathered breed of Hawkmen continue to integrate peacefully with their kin the brown feathered Hawkmen, however social differences begin to appear. The first social 42.

difference was the decision by all of the white feathered Hawkmen and women in adopting Christianity as their religion and abandoning the Viking Gods.

FADE IN:

JOHN REDMAN, WHITE FEATHERED HAWKMAN My great grandfather John Redman Sr. Was the first of many leaders of our white feather Hawkmen community over a hundred and fifty to help us settle into our new home here on the city of Aesir. Since then we have adopted many traditions on our own, namely recognizing that we like the Angels of Christianity of old have white wings. We have come to embrace Christianity, not to shun our Viking Hawk brothers, but to provide an identity for ourselves after being treated like a minority for many decades.

Today, I have come to tell you that I bear the honor of becoming your first spiritual leader. I will adopt the name of Michael the Archangel of the Christian tradition. My wife will adopt the name of Mary the mother of Jesus the messiah. We pray that one day Jesus the messiah will return and guide us white feather Hawkmen into the future.

From this day forward we will no longer be known as the white feathered Hawkmen and women, we are the Angels of God from this day forward. We will worship in our own churches and not the viking temples. We bear no disrespect to our brother Hawkmen, but we feel this is our mission to evolve into our own society since it is obvious many Hawkmen are jealous of our white wings and increase mental superiority that the DNA scientists developed.

(MORE) 43. JOHN REDMAN, WHITE FEATHERED HAWKMAN

Our wing span is two to four feet longer than the brown feathered Hawkmen and this allows us to do vertical dives up to 100 miles per hour. Bless you all this day and keep the faith in your families as Angels of God.

LORD THOR THE 20TH Barons of the Hawkmen, we have been in negotiations with our brethren the white feathered Hawkmen of the city of Aesir for several years to resolve their conflicts with the customs of the Hawkmen society. Finally, we have resolved to realize that the white feathered Hawkmen are truly different in DNA and their physical and mental abilities. They have adopted the old religion of Christianity because they believe that God made them Angels of God and that is what they want to be called from now on. We honor our differences culturally, but there has been many clashes between their newly adopted persona and the traditional Hawk Viking ways.

BARON IVAN THE FIST (30) HAWKMAN Lord Thor, how are we to proceed with the Angels of God as they wish to be called?

LORD THOR THE 20TH For now we will keep the peace. So long as we are all working together for survival and peace our two societies can co-exist. When our scientists developed a new and stronger breed with all white wing feathers, a longer wing span, faster vertical dive, and a superior mental ability, they never took into account the difficulty for a new breed of Hawkmen to integrate with the traditional brown feathered, Viking Hawkman.

(MORE) 44.

LORD THOR THE 20TH (CONT’D)

DNA modification is always good in case we develop long range gene or genetic diseases, science will always be there to find a cure. After hundreds of years high in the sky over Earth, we continue to innovate and thrive despite the radiated Earth which will never recover.

BARON LEXOR THE STRONG (40) HAWKMAN Are Hawkmen and Hawkwomen of brown feathers to marry the white feathered Hawk?

LORD THOR THE 20TH Simply stated NO. If we allow the two species to reproduce together, they we could accidentally create a third species of which we know nothing. We have agreed to allow the leader of the Angels of God, John Redman, now called Michael the Archangel to our council to share in decisions we make for the Hawk society and the city of Aesir.

BARON LEXOR THE STRONG Does this mean you are giving John Redman the status of Baron?

LORD THOR THE 20TH No, I am not giving John Redman or Michael the Archangel status as a Baron. I am extending him the honor of representing the Angels of God which he speaks for. We will speak more of this soon. For now I want all of you Barons to keep the peace in your precinct. Above all we are all still Hawkmen, Sky Masters if you will now and forever.

FADE OUT. 45.

18

SCENE 3- INT. DAY A CHALLENGE TO THE GOLDEN RULE BY 18 THE ANGELS OF GOD.

Another hundred years goes bye, and the Angels of God and the Hawkmen live together in mutual harmony because in the end survival is the ultimate goal in a city in the sky that depends on every citizen performing a specific task to the good of all.

FADE IN:

GABRIELLE THE FIFTH (22) ASSISTANT ARCHANGEL TO MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL.

Michael I have news from the DNA lab which is high confidential. One of the DNA scientists who is a member of the Angels of God has reported to me one of your embryos had developed with mutuant characteristics and they wish to abort it in the life tubes.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH (25) Why did he not come to me first, instead of confiding in you Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE THE FIFTH It is against the Golden Rules Michael. The DNA development process is not to be interfered with by anyone except DNA scientists and gene engineers.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH I see. How far along is the child developed and what sex is it?

GABRIELLE THE FIFTH It is a boy and he is pre-mature at 3 weeks to go for a full nine month development. They are guessing he may have intellectual problems, but everything else physically seems to be in order. Ordinarily, they would terminate the child if there is any sign of DNA weakness. 46.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH I want to see this child before they consider terminating it. I must talk with Mary my wife to see if she objects to the Golden Rule in this case when he is our only male child.

GABRIELLE THE FIFTH I will arrange the meeting Michael. It must be after hours so that no one knows you visited the lab to see your potential male child.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH I understand. Meanwhile, I must break this news to Mary my wife.

Later that day.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH (CONT’D) Mary how are you today? I have something very important and confidential to speak with you about. I have learned that our child is a male and he is near full term as an embryo infant.

MARY (18) WIFE OF MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL OF THE ANGELS OF GOD So what is the problem?

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH One of our Angels of God DNA scientists has determined that our son had a defective gene that may inhibit his intellectual ability to learn and be normal.

MARY, THE WIFE OF MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL Sweet Jesus, how could this be? We prayed for a healthy child. Has Jesus turned his back on us? What are we to do? The golden rule demands that the DNA scientist terminate any defective embryo. 47.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH Mary I might be able to coverup a departure from the Golden Rule because I have a great deal of power as leader of the Angels of God and because Lord Thor would never learn of the breech of the Gold Rule because the DNA scientist is a member of the Angels of God. He would defer to me if I ask for this favor. Would you want me to do this for our only son?

MARY, THE WIFE OF MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL I have had much difficulty in the past in getting my eggs to develop properly in the DNA lab. This son may be our only chance for an heir to your leadership role. I want you to go ahead and stop the DNA scientist from aborting the child. Let it develop to full term and we will conceal any intellectual defect he may have. We have scientists that can do anything to cure Hawks or Angels of God.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH It will be as you wish and this is s secret you must never reveal to anyone, your mother or relatives or Priest.

MARY, THE WIFE OF MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL I promise husband.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH Then I will have Gabrielle contact the Angel of God DNA scientist and instruct him to break the Golden rule, just this once and to remain secretive about the whole thing forever.

Three weeks a new child is born to Michael the Archangel and Mary his wife. 48.

MARY, THE WIFE OF MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL Look Michael how beautiful our son is.

Look at his perfect little white wings and bald head. I hope he grows hair or we will have to give him a wig.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH He is certainly a beautiful Angel of God baby.

MATERNITY WARD NURSE SUSAN (30) Congratulations Michael and Mary. You have a healthy young son. You can take him home in a few days. We have to make sure his DNA and genes are perfect.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH Thank you nurse Susan. We are very proud parents. This is our only child and most precious to us.

Four days later Michael and Mary take home their son.

MiCHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH (CONT’D) Mary as you know by tradition our son will be known as Michael the archangel the sixth.

MARY, THE WIFE OF MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL I am fine with that Michael. He appears to be very healthy. Perhaps the scientist was wrong? Time will tell. I want you to hire a tutor for our son and to provide him with the best digital knowledge know to civilization past and present.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH It will be done as you request Mary. 49.

GABRIELLE THE FIFTH Is everything going well Michael?

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH Yes, my son Michael is home now, and doing well. He looks perfectly normal. Time will tell if there is a problem. I dread that moment.

GABRIELLE THE FIFTH Perhaps the scientist overreacted or made a mistake in the lab? I will pray for him to be healthy as his father.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE FIFTH Thank you Gabrielle. God be with you.

FADE OUT.

ACT SIX- THE AGE OF THE FALCONS SCENE 1- INT. DAY- THE FALCON CITY OF AVALON 60,000 A.D. Eventually the species called Falconmen and women increased it’s population so much as to crowd the Hawkmen city of Aesir. This time the Hawk society had learned from it’s mistakes with the Angels of God species and arranged a friendly departure of the Falconmen and women. The Hawkmen society using their small computers called Buzzbots, and Bigbots, that could fly and create a new sky city in a matter of months. The new city for the smaller size Falconmen society would be called AVALON. This is how the 60th century opened with three birdmen species living high in the skies of the dead Earth below three miles.

Lord Kyte like all of the Falconmen and women is small in height and body size 4 ft. tall and weighing 60 pounds. His body is dark, sleek and muscled. His face is long and thin almost as if he had a beak under his skin.

FADE IN: 50.

LORD KYTE THE FIRST, LEADER OF THE FALCON-MEN SOCIETY (25) Today, we Falcon men and women celebrate the final completion of the new city of Skyreach with the assistance of our mentors the Hawkmen society, and their Buzzbot and Bigbot flying computers. As you see AVALON is build much differently than the city of Aesir. Our homes are in cliff like structures stacked many units high to save space. The newly developed anti-magnetic machines have been installed as well as millions of hologram mini-computers.

Special care has been taken to provide more green houses for the growth of green vegetables and grains. I wish to introduce my wife Queen Pauline (19) of the Hawkmen society and my high priestess Lilith who will lead our religious society.

Lilith the High Priestess is dressed in a robe over her small body and small wings. Her features are very carved with a distinct nose and slanted eyes from centuries of DNA modification. Her ears are smaller than Hawkmen ears and she has some feathers on the side of her face.

LILITH (22) HAWKMEN HIGH PRIESTESS Thank you for your introduction Lord Kyte. The city of Skyreach for Falconmen and women is beautiful and more technically advanced than the previous sky cities of Alta and Aesir. Most important of all is we live in peace with our mentors the Hawkmen and the Angels of God.

GENERAL QUICK-SWIFT (30) FALCONMEN GRAND GENERAL Good sky day, fellow Falconmen and women. As General of the Falconmen corp of troops I am the link between the Hawkmen and our society.

(MORE) 51.

GENERAL QUICK-SWIFT (30) FALCONMEN

We are pledged to protect and support the Hawkmen, our brothers and mentors in case of war by the Angels of God or other enemies that declare war on the Sky Masters of Earth. Every Falcon citizen including women will serve one year in the stand-by army of Falcon men and women to train in defense of our sky cities. If one city is attacked, then we stand in their defense. Our 200 mile an hour vertical dive capacity is a mighty weapon in addition to our high speed of flight. Our arrows are laser oriented after centuries of technology and our shields will deflect even lasers or bullets the weapons the mutants use on Earth.

LORD KYTE THE FIRST, LEADER OF THE FALCON-MEN SOCIETY The party and celebration will last all day and then we will retire to our homes in the Falcon cliffs. There is much to do in assigning tasks to every Falcon citizen in the city of Skyreach tomorrow and everyday thereafter. We must work together to keep our city in the sky afloat and safe from the radiated Earth below us. I bid you fare gliding.

FADE OUT.

SCENE 2- INT. NIGHT- THE INTERIOR OF LORD THOR’S PALACE IN THE CITY OF AESIR.

A black rain storm threatens the city of Aesir and the Hawkmen and women go into emergency mode.

FADE IN: 52.

QUEEN ASTRID OF THE HAWKMEN (18) WIFE OF LORD THOR 30TH Well my husband, the little Falconmen and women are gone from the city of Aesir and now we have more growing space in their absence.

LORD THOR THE 30TH Yes, my love, we have an ally in Falconmen in case the Angels of God declare war on us in the future. The recessive gene implanted in all the Falconmen and women makes it impossible for them to be hostile toward Hawkmen and women.

QUEEN ASTRID OF THE HAWKMEN Thank the Gods for that. Hopefully, our children’s children will live in an era of peace and prosperity? Oh, by the way we have expanded the greenhouses by stacking them high. We are able to triple our vegetable gardens and grain fields.

LORD THOR THE 30TH Our number one priority is to survive in the skies over a dead Earth that is so radiated that it will never grow again. Suddenly, a messenger Hawkman is standing at the entrance to Lord Thor’s.

LORD THOR THE 30TH (CONT’D) Yes, come in. What is it messenger?

HAWKMAN MESSENGER (16) Lord Thor, we have an emergency situation. Our Scientists have determine that a giant black rain storm is headed our way and we must go into avoidance mode.

LORD THOR THE 30TH Giant black rain storm. That is not good. That damm radiation can do great damage to our city and all Hawkmen and women.

(MORE) 53.

LORD THOR THE 30TH (CONT’D)

Sound the alarm. I will go to our communication center and give instructions to all our citizens.

SCIENTISTS OF THE HAWK SOCIETY Start up the Aesir city fans and let’s get their city moving out of the way of this black rain storm. Count down 3,2,1, engage all fan motors. Inform Lord Thor we are taking avoidance steps to get out of the way of the black rain storm.

LORD THOR THE 30TH Attention all citizens of Aesir. We have an emergency situation with a huge black rain storm headed our way. Usually these storms occur below us at a lower altitude, but this one seems to have gained altitude enough to collide with our city of Aesir. Stay in your homes. We are starting up the fans to move the city of Aesir out of the way of the storm.

If the storm hits out city be prepared for some radiation damage. Use your radiation masks to breath and take the emergency radiation pills provided to you for an emergency such as this. May the Gods be with us all.

One day later the black rain storm full of radiation came with two miles of the city of Aesir causing some spinning of the entire city with the force of the winds created by the storm. The noise of the storm was deafening with lightening and radiation rain pouring down from the clouds. Every Hawkman and Hawkwomen prayed to the Norse Gods to save them from this radiation storm.

LORD THOR THE 30TH (CONT’D) Attention citizens of Aesir. The black rain storm has passed however, some damage has occurred due to the high winds from the storm.

(MORE) 54.

LORD THOR THE 30TH (CONT’D)

Hawkmen specialists in repairs are to report to their regional center to repair the damage. The Gods are with us.

FADE OUT.

ACT SEVEN- THE AGE OF THE VULTUREMEN

SCENE 1- INT. DAY THE PALACE OF LORD VENDO OF THE VULTUREMEN

LORD VENDO (30) LEADER OF THE VULTUREMEN Today fellow Sky Masters we celebrate the first successful year of the creation of the city of Sky Reach. We could not have achieved the creation of this great sky city without the help of our brethen Sky Masters, The Hawkmen, Angels of God, Eaglemen, and Falconmen. We leave behind a dead Earth from radiation, but our cities in the skies around Earth have survived without any effects of radiation. Queen Zina and I welcome our guests at this celebration of the creation of the city of Sky Reach.

QUEEN ZINA (19) VULTUREMEN QUEEN I too express my thanks to Queen Mary of the Angels of God, and Queen Isabelle of the Falconmen, and Queen Adelia of the Eaglemen for all their help in establishing our city in the sky. Enjoy the celebration brother and sister Sky Masters.

Vulturemen are the last of the DNA modifications that have progressed over centuries with extremely well skilled scientists. The Hawkmen society realizes that the sky cities have reached their maximum and creation of any more cities would only put a strain on trade with the mutants and aquatines on Earth. 55.

LORD VENDO Thanks to the most advance computer bots, buzzbots and bigbots our society is one of the most advanced in technology. Most of all we have more powerful movement fans to allow our city to reposition itself in the skies. Our replicators can make food now that tastes better than the real original food. We live in a wonderful world co-dependent with the other Sky Masters. I say to you Sky Masters of the Earth, that we rule the skies and rule large. We have managed to save humanity by modifying our weak bodies and developing wings for flight and cities in the sky. A toast to our success.

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THE 15TH Thank you Lord Vendo for inviting us and for hosting the first Sky Master conference of all the cities in the Sky. Together all of us in our cities can work together to survive and thrive in future centuries over a sadly dead Earth below.

LORD KYTE THE 10TH And I join in saluting our progress over centuries of DNA modifications to make our race superior to the dying mutants below on Earth. Skyward everyone and good futures.

LORD THOR THE 38TH Celebrate we must for we did the impossible. We survived a dead planet by living in the skies above a planet of deadly radiation and black rain storms. As Sky Masters working together, we can protect one another and our cities in the sky. Come let us drink together. 56.

LORD VENDO Fellow Sky Masters, recently I heard that the mutants on Earth have declared war on one another due to the shortage of food. Their only source of green vegetables is with their trading minerals with us. We may glide down to pick up the dead bodies left from the mutants killing one-another. I know the rest of you abhor meat, but our genes allow the consumption of red meat from any animal source. Clean up is what we do as a balance to the checks and balances of the Sky Master society.

LORD KYTE THE 10TH Do what you must brother. We will offer our services in vertically diving down to Earth to review the carnage created by the mutants for you.

LORD VENDO You offer is accepted brother.

So after several centuries the bird men have become the Sky Masters of the Earth living in highly technological cities three miles above the scorched radiated Earth.

FADE OUT.

ACT EIGHT THE SURVIVAL OF THE AQUATINES UNDER THE EARTH’S OCEANS.

For over two centuries from the first days of the nuclear destruction of the Earth, the cities under the oceans have survived with their population, the Aquatines. They have existed longer than the Sky Master society because their homes were already built at the time of the nuclear disasters across the Earth.

SCENE 1- INT. DAY- LORD NEPTUNE’S BUBBLE HOUSE DWELLING ONE MILE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 57.

LORD NEPTUNE THE 30TH (40) MUTUANT LEADER

A Falconman messanger has informed us that the last of the cities in the sky has been created for the last of the Sky Masters, The Vulturemen as they call themselves. We will continue our truce to trade with all the Sky Masters in all the sky cities as long as it benefits our underwater society.

GENERAL SHARK-LIGHT (40) AQUATINE GENERAL We control all of the seas of the Earth and some portions have become polluted with radiation and dead humans. Our brothers the Whales and porpoises of the oceans help us to fend off the sharks of the seas, our only enemy. As long as the fish are abundant in the oceans of the Earth, we can continue to trade with the Sky Masters, but I do not trust them. They can fly over the Earth but cannot swim in the Oceans, which is to our advantage.

SARA-SUNSHINE (30) AQUATINE WOMEN

Our DNA modification has allowed us to grow gills behind our ears in which we can breath underwater at any depth. Our porpoise brothers still offer their services as rides in case we need to travel far distances and cannot swim the distance. Our whale brothers have taught us their high pitch signals and they warn us of incoming Sharks looking for food.

 

MY FIVE REINCARNATIONS By Dr. Pelham Mead III

Movie Script

 

CHAPTER ONE- LIFE NUMBER ONE- ANTONIO H. CASTELANO SCENE 1- INT. DAY- MY EARLY CHILDHOOD AS AN ITALIAN PUNK IN HELL’S KITCHEN, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK.

FADE IN: NARRATOR: MALE VOICE WITH ITALIAN ACCENT 30’S OR 40’S I was a small wiry kid with a crew cut hair style and dirty blonde hair with brown eyes and a cocky attitude. Maria was my mother was from the old country, Italy. She wore a flowery dress, and has her brunette hair back in a bun. She wore glasses, and was a little overweight for her age at 26.

ANTONIO H. CASTELANO(10) (I remember that I was born on September 30, 1946 in Roosevelt Hospital, New York City to Julio Castelano, and Maria Castelano as their eldest son. We lived in a tenement walk up apartment on the 3rd floor behind a bakery. The smell of fresh baked breads and cakes filled the apartment all the time).

MARIA CASTELANO (26) MOTHER Tony go to the supermarket, and get some Italian bread and tomatoes. I am making spaghetti tonight.

ANTONIO H. CASTELANO OK, Mom. Do you have cash, or should I have them put it on our tab?

MARIA CASTELANO Here is five dollars. Make sure you bring home the change, and stay away from those bad boys on the street corner.

ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Ok, Ma, I will be fine. I can run faster than those fat guys. Later on the way to the supermarket. Vinnie Magliani is a tall thin, Italian kid with a slick back hair style (black hair), and long side burns, a big nose and a little thin mustache.

VINNIE MAGLIANI (16) (Speaking with a Brooklynese Italian accent). Hey stugots. Tony where are yous going today? You got some money for me, so I can get some cigs?

ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Baffangul Vinnie.(Showing him the middle finger)

VINNIE MAGLIANI Hey, Luchiano, grab the son of a bitch. Come here you little prick. Antonio begins to run, but Vinnie catches up to him.

VINNIE MAGLIANI (CONT’D) Gottcha you son of a bitch. Gimme your money or I will punch your teeth in. (Punches Antonio in the face).

ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Don’t hurt me. Here this is all I have for bread and tomatoes.

LUCIANO CORTELONE (15) Gimme the cash punk.(Taking the five dollar bill out of Antonio’s pocket).

ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Please don’t take that money. My mother needs it for dinner tonight. Do you know who my father is? My father is Benito Castelano cousin of Paul Castelano, and a made man. If you mess with me, you mess with him.

VINNIE MAGLIANI Bullshit. Your father isn’t connected. (Kicks Antonio in the ribs, and walks away) Antonio gets up with a black eye, and staggers back to his tenement apartment on east 8th street.

MARIA CASTELANO Antonio is that you? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Yeah, ma. MARIA CASTELANO Jesus, what happened to your face? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO That punk Vinnie Magliani and Luciano Cortelone beat me up and took my money. MARIA CASTELANO Did they? Did you tell them your father is Benito Castelano? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Yeah Ma, but they thought I was lying. MARIA CASTELANO Wait until I tell your father tonight. He will get back my five dollars, and a bit of flesh too. Go in the bathroom, and wash the blood off your face. FADE OUT. Later that evening Benito Castelano comes home from work. FADE IN: BENITO CASTELANO (35) FATHER AND A CAPO OF THE MAFFIA Maria, I am home. That spaghetti smells great. How was your day? MARIA CASTELANO There wouldn’t be any bread with dinner, and I had to use some old sauce to make enough for dinner. BENITO CASTELANO Did the market run out of Italian bread and tomatoes? MARIA CASTELANO I sent Antonio to the market, and two punks down at the corner beat him up, and took the five dollar bill I gave him for bread and tomatoes. BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Really? Antonio come down here right away. What do these punks look like that took your money and beat you up? Stop tapping your fingers on your left hand and listen to me. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO They hang around the Deli down on the corner father. The tall one is called Vinnie, and the shorter guy is called Luciano. BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Put dinner in the oven Maria. Antonio and I are going to take a short walk down to the corner to meet these punks that took his money. MARIA CASTELANO Don’t kill them Benny, just remind them never to do that again. BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Jesus Christ, my children aren’t even safe in their own neighborhood. We gonna fix this fast. Benito and Antonio walk down to the corner where the Deli is and notice two Italian teenagers standing on the corner smoking cigarettes. BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO (CONT’D) Are those the two punks that took your money Antonio? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Yeah, poppa. BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Hey you. (Yelling to Vinnie and Luciano) I needa talk to you. VINNIE MAGLIANI What do you want old man? BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Old man? Do you know who I am punk? I am Benito Castelano of the Romano family of New York. VINNIE MAGLIANI Did you say Romano family? BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Yes. (Talking his pistol out of his belt behind his back, and hitting Vinnie beside his head) Take that punk. If you every mess with my son Antonio again I am gonna kill you. (Points his gun at Luciano) Get on your knees punk. LUCIANO CORTELONE Please don’t kill me Mr. Castelano. It was all Vinnie’s ideas. Here is ten dollars. I did not mean to beat up your son. BENITO CASTELANO, CAPO Points the gun in Luciano’s eye. I ought to blow your eye out with this gun. Your are warned. If you insult my son or bother him in any way you are going to be taking a swim in the Hudson river with cement shoes on. Do you get my meaning punk? Antonio take the money, and go buy an Italian bread and Tomatoes for your mother. (Benny kicks Luciano as he walks away) FADE OUT. SCENE 2-EXT. NIGHT- JULIO’S MEAT MARKET, HELL’S KITCHEN, NYC. Skip ahead five years. FADE IN: NARRATOR: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO By the time I was 15, everyone in the neighborhood knew my father was a connected man, and no one ever bothered me again. I took advantage of this, and pressured my school mates for money for protection or I beat them up. I picked up two friends Buddy LaPaza, and Dominic Mercano to hang around with me when we ripped off stores, and made small burglaries at night to make money for cigarettes and beer). Hey Billie you got some money for me? Buddy is a short heavy set 16 year old italian kid with long dark hair. Dominic is a tall teenager age 15 who has a crew cut hair style with dirty blond hair. BUDDY LAPAZA (15) Hey Tony, look who just showed up? DOMINIC MERCANO (15) Our old buddy Billie. You got some money for us Billie? What do you think Tony? Should we bash his face in? BILLIE SMITH (15) I am broke Tony. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO You betta come up with the dough or I might have to smash your face in? BILLIE SMITH I get paid at the Deli tomorrow. I will pay you then. Leave me alone. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Hey, Charlie, not for nothing but you owe me five bucks. CHARLIE WERTZ (16) Sorry Tony, I forgot. Here is your money. FADE OUT. SCENE 3- INT. NIGHT- JULIO’S MEAT MARKET, HELL’S KITCHEN, NYC. NARRATOR: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO When I turned16, I committed my first robbery by breaking into Julio’s market, and stealing from the cash register, and a six pack of beer. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Break in the back door window Nick. Now reach in and unlock the door. That’s a good. Nickie throw me a beer from the refrigerator. What’s in the cash register? Nick is a neighborhood friend of Tony. They went to high school together. Nick has thick black hair slicked back. He is about 5ft. 5 in., and is a little stocky. He is second generation Italian with an accent. NICK CATALONA (17) A few hundred bucks Tony. Let’s get out of this market before the cops come. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Ok, Ok, let me grab some more six packs of beer. Ok, let’s go back out the broken window. Bada bing we are outta here. Tony left hand begins to tap on the glass counter top unconsciously. NICK CATALONA Tony I heard Police sirens. Let’s get outta here quick. Suddenly a Black and White Police car pulls into the street in front of the market. A policeman jumps out an pulls his gun. SERGEANT KENNY WISE (50) (Drawing his gun) Stop where you are punks. Stop or I will shoot. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Nickie follow me over the fence. Leave the beer. NICK CATALONA Ok, Tony, I am scared that cop is going to shoot us. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO (Shouting to Nick) Keep your head down. Throw the gun in the sewer. Keep running. We will split up so the cop has to follow only one of us. I will meet you back at the hangout. Run through the alleys where a car cannot follow you. See ya Later. Nick and Tony split up and run in different directions to avoid being caught and it works. SERGEANT KENNY WISE This is car 54 calling. The punks got away. Send some backup cars right away. FADE OUT. SCENE 4-EXT. NIGHT- CORNER OF 6TH STREET AND FRANCIS ST. NARRATOR: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO At age 18, I was busted for selling narcotics on the street. A black and white Police car pulls up to the curb in front of a clothes store. FADE IN: OFFICER BEN SHULDMAN (35) POLICEMAN You there, what do you have in your hands punk? Put your hands up in the air. (Pulling his gun). ANTONIO H. CASTELANO OK, there is nutin in my hand coppa. Why are you picking on me? OFFICER BEN SHULDMAN Because you are the only one standing on the corner at 11:00 at night selling narcotics. Put your hands behind your back. I am taking you in for selling narcotics. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO I am gonna be out in a day, coppa. BEN SHULDMAN No problem. I hope you like the city jail. DISSOLVE TO: Later that night. FADE IN: OFFICER BEN SHULDMAN Sergeant book this punk for selling narcotics. SERGEANT JOHN FLYNN (50) Put him in cell block 3. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO While I was in jail I dreamed that I was a Capo in another life, and I died a violent death. I woke up sweating and scared. It was only a dream I kept telling myself. FADE OUT. The next day Tony is in a jail cell. FADE IN: SERGEANT JOHN FLYNN Hey Tony, some one posted your bail. You are out until your court hearing. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Who posted my bond? My father? (Tapping his left hand fingers on the table.) SERGEANT JOHN FLYNN No, Nicoli Cappezzi posted your bond. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO (CONT’D) Nicoli Capezzi? He is a made man. Wow? Why would he post my bond. I don’t even know him? SERGEANT JOHN FLYNN Here is your wallet and personal items. Get outta here. FADE OUT. SCENE 5- INT. DAY- THE HOME OF NICOLI CAPEZZI, CAPO FOR THE NEW YORK MAFFIA. Two days later in Nicoli Capezzi’s home, which is decorated with over the top Italian paintings and statues. Nicoli Capezzi is a made man, Italian, with a small mustache, dark skin, and an Italian Brooklynese accent. He loves to smoke cigars, and drink Italian wine. FADE IN: NICOLI CAPEZZI (55) CAPO Tell that punk Tony Castelano to come and see me Willie. William “Willie” Romo is a fat guy with a bald head, and a large Roman nose with a scar on the side of his face. He is clean shaven and wears a jogging suit instead of a jacket and tie. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO (49) MADE MAN OK boss. FADE OUT. Willie drives over to Tony’s house in Staten Island. FADE IN: WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO (CONT’D) The boss wants to see you. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO The boss? The boss who? Fugots. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO You better come now punk or I am going to have to shot you in your knees, and drag you there. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Since you put it that way, I am coming. Who is the boss? WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO Nicoli Capezzi is the boss, and you betta keep your mouth shut when he is taking to you. An hour later Willie drives Tony to Nicoli’s house. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO (CONT’D) (Knocking on the door) Hey boss, the kid is here. NICOLI CAPEZZI Welcome kid. Tony is it? Come in and sit down. Water or some coffee? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO No thanks. Why am I here? NICOLI CAPEZZI You know kid, no one sells narcotics in my area without my permission. Your are a loner, and without protection you are not going to last long. I want to welcome you to my outfit and give you an opportunity to do some bigger jobs that will make more money for you than cheap narcotics sales on a street corner. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO What ya got in mind Mr. Capezzi? NICOLI CAPEZZI This is my associate Willie that brought you in today. I want you and Willie to meet some friends of mine at Kennedy airport in the trucking depot. You and Willie will take a large truck to the airport, and this friend of mine is gonna give you some stuff that fell off a truck at the airport. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Fell off the truck, right? (laughing) NiCOLI CAPEZZI You and Willie get a percentage of the take, if all goes well. You are to meet my friend at the airport tonight at 11:30 pm. You got it? If you don’t show up to drive to the airport with Willie, I am going to send Willie to your house, and break your knees with a tire wrench. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO OK, I am in. I will meet Willie tonight here to drive the truck to Kennedy airport. NICOLI CAPEZZI Good, I am depending on you. FADE OUT. SCENE 6- EXT. NIGHT- JFK AIRPORT CARGO TERMINAL- THE HEIST. Later that night Willie and Tony drive a big rig 18 wheeler to Kennedy airport to the trucking terminal D. FADE IN: WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO Well here we are kid. Just sit here while I look for our mutual friend at the terminal. Oh, here he comes. Willie gets out of the truck along with Tony. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO (CONT’D) Hey Shortie how ya doin? SHORTIE SWEETWATER (60) TRUCKER Yeah, how is Nick doin? WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO You got something for me? SHORTIE SWEETWATER Yeah the boxes are over here. All electronics, radios, stereos and TV’s. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO OK Kid let’s start loading our truck with these boxes. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO All right Willie. I got it. Damm these boxes are heavy. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO Use the hand carts to make it easier. Hurray we need to get outta here. One hour later Willie and Tony are driving out of Kennedy air port with a truck load of stolen electronics. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO (CONT’D) You did good kid. I’ll tell the boss for you. Now we have to get this stuff to a warehouse in Staten Island. After the heist Tony becomes a regular member of Nick Capezzi’s mob. FADE OUT. An hour later. FADE IN: NICOLI CAPEZZI Hey Tony, I hear you did good on that job. We have a lot more opportunities for you if you have the guts. You get rich, I get rich, we all get rich. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Thanks boss. It was a cinch. FADE OUT. SCENE 7- INT. NIGHT- ANGELO’S BAR AND GRILL, STATEN ISLAND. A year later in a local bar one night Tony is drinking with some of his buddies when he notices a young waitress names Maria Bonaro. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Hi, I am Tony. What is your name? MARIA BONARO (19) WAITRESS Who wants to know? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Me, Tony, an associate of Nick Capezzi. Do you know him? MARIA BONARO Oh, yeah, Nick Capezzi. He comes in here a lot. You work for him? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Yeah, we are associates. MARIA BONARO What do you do for a living Tony? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Import and export. (Tapping his fingers of his left hand on the table). MARIA BONARO That sounds very interesting. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO What are you doing after work tonight? Can I give you a ride home? MARIA BONARO That would be nice. I get off at 2:00 in the morning if you want to wait around. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO I will be waiting in a yellow Camaro outside in the parking lot. MARIA BONARO See you then big boy. Tony meets Maria in the parking lot, and a new romance begins. A year later they are getting married. FADE OUT. SCENE-8-INT. DAY- THE WEDDING AT SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH IN STATEN ISLAND. The scene opens at the end of the marriage ceremony between Maria Bonaro and Antonio H. Castelano. FADE IN: FATHER ORLANDO GUCCI (60) PRIEST Do you Antonio take this woman Maria to be your lawful wife, to have and to hold forever? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO I do. FATHER ORLANDO GUCCI Do you Maria Bonaro take this man Antonio Castelano to be your husband? MARIA BONARO I do. FATHER ORLANDO GUCCI Then by the Power of the Roman Catholic church and the State of New York I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride now Tony. FADE TO BLACK. Tony and Maria kiss and the marriage is concluded, and a new chapter in Tony’s life begins. Tony becomes a heavy drinker early on in their marriage due to the pressures of making heists all the time for Nick Capezzi. FADE IN: MARIA BONARO Tony have you been drinking again. You’re drunk. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Shut up bitch. (slaps Maria in the face). MARIA BONARO You are not going to treat me like this or I am going back to live with my parents. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO I needa lay down. I feel sick. (Throws up on the floor) ahhh, damm I am sick. MARIA BONARO Now I have to clean up the mess. You have to stop drinking Tony. FADE OUT. SCENE 8- INT. DAY- JAMAICA HOSPITAL-THE BIRTH OF ANTONIO JR. Two years later Maria delivers her first child Antonio Jr. FADE IN: MARIA BONARO Tony it is time to go to the hospital, Tony. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO OK, Maria, I have the car all packed. Let’s go to Jamaica hospital. An hour later. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO (CONT’D) (Shouting) Pregnant woman coming in. HOSPITAL ORDERLY (40) I’ll take her sir. Sit in this wheel chair madam. MARIA BONARO Thank you. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO I will wait outside the deliver room Maria. I have a weak stomach for these things. Love you. Ten hours later of long and painful labor. DOCTOR MARVIN SWARTZ (60) Congratulation Mrs. Castelano you have a baby boy. MARIA BONARO Oh how wonderful. We are going to call him Tony Jr. DOCTOR MARVIN SWARTZ Mr. Castelano, congratulations, you are the proud father of a little boy. You can go in and see your wife now. The labor took a long time but she is fine now. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Is that out little boy. He looks so small. MARIA BONARO His name is going to be Tony Jr. after his father. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO What a great moment? I have to call my parents and tell them the good news. MARIA BONARO Call my parents for me please? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Absolutely, I will call everyone sweetheart. FADE OUT. 3 days later Maria and little Tony Jr. go home to Staten Island. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO (CONT’D) I fixed up little Tony’s room and painted the walls a light blue. I hope you like it Maria. MARIA BONARO I love it Tony. Little Tony is going to feel great in this room. FADE OUT. SCENE 9-INT. DAY- NICOLI CAPEZZI’S OFFICE IN STATEN ISLAND. A day later after Antonio bring home Antonio Jr., Nick Capezzi calls Tony into his office. FADE IN: NICOLI CAPEZZI Tony, I have a big caper for you, and Willie and the guys to pull off this weekend. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO What is it boss? (Tapping on the chair with his left fingers as an unconscious nervous action.) NICOLI CAPEZZI There is a big federal bank downtown Manhattan that is taking in a shipment of gold this weekend, and we have a guy on the inside of the armor truck company. This job is worth millions in gold bricks. Willie, and Harry have the blueprints of the bank, and we are going to plan a diversion with an explosion the other side of Manhattan to distract the cops. You have six minutes to pull this off. Willie will fill you in on the details. Your share will be several million Tony. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Sounds good to me. Where are we getting the fire power? NICOLI CAPEZZI I have arranged for some automatic assault rifles, and automatic 45 pistols and bullet proof vests. We even have those President Halloween face masks. You ought to wear Nixon’s mask, (laughing), I never liked the guy. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO OK, boss, me and the guys will work on a plan and go over the blueprints so we know where the gold is stored. Maybe we can intercept the gold before they unload it from the armored truck? FADE OUT. SCENE 10- EXT. NIGHT- BANK OF AMERICA, 8TH AVENUE, MANHATTAN, NEW YORK. NARRATOR: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO The following week the bank heist goes down. Tony, Willie, and Harry and I, and a few other thugs are sitting in a large black van outside the bank waiting for the armored truck to arrive. We all have President Halloween masks to put on during the robbery. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO The armored truck should arrive around 10:00 am and they will unload the gold in crates and carry it in the front door. Before they do that we will deflate the tires and throw a smoke bomb into the air vent of the armored truck forcing the guards inside to come out. Shoot them if you have to because they will be armed with shot guns and automatic weapons. Willie will shoot the driver through the windshield. Remember we have six minutes to finish the job before the cops get here. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO Ok, guys you all know what to do, here comes the armored truck, let’s go. The black van pulls across the street and blocks the armored truck from leaving. Everyone jumps out. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO (CONT’D) (Shoots the driver through the windshield killing him) This is a holdup. The armored car rider attempts to get out of the armored car with a loaded shotgun. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Look out for the shotgun rider. I got him. (Tony shoots the shotgun rider in the front seat of the truck). SHORTIE SWEETWATER (Throws a smoke bomb in the intake air vent of the armor truck) (Smoke breaks out everywhere.) The smoke bomb is in the vent. Put on your gas masks. Inside the armored truck the two armed guards cannot breath, and unlock the doors to get some oxygen and get out of the truck. GUARD NUMBER 1 (50) Grab your shot gun, we are going out. (Cough, cough). GUARD NUMBER 2 (40) I can’t see. (Cough, cough) I got my automatic, let’s go. The back door of the armored truck flies open, and a hail of bullets fly through the air. ANTONIO H. CASTELANO Here they come. Fire. SHORTIE SWEETWATER I got them with my shotgun. GUARD NUMBER 1 Shoot them. I cannot see. (Cough, cough) Ahh, I’m hit. GUARD NUMBER 2 Take this you sons of a bitch. (Fires his weapon again and again) Tony is hit and falls to the ground, and dies on the scene. SHORTIE SWEETWATER Tony’s down. Get the gold quick. We have to get outta here. WILLIAM WILLIE ROMO Leave him there, we have to grab the gold and get outta here. I hear sirens, hurry. SHORTIE SWEETWATER Yous guys better get that gold into the van quick. We are running outta time. Fuck the cops are here. Let’s go. Get in the van guys. We’re outta here. The Van pulls away just as the police arrive on the scene. FADE OUT. CHAPTER TWO- LIFE NUMBER TWO AS A HOUSE FLY. SCENE 1- EXT. DAY- LIVING DAY TO DAY AS A FLY . Antonio feels as if he is floating in air, and suddenly he awakens. Editor’s Note#1: It is important that the audience see a view of a fly’s compound eye which see things in multiple views of the same object which it then analyzes into one object. A graphic of hundreds of pictures of dog dung is the visual image for the audience. Editor’s Note #2: The fly scenes should not be animated, but rather real photos of a fly in different scenes spliced together to match the scenes and dialogue. Editors Note#3: The voice for the fly should be the same male voice of Antonio H. Castelano. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO REINCARNATED AS A FLY (The Voice of Anthony) Oh my God, I am blind. What happened. I cannot see. Oh, wait a second, now I can see hundreds of little pictures that form one picture. I smell something sweet. Dog dung yum. Am I a fly? I must be dreaming? I can’t stop tapping my left front foot. I feel so different. My instinct is to survive. I have days to live instead of months. Each day is fearful, as I land on a leaf and warm myself in the sun. I see some dog dung on the ground, and fly over to lick the sweet essence. Yum, dog dung my favorite. FADE OUT. The next day when the sun rises. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO REINCARNATED AS A FLY (CONT’D) (The voice of Anthony) Hunger and fear is all I know. Ahh, I smell the sweet sent of a sweating human. I crave the feeling of licking the salty human sweat. I sense movement and a large shadow, time to fly away quickly to avoid death. I will try again and again. Oops, another movement and shadow mashing close to me. I fly away to live another day. FADE OUT. The next Day when the sun rises. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO REINCARNATED AS A FLY (CONT’D) (The voice of Anthony) Ahh the air is getting warm, and I can fly now. I rub my many legs and prepare to fly. My images spot a light red color, perhaps a flower or something? I fly toward it landing on it, smelling many wonderful scents. I warm myself in the sun. It is another day as in the day before. My time is short. How did I deserve to be here? What did I do wrong in my life? Did I not create enough good karma? FADE OUT. The next day when the sun rises. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO REINCARNATED AS A FLY (CONT’D) I have stayed alive for many days now, and I feel I am beginning to slow down. I need to rest. Smelling food on a shiny surface nearby. I land to eat. A sudden movement, and the air rushes toward me. I detect a dark object, perhaps a human? I fly away, and then return to finish my meal. Again another rush of air and a loud clap sound and darkness. I fly away again. Humans are dangerous. I notice a cute female fly on a pile of dog poop. I fly over to get acquainted and she ignores me. FADE OUT. The next day when the sun rises. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO REINCARNATED AS A FLY (CONT’D) Instinct tells me I have few days left to live. All I can feel is fear. Fear of death everywhere from birds, frogs and humans. I land on a table surface to lick up the remains of some human food. Suddenly, I see a female fly like myself landing on a human sucking the sweat off the human hairs. I fly over to warn her. Look Out. Don’t you know how dangerous it is to land on a human? FEMALE FLY (25 DAYS) (Female voice) Hey big boy, I need someone to fertilize my eggs. Interested? ANTONIO H. CASTELANO REINCARNATED AS A FLY Maybe, you better get out of here before the human kills you. (Suddenly there is a large shadow blocking the sun, and a rush of air). I prepare to fly away, only to be crushed by the shoe of a human. I am dead. FADE TO BLACK. CHAPTER THREE- LIFE NUMBER THREE AS A DOG NAMED REX THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER. Editor’s note#1: The voice over for Rex the dog is Antonio H. Castelano’s voice. The same male actor is the voice for the fly and later the dog, Rex. SCENE 1-INT. DAY- REX THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER. Antonio is reborn as a dog, a golden retriever puppy. FADE IN: REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER (Antonio’s voice) I cannot see. I am blind. What is the problem. Two weeks later. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER (CONT’D) I am beginning to see. Other small pups join me in cuddling for warmth. I am warm and awaking on my sleeping blanket. My smell is so strong. I can smell things across the entire room. I can’t see any color. I am color blind, but my master has come to give me food, and water. I am starved.) Woof, woof. (Wagging my tail, I am happy). I wet myself and it feels good. FADE OUT. TWO YEARS LATER. FLASH FORWARD. FADE IN: ALFONSO GIAVANNI (40) MADE MAN IN THE MAFFIA. Come on Rex let’s go out for a walk. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER (Antonio’s) Thinking, Walk, walk. I know that word) woof, woof ALFONSO GIAVANNI Good dog. Let’s go girl. Good dog. Beth I will be right back. ELIZABETH GIAVANNI (36) Ok, take your coat it is cold outside. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Come on Rex. We will take a walk down to the butchers. Maybe he will have a nice beef bone for you. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER Woof, woof. I have to squat and shit. Now I feel better. A few minutes later at the butchers. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Good morning paesan. Have you got some beef bones for Rex here? DOMINIC TERADADO (45) BUTCHER Anything for Rex. How is the family Al? ALFONSO GIAVANNI They’re fine. You got some braziole, and how about some pork loin? DOMINIC MERCANO Sure Al. How many pounds of pork loin do you want. I’ll wrap up Rex’s bones for here. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER If I piss on this pole my friends will know I was here. (Pisses on a pole in front of the store). ALFONSO GIAVANNI What do I owe you Dominic? DOMINIC MERCANO Forgetaboutit. It’s on the house. Have a good day Al. What out there is a fly on the counter. Let me kill it. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Don’t kill it. It is a creature of God. I mean what the hell it is just a fly. Grazi Dominic for the meat. DOMINIC MERCANO What ever you say Al. Have a nice day. Alfonso returns home with Rex on a leash. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Here is a bone for you Rex. Good dog. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER Woof, woof (Thinking to herself, I love to chew into a nice juicy bone with some meat still attached to it. My master has always been good to me. Being a dog is not such a bad life. I will take a nap after my bone) FADE OUT. A month later Alfonso is working at the deli he owns with some of his employees. He is drinking cappuccino outside his store on the sidewalk with some of his associates on a sunny day in Staten Island. FADE IN: ALFONSO GIAVANNI What a day? Nice and sunny. Here Rex, take some meat for a snack. Have you ever heard of karma Sammy? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO (55) No boss what is it some kind of sausage? Sammy is a fat short Italian guy with no class. He lives to eat and that is why he has the nickname Gavone, big eater. ALFONSO GIAVANNI No fool, karma is doing good things in our life. Helping others and doing good things pays off in the end. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO (55)CAPO Yeah that sounds good Boss. Rex is a great dog Al. She is always at your side to protect you. I’ll have a cup of expresso Al. AlFONSO GIAVANNI (Tapping on the table unconsciously with his left hand) Yeah, not for nothin, she is a loyal dog. Here is your expresso Sammy. Both Al and Sammy are sitting at a small table in the Italian Deli drinking expresso. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO (Whispering) You know Al, we are going to have to rub out this new guy that is trying to get in on our garbage business. Jake Dresser, is his name and he paid off an administrator in town hall to get the south shore garbage pickup route. We cannot afford to lose that route. It is where our richest customers live. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Get some of the guys, and pay Mr. Dresser a visit, and make him an offer he cannot refuse. We need that garbage route. If he refuses maybe you should take him to live with the fishes, if you know what I mean? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Should I take Shortie with me to talk to Mr. Dresser? ALFONSO GIAVANNI Yeah, he is a stugots, but he will do the job if Mr. Dresser plays it difficult. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Let’s go Tony. FADE OUT. SCENE 2-INT. DAY- JAKE DRESSER’S OFFICE ACROSS TOWN ON STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK. An hour later Sammy the Gavone arrives at Jake Dresser’s office with an associate FADE IN: SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Mr. Dresser please. SECRETARY (30) Whom shall I say wants to see him? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Tell him Sammy Giambello is here to talk business. SECRETARY (On the intercom) Mr. Dresser, Mr. Giambello is here to talk with you. JAKE DRESSER (45) GARBAGE COMPANY OWNER (On the intercom) Tell him I am not in. SECRETARY (On the intercom) He knows you are here Mr. Dresser. Sammy barges through the office door with Shortie who is the size of a professional wrestler. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Mr. Dresser, I don’t like waiting around. We need to talk about you cutting in on my garbage truck routes on Staten Island. JAKE DRESSER There is nothing to talk about. I bid for those routes fair and square. SHORTIE SWEETWATER (40) THUG Do you want me to twist his head off Sammy? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Mr. Dresser, I am goin make you a deal you cannot refuse. Either you sell those routes to me or Shortie here is going to take you fishing. Do you like fishing Mr. Dresser? JAKE DRESSER No, I don’t, and you cannot threaten me. It is illegal. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO I am going to be a fair man, and give you a piece of the garbage truck routes you purchased if you turn the ownership over to me. I am goin give you a day to think about it. If you decide to cooperate than I will have our lawyer drop by tomorrow. If not, then I am going to send Shortie here to take you fishing with cement shoes. Do you get my meaning? Capish? JAKE DRESSER I’ll have to think about it. Now get out of my office before I call the cops. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO We’ll see you tomorrow then Mr. Dresser. Come on Vinnie let’s get outta here. Shortie and Sammy leave in their Lincoln Town car. FADE OUT. SCENE 3-INT. DAY- ALFONSO GIAVANNI’S OFFICE. The next day. FADE IN: ALFONSO GIAVANNI Sammy did I get any phone calls from Mr. Dresser? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO No boss. What do you want me to do? ALFONSO GIAVANNI Wait until it gets dark, and take a visit to Mr. Dresser’s office with Vinnie boombots. Take some of our associates and wait until he comes out of the office and locks it up. Grab him in the parking lot and put his lights out for good. Take him down to the beach and tie his legs to a cinder block and throw him off the dock in deep water. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO You got it boss. VINNIE MAGLIANI (BOOMBOTS)45 Am I going Boss? ALFONSO GIAVANNI Yeah Vinnie boombots you are going. Sammy, make sure you don’t leave any fingerprints or evidence. You know, I had the strangest dream last night. I thought I was a dog drinking water outta a bowl. Is that weird or what? (Unconsciously tapping his left hand on the table). I will be at the Sand Bar tonight having some drinks and to establish an alibi while you ice Mr. Dresser. Later that night Alfonso is in the Sand Bar restaurant having some drinks with his wife Madeline’. ALFONSO GIAVANNI (CONT’D) Who is watching the kids Madeline’? MADELINE GIAVANNI (33) MOTHER/WIFE Momma is watching them. She volunteered to watch them. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Having teenagers is a nightmare from hell. Do you remember when we were teenagers? We never acted like ALfonso Jr. , Mary, Nick, Sonny and Abe act. MADELINE GIAVANNI They were different times Al. ALFONSO GIAVANNI What do you want for dinner Madeline’? MADELINE GIAVANNI I am going to have the surf and turf with some red wine. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Sounds good. I am going to have some pasta and steak with a beer. Waiter, we are ready to order. After dinner Alfonso gets a call on his cell phone and it is Sammy. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Boss, the fishing trip went well. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Good, see you tomorrow. I am having dinner with my wife. Ciao. FADE OUT. SCENE 4- INT. DAY- ALFONSO GIAVANNI’S OFFICE. FADE IN: ALFONSO GIAVANNI Coffee Sammy? We will wait a week until the garbage piles up in Mr. Dresser’s routes, and then we will approach the town hall and make an offer to take over the routes for our price. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Sounds good boss. ALFONSO GIAVANNI I am goin see my gumad this afternoon so if my wife or anyone calls I am out of the office. You got it? (Tapping the fingers on his left hand). SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Sure, I got it. I will hold the fort down while you are out. FADE OUT. SCENE 5- INT. DAY- ALICE HERRING, ALFONSO’S MISTRESS (GUMAD) APARTMENT. Alice is a flashy whore with a beautiful 19 year old body, red hair and pure white skin. Tony arrives at her apartment for a little action. FADE IN: ALFONSO GIAVANNI (Knock, knock on the door) Alice how you doin? I brought you some flowers. Alice is dressed in nothing but a bath robe, with her naked body showing through in some places. ALICE HERRING (19) MISTRESS Ok, Tony, that is so thoughtful of you. Come in. ALFONSO GIAVANNI I am sorry I could come over last week. I had some business problems to take care over. You look great today and that perfume smells fabulous. ALICE HERRING Coffee or whiskey Tony? ALFONSO GIAVANNI Coffee please. It is too early for whiskey. Did you lose weight. You look really thin. ALICE HERRING That is so kind of you Tony. I have been watching my diet and cutting out the ice cream. Here is your coffee. ALFONSO GIAVANNI It has been a stressful week at work. I need to unwind. Let’s go into the bedroom. Alice takes off her bathroom and stands naked in front of Tony in the bedroom. ALICE HERRING Maybe I can relieve some of your stress Tony? ALFONSO GIAVANNI I hope so. ALICE HERRING Let me rub your back. ALFONSO GIAVANNI I would prefer if you rubbed my bracciole. ALICE HERRING Sure Tony, what ever you want. ALFONSO GIAVANNI That feels good. Lie down I am going pork you. Tony and Alice have intercourse on the bed. Afterward. ALICE HERRING I am going to take a shower Tony. Do you want to join me? ALFONSO GIAVANNI No, I have to run. I have a situation at work I have to take care of. Same time next week? I’ll leave some dough on the table. Goodbye. FADE OUT. SCENE 6- INT. DAY- GIAVANNI’S OFFICE IN STATEN ISLAND-THE DRIVE BY SHOOTING. That afternoon while Sammy is sitting in the front office of Giavanni enterprises a car drives by and shoots several shots into the plate glass barely missing Sammy sitting in a chair smoking a cigar. FADE IN: SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO (Falling backward out of the chair as shots rang out) Jesus Christ, fanabola? (Calling Alfonso on his cell phone while lying of the floor behind the couch) Boss, someone just did a drive by shooting of your office almost hitting me. They shot out the whole front office window. There is glass everywhere. The car that drove by is long gone. ALFONSO GIAVANNI (Tony is in his home) Hello, who is it? Sammy? I will be there as soon as I can. Sit tight and don’t do anything until I get there. Take the rifles out of the closet, and load them with ammunition just in case. An hour later that day at Alfonso’s office. ALFONSO GIAVANNI (CONT’D) Are you OK Sammy? I got here as soon as I could. Who the hell shot this place up? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO It could be the guys from Mr. Dresser’s crew after they realized their boss was abducted? ALFONSO GIAVANNI How would they figure that out so fast? Maybe his wife called the Police? Or his associates? Now we have to be real careful in case they try to retaliate. Call in Charlie, Mugsy and some of our guys to guard the place. Tell them to bring pistols and rifles. FADE OUT. SCENE 7- INT. DAY- THE HOME OF ALFONSO GIAVANNI. The next day. Detective Trade is a tall man in a suit coat and a Police badge handing around his neck on a lanyard. His hair is short cut and he is clean shaven with dark rim glasses. FADE IN: DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE (50) (Knock, knock) Hello. (At Alfonso’s office) Anyone here? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Yeah who’s there? DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE Detective Bill Trade from the New York City Police department. Is Mr. Giavanni in today? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO No, he hasn’t come into work yet. What can I do for you? DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE I see you have your office window boarded up. Did you have someone knock it out? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Some punk kid threw a rock through the plate glass window the other day. We haven’t gotten it replaced yet. DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE Have you seen Mr. Drake Dresser around lately? I understand Mr. Giavanni had some associates visit to Mr. Dresser’s office a few days ago, and threatened him about garbage routes. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Where did you hear that crap from? Vinnie and I paid a formal congratulatory visit to Mr. Dresser regarding his winning the recent bids from town hall for the South shore garbage routes. Mr. Giavanni offered to buy the routes from Mr. Dresser to compliment our routes on the rest of Staten Island. DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE Really? And that was all? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Yup. That’s about it. Why? DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE The secretary for Mr. Dresser said Mr. Giavanni and Mr. Dresser were arguing in his office. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO I don’t know nuttin about that. I went outside to have a smoke. What happened to Mr. Dresser? DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE He has gone missing. His wife called the Police station and he never came home the other night. Where were you the other night Mr. Giambello? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO I was drunk and fall asleep early at home Detective. DETECTIVE WILLIAM TRADE When Mr. Giavanni comes into work have him give me a call. His is my card. Have a nice day. Later, after Detective Trade leaves. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO (Calling on his cell phone) Hey, Boss, we had a visit from a Detective Trade inquiring where Mr. Dresser might be? I told him we did not know. He knows about our visit to Dresser’s office the other day. ALFONSO GIAVANNI I will give him a call when I come into work later today. Meanwhile, you and the guys stay alert. FADE OUT. SCENE 8- INT. DAY- ALFONSO GIAVANNI’S HOME IN STATEN ISLAND. FADE IN: ALFONSO GIAVANNI Madeline, I am going to take the Rex the dog for a walk down at the beach. I will be back in a few minutes. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER Woof, woof. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Come on girl let’s go for a walk. Sit, good dog. ALfonso takes Rex for a walk down on the beach near his house. ALFONSO GIAVANNI (CONT’D) Good dog. Fetch the stick. Good. REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER WOOF, WOOF. Down the beach a man in a trenchcoat is walking along the surf facing Alfonso, and Rex about a 100 yards away. ALFONSO GIAVANNI Who is this guy walking along the surf? I have never seen him before? Come on Rex, good dog, leave the stranger alone. The stranger continues to walk along the surf toward Alfonso and Rex. Suddenly when he gets within ten yards of Alfonso, he pulls out a rifle under his trench coat and aims at Alfonso. STRANGER (60) This is for Jake Dresser. (Aims his rifle toward Alfonso) REX, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER (Antonio’s Voice: Who is this son of a bitch aiming a rifle at my master?) (Rex breaks away from Alfonso, and realizing there is danger, charges the stranger with the rifle and tries to bit him) The gun goes off and the bullet hits Rex in the head where she falls dead bleeding on the sand. ALFONSO GIAVANNI (Hysterical) You son of a bitch. (Alfonso rushes toward the stranger and throws sand in his eyes blinding him momentarily. He assaults the stranger, and punches him in the head and chest. When the stranger falls to the ground and drops the rifle, Alfonso jumps on top and keeps punching the stranger until he is dead on the beach. Running over to Rex, he realizes the dog saved his life.) Rex, oh Rex, poor dog, oh my God she is dead. (Alfonso picks up the dead body of Rex and carries her home to his house) Thirty minutes later at Alfonso’s house ALFONSO GIAVANNI (CONT’D) Madeline, come quick. Rex has been shot by a stranger. (Alfonse is holding the dead body of Rex). MADELINE GIAVANNI Oh, my God, what happened? Is she dead? ALFONSO GIAVANNI (CONT’D) A stranger shot at me on the beach with a rifle and Rex pulled the leash out of my hand and rushed the stranger with the rifle and attempted to bite and protect me. She took a bullet that was intended for me. Oh, I feel so bad. The stranger is dead on the beach with his rifle. Let me call Sammy to clean up the mess. Sammy, get over to the beach by my house and you will find a dead body lying on the beach with a rifle by him. Clean it up, and ditch the body and rifle. Make sure no one sees you. Contact me later when it is done. Get here before someone discovers the body. Later that week, Alfonso and his family have Rex buried in a Pet Cemetery on Staten Island. ALFONSO GIAVANNI (CONT’D) Rex, she was a good dog and she saved my life by risking her own. God bless her now and in the here after. Amen. (Crying). FADE TO BLACK. CHAPTER FOUR- LIFE NUMBER FOUR AS RITA ESPERALIZA, DAUGHTER OF DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA, THE GOD FATHER. SCENE 1- INT. DAY- LIFE AS RITA ESPERALIZA, ELDEST DAUGHTER OF DOMINIC ESPERALIZA, GOD FATHER. FADE IN: ANTONIO H. CASTELANO (THE VOICE OF ANTHONY) I am reborn and my name is Rita Esperaliza, and I am the eldest daughter of Don Dominic Esperaliza of New York City. I was born in 1980 in Queens, New York. I was a premature baby by 3 weeks. My mother Maria Del Caso Esperaliza had a difficult time during her pregnancy. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN: RITA ESPERALIZA (4) Momma what are we having for dinner tonight? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA (39) MOTHER Amma makin manigott, your favorite tonight. (Thick Italian accent) RITA ESPERALIZA You know Momma I have a dream last night that I was a special Italian person, kind of like a boss or something and everyone was afraid of me. Isn’t that weird. Then I thought I was a fly fearing death at every minute. So weird? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA It was just a dream Rita. Pay it no mind. RITA ESPERALIZA But it was so real. I was a man who tapped his left fingers all the time and that is what I do all the time. (Tapping her fingers of her left hand). MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Go play with your dolls Rita. Your father will be home soon for dinner. RITA ESPERALIZA OK, momma. Later that night Don Dominic Esperaliza comes home. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (41) THE BOSS Carlo park the car down the street in case someone is following us. CARLO GAMBIZZI (50) CAPO OK Boss. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Come in and have some dinner with my Family. Don Dominic gets out of his black limo and goes into his house. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) Maria, I brought Carlo home for dinner. What did you cook? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Manigott, Dominic. Have a seat with Carlo and I will bring you some Chianti. CARLO GAMBIZZI Good evening Maria. Something smells good. Thank you for inviting me to your house for dinner. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA You are always welcome in our home Carlo. Sit, sit down and have some wine. sei senti fame? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (Offers a toast with a glass of wine) cento anni, a hundred years. CARLO GAMBIZZI Cento anni. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Olives Carlo? CARLO GAMBIZZI Thank you Don Esperaliza. You know I spoke to Joey buttagots, and he has fallen behind in his payments at the meat market. What do you want me to do? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA You and the boys go back and make Joey an offer he cannot refuse, capish? CARLO GAMBIZZI There is a shipment coming in at JFK next week that a friend has informed us is imported Italian oil and olives straight from Italy. Do you want to do anything about it? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA We can make it look like it fell off a truck. Get Benny, Vito, and the other goombahs, and make up a plan, and let me see it first. Our friend over on 6th avenue has some fire power we can buy with no serial numbers. I’ll give you some cash to go over there tomorrow with one of the guys and pick up the product. Use the Van rather than one of the cars. Make sure to change the plates too. You never know if someone is following you. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Here is dinner everyone. Rita come down for dinner now. Everything is on the table. RITA ESPERALIZA OK, mom. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA I made plenty of garlic bread Carlo so enjoy. The provalone is in the covered bowl. Help yourself. CARLO GAMBIZZI Gratzi Maria. This is really good chianti wine. RITA ESPERALIZA Uncle Carlo how you doin? CARLO GAMBIZZI Good my princess. RITA ESPERALIZA (While eating Rita begins to tap her fingers on her left hand unconsciously) MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Rita stop that tapping, it is annoying. CARLO GAMBIZZI Maria this mortadell is fabulous. Did you make it yourself? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA No, silly I bought it from Vinnie the butcher down the street. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA My Maria is one of the best cooks around. I am soon going to weigh 500 pounds. (laughs) MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Rita do you want to go to morning prayer tomorrow with me at Christ Church? RITA ESPERALIZA Sure Momma. I haven’t seen father Capooch in a long time. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA His name is Cavapouch Rita, not Capooch. RITA ESPERALIZA Yeah, momma I was just kidding. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Maria, Carlo and I will have brandy and cigars in my office after dinner. After dinner Don Dominic and Carlo retire to the office, and close the door to talk business and enjoy brandy and cigars. Suddenly, there is a lot noise of a gun shots and broken glass. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) (Comes running out of his office with a cigar in his mouth followed by Carlo) Mannagia. What the hell happened. Get down on the floor Maria. It is a drive by shooting. Rita where are you? Vedi caciunca, watch out you are gonna get hurt. RITA ESPERALIZA Over here father behind the couch. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Good stay there. Carlo have you got your piece with you? CARLO GAMBIZZI Yeah boss, and it is loaded. I will go around the back of the house and see if I can see the car that was shooting at the house. Stay here. Minutes later Carlos comes in the front door. CARLO GAMBIZZI (CONT’D) All clear boss. I saw an old black chevy driving away down the street. Who do you think. It could have been a calabres? Who wants to rub you out?. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Stugots! Get Vinnie and the guys over here and let’s find out who these stunads were. We got some gaguzz’, that is going to make them wish they were never born. We are gonna throw everything we have at them when we find out what gang dared to kill a Don. RITA ESPERALIZA Daddy I am afraid. Why are they shooting at us? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Dominic I feel faint. I have to sit down. Look what they did to our picture window? What a mess. Mannaggia Dial. CARLO GAMBIZZI I will take the limo Boss and drive over to the office to get the boys. Stay here with your family. I will get some hardware too. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Make it quick Carlo. I have no patience for these calabres. FADE OUT. SCENE 2-EXT. NIGHT- REVENGE AT THE CALABRIAN DANCE CLUB CALLED, PARADISE COVE IN BROOKLYN. Carlo and Don Esperaliza have rounded up their gang, and through an informant, are headed to Brooklyn for revenge against an Italian gang from Calabria Italy that has a place in Brooklyn. FADE IN: CARLO GAMBIZZI Don Esperaliza, I have an informant that told me that Ricardo the Knife Lagana’ and his boys want to rub you out to take over our business interests in Staten Island. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Really? That stunad. Where is their place in Brooklyn? (Tapping the fingers on his left hand again and again). CARLO GAMBIZZI 18th street and Lombard in Brooklyn Red Hook area. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Let’s take the van and put our guys all in one vehicle for a fast get a way. An hour later around 11:00 pm, the Esperaliza gang are going over the Verrazano bridge from Staten Island to Brooklyn. CARLO GAMBIZZI The calbrese bastards live in a garage and apartment complex about two more blocks. Let’s pull up with the van lights turned off so as not to alert them. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Shoot all the stunads, and leave no one alive. We have to make an example of them to warn other gangs that we will not tolerate drive by shootings at our families. CARLO GAMBIZZI You got it Boss. Come Vinnie we are going in the front door. The rest of you guys cover the back and side windows. Ready? Let’s go. The Esperaliza gambinos sneak around the garage and house with loaded assault rifles and guns. Carlo kicks in the front door, and all hell breaks loose. CARLO GAMBIZZI (CONT’D) (Kicking the door down) Hey calabrese here is a little birthday message for you from Don Esperaliza. Shooting begins everywhere. Carlo shoots a man running behind the apartment wall. A shot goes over his head, and right behind him Don Esperaliza with an automatic assault rifle cuts another guy in the kitchen in half. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Take that you sonna of a bitch. Carlo get down, over there by the side door. Look out. (Pointing to the side door). VINNIE MAGLIANI I got him Don Esperaliza. (Shoots the guy by the side door.) Suddenly two men come running down the stairs to the second floor. Carlo cuts them down with four shots from his hand gun. CARLO GAMBIZZI Two more stunads boss. Is that all of them? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA It looks like we got them all. Grab the bodies and throw them in the van. Tonight they are going to sleep with the fishes. Carlo burn the place down. Use some of the gasoline there in the garage. CARLO GAMBIZZI OK, boss. Vinnie give me a hand and then let’s get outta here. As the Esperaliza gang drives off into the dark of the night the burning apartment and garage light up the city buildings. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Nice work gambinos. Let’s drop them off the Verrazano bridge on the way home. VINNIE MAGLIANI Good idea Don Esperaliza. FADE OUT. SCENE 3- INT. DAY- THE ESPERALIZA HOME IN STATEN ISLAND. A year later Rita is five years of age and entering Kindergarten at Holy Mary Catholic School in Staten Island. FADE IN: SISTER ANGELINA GOOLINA (50) TEACHER Good afternoon Mrs. Esperaliza. How are you doing? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA I am fine Sister. Thank you for asking. How is little Rita doing in Kindergarten? SISTER ANGELINA GOOLINA She is doing very well. She is very bright and learns quickly. My one concern is she is always drawing guns and dogs all the time. Usually children draw their families or nature. She also has a little tic in that she gets nervous she taps her fingers on her left hand. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Yes, Sister we have noticed the tapping at home too. She is always telling us she used to be a dog or a man in a former life. I tell her it is just dreams. SISTER ANGELINA GOOLINA Yes, I have heard her say she used to be a dog also. Very strange? I will pray for her. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Thank you sister. Come on Rita, time to go home. RITA ESPERALIZA Look at my pictures momma. This is Rex and he is a golden retriever. I like dogs momma. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA That is good Rita. Get in the car please. Upon returning home Rita goes to her room to play and Maria prepares dinner. FADE OUT. SCENE 4-INT. DAY- RITA AT AGE 15, TEN YEARS LATER. Rita has grown into a beautiful young teenager with long straight black hair and blue eyes. She is a very religious girl, alway praying on her rosary every day. FADE IN: RITA ESPERALIZA (15) (Praying with her rosary in hand) Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears; turn, then most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Rita I am going shopping. Do you want to come along? RITA ESPERALIZA Yes, momma. I am just finishing my rosary. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA We can stop by the church and light some candles for Grandma and Grandpa Esperaliza. At the open air shopping market in downtown Staten Island later that day. RITA ESPERALIZA Don’t forget the onions and peppers momma for peppers and sausage tonight. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA I got plenty of peppers. Pick out some large white onions Rita. RITA ESPERALIZA Ok, momma. Momma here comes Aunt Julia. JULIA BANANA (40) WIFE OF AL BANANA, CAPO. Rita how good to see you Where is your mother? RITA ESPERALIZA Mother is over there buying Italian bread for dinner. Mother, Aunt Julia is here. I don’t think she can hear me. Come, We can walk over to the bakery and talk to her. JULIA BANANA Maria how are you? I haven’t seen you in such a long time. (Hugging Maria). MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Julia, how good to see you. How is your husband Alfonso doing? JULIA BANANA He is fine. Business as usual. How is Don Esperaliza? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA He is busy all the time these days with the garbage business and construction projects around Staten Island. JULIA BANANA I heard Vinnie Boombats got arrested for possession of stolen items. I knew that stuff didn’t fall off a truck all the time. (Laughing) MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Well you know Vinnie Boombats? His elevator doesn’t go to the second floor. (Laughing). JULIA BANANA You must come to dinner at our new house on the beach front on the south side of Staten Island. We have a view of New Jersey from our back yard. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA That sounds wonderful. I will ask Dominic. You take care of yourself. JULIA BANANA Thank you Maria. God bless. Arrivederci. RITA ESPERALIZA Strange we have not seen Aunt Julia in over a year? MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Well she moved to the beach area on the south side of Staten Island and lost touch with us. Come let’s go and have some Italian gelato. What flavor do you want Rita? RITA ESPERALIZA Chocolate Momma. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Two small chocolate gelato please? GELATO CLERK Coming right up madam. FADE OUT. SCENE 5 INT. DAY- THE ESPERALIZA HOME BACK YARD. Rita is sunning herself in the backyard of her family home. When the phone rings. FADE IN: RITA ESPERALIZA Hello? Who is this? Oh, Becky is that you? Becky De Vechio is a 16 year old daughter of a Don from Manhattan who lives on Staten Island. She is a thin girl, and was born autistic. She had problems socializing with anyone, but Rita has always been a friend she could trust. BECKIE DEL VECHIO (16) Hi Rita, this is Beckie. How are you doing today? My mother told me to give you a call, and see if you wanted to join me in getting our nails done at Virginia’s Nail Salon. RITA ESPERALIZA That sounds great Beckie. I’ll take the bus over to your house and we can both go and get our nails done. BECKIE DEL VECHIO Wonderful. I will see you then. An hour later Rita arrives at Beckie’s house in Staten Island. Beckie is autistic since birth. She is a young Italian girl with dark brown hair. RITA ESPERALIZA (Seeing Beckie sitting on the front porch of her house) Hi Beckie, I made it. Come on let’s go get a manicure for our nails. Rita and Beckie walk down to the busy avenue to Virginia’s Nail Salon. RITA ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) We would like to have a manicure done please. SECRETARY IN NAIL SALOON (30) Sure, grab a seat, and I will get two of our girl to take care of you. Rita and Beckie sit down and wait for the manicure girls to come out. BECKIE DEL VECHIO How are things at your house Rita? RITA ESPERALIZA Same old, same old thing. Father is always busy with his associates. I had a dream last night. I thought I was a dog. Isn’t that weird? FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN: Suddenly a young black kid with a ski mask over his face charges into the beauty salon with a gun. MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN (19?) (Yelling with a gun held up in the air) Alright bitches this is a hold up. Put your hands up in the air, and give me all the cash in the register. BECKIE DEL VECHIO Oh, my god Rita what should we do? RITA ESPERALIZA (Whispering) Stay calm Beckie. All he wants is the cash in the register. Probably some drug addict? MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN You broads shut up. Gimme me the cash or I am going to shoot someone. Don’t piss me off bitches. SECRETARY IN NAIL SALOON Sure, sure, here is the money. Don’t shoot anyone. Stay cool. $500 is all we have in the register. MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN Give me the money bitch and sit down. BECKIE DEL VECHIO Rita I am afraid. He is going to kill us. Suddenly, the masked robber points the gun at Beckie. MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN You need to keep your mouth shut bitch or I am going to blow your head off with this gun. BECKIE DEL VECHIO Rita help me. He is going to kill me. RITA ESPERALIZA Take your money and go. She is no threat to you. MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN Shut the hell up. RITA ESPERALIZA Do you know who I am? MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN No, and I don’t care. RITA ESPERALIZA I am the daughter of Don Esperaliza, and if you hurt my friend Beckie or me, my father will hunt you down, and all of your family and kill all of you. If you have a mother or father he will kill them, and hang their bodies from the window of the house where they live, and then he will kill your girlfriend or sisters and brothers, so take your money, and get out of here before you make a mistake you will be sorry for. MASKED AFRICAN AMERICAN GUNMAN Don Esperaliza the Italian God Father? Oops, I am sorry. I don’t want to get the maffia down my throat. I am outta here.(He turns and starts to walk toward the door past Rita). RITA ESPERALIZA Take this you son of a bitch. As the gunman turns to leave the mail salon, Rita grabs a statute of the Virgin Mary, the mother of God, and cracks it over the gunman’s head. He falls to the ground with a crack in his skull and blood everywhere on the floor. RITA ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) Quick call 911 immediately. SECRETARY IN NAIL SALOON I am, I am, oh my God, mother of God! Hello 911 there has been a robbery at Virginia’s Nail Salon on 3022 Broadway avenue. Hurray, get here quick. The gunmen is lying on the floor bleeding to death. BECKIE DEL VECHIO Rita, I can’t believe you saved my life. RITA ESPERALIZA I didn’t save your life Beckie. I saved all our lives from this punk. He really pissed me off and I just reacted by grabbing the statute of the Mother Mary and cracked it over his head. It was probably stupid of me to do that. I just went blank. VIRGINIA MANITA (NAIL SALOON OWNER 33) You did the right think Rita, and you prevented the gunman from shooting everyone in the salon. I owe you a debt of gratitude for risking your life for all of us here in the salon. RITA ESPERALIZA Thank you, but you are too kind. I have to call my father. Can I use your phone? VIRGINIA MANITA Sure go ahead. Are you Don Esperaliza’s daughter? RITA ESPERALIZA Kind of? Hello daddy. I just hit a gunman in the head with the statute of the Virgin Mary in the nail salon on Broadway avenue. Come down here quick before the cops get here. Beckie is here with me. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA You stay there. I will be there in a few minutes. Tell the cops nothing. I will bring my lawyer just in case. Minutes later the Police arrive with their lights and sirens flashing and blasting. Antony Luna a eight year veteran police steps out of the Police car. He is a short stocky, prematurely balding man, with dark rim glasses and a stubby face of unshaven hairs. ANTHONY LUNA (30) POLICE MAN Everyone stay where you are? Who is this guy on the floor? VIRGINIA MANITA He is a gun man that held up our nail saloon. He took our cash register money and threatened Beckie over there, and Rita. Rita stood up for her friend Beckie, and when the crook turned to leave, Rita took the statute of the Virgin Mary, and cracked it over the crook’s head, knocking him to the floor. Is he alive? ANTHONY LUNA Policeman I am checking his neck, and he still has a pulse. Hello dispatch, send an ambulance to Virginia’s Nail Salon on Broadway avenue Right away. POLICE DISPATCHER (50) OK, an ambulance is on the way. ANTHONY LUNA POLICEMAN I am going to need a Sergeant here also to handle the robbery and assault. POLICE DISPATCHER Sergeant Hills is on the way. Minutes later Don Esperaliza and his attorney arrive in a black limo. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Excuse me Officer my name is Dominic Esperaliza, and Rita is my daughter. I have my attorney Richard Aboro here with me just in case. I understand this mulignan attempted to rob this nail salon, and threatened to kill my daughter and her friend Beckie. RICHARD ABORO (55) ATTORNEY AT LAW Officer any statements made by Miss Esperaliza must be approved by me first. I am Miss Esperaliza legal council officially. ANTHONY LUNA POLICEMAN I haven’t taken a statement yet, but that is what I have heard so far Mr. Esperaliza and Mr. Aboro. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Rita, are you and Beckie alright? RITA ESPERALIZA Sure daddy. Thank GOD you came. I am all upset, and Beckie is afraid she is going to be in trouble with her father. BECKIE DEL VECHIO Oh Mr. Esperaliza it is so good to see you. Rita is a hero. She saved my life from this bad man. Can you call my father for me Mr. Esperaliza? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Sure Beckie. Where is Don Vechio now? BECKIE DEL VECHIO He is at work in Manhattan on 9th street in Greenwich Village. His number is 909-311-8000. Tell him I am alright. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Sure Beckie. Hello Don Del Vechio this is Dominic Esperaliza. Your daughter Beckie and my daughter went to a nail salon on broadway, and a young mulignan tried to rob the place, but your daughter is fine. She wanted me to call you. My daughter Rita hit the mulignan over the head with a statute of the Virgin Mary when he turned to leave with the stolen money. I will bring Beckie home for you as soon as my lawyer, and I are finished giving a statement to the Police. Don’t worry your daughter is safe, thanks to my daughter Rita. DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO (60) GODFATHER OF VECHIO FAMILY OF MANHATTAN. Grazie Don Esperaliza for keeping me informed. Is everything under control? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Yes, the gunman is lying on the floor bleeding to death. DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO Well good for her. I owe you and her a debt for caring for my daughter and protecting her life. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA No problem Don Del Vechio. I am sure your daughter Beckie would have done the same for my daughter. I will drive your daughter home to make sure she is safe after the cops get done taking statements. DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO Grazi. I will talk again with you soon Don Esperaliza. FADE OUT. SCENE 6- INT. DAY- RITA ESPERALIZA’S 16TH BIRTHDAY PARTY AT LOUIE SHELL HOUSE IN STATEN ISLAND. Rita has an extravagant sixteenth birthday party, and all the family and friends are invited including the Godfathers from Staten Island, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and New Jersey. It is a big family affair as well as a political affair for the five families of New York and the families from New Jersey. FADE IN: MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA Rita hurray up or we are going to be late for your birthday party at Louis Shell House. RITA ESPERALIZA I am coming momma. This dress is a little tight on me. I will be right down. In the other room Don Esperaliza and associates Sammy, Vinnie, and Carlo are having a cigar and talking. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA We have invited all of the God fathers of the five families ,and their associates including the Gambino family who control most of Staten Island. I want all of you to be especially careful looking for Feds hanging around taking pictures and for any drunken associates that could make a scene at the party. Anyone that gets out of control you tell Carlo here, who will let me know immediately. Don Del Vechio, and his family will have special seating near my table because of our close relation through our daughters. CARLO GAMBIZZI That is right guys. Let’s make sure there are no incidents during the party. Afterward the God fathers of the five families and their associates may want to have a sit down to discuss business. We will do that in a separate part of the restaurant SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Anyone packing heat will be asked to leave their hardware in their cars and not bring it into the restaurant. FADE OUT. Later all the cars and limos leave for the Clam House. Don Esperaliza welcomes all the guest with his wife and daughter Rita next to him. Most the Dons show up and others sends gifts and apology card for their absence. Later at the Clam House. FADE IN: DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Welcome Don Del Vechio and your wife and daughter. Thank you for coming. DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO Thank you for inviting me Don Esperaliza. Later you and I need to talk some personal business without the other Dons. Happy Birthday Rita. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Sure Don Vechio. I will check with you later. RITA ESPERALIZA I am glad you came Beckie. How are you doing? BECKIE DEL VECHIO I am good Rita and Happy 16th Birthday. I am so excited for you. As the ceremonies commence all of the five families and their associates are sitting at tables with their friends. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Sammy tell Don Del Vechio I would like to see him in the garden courtyard. SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO Sure Boss. (Minutes later) Excuse me Don Del Vechio, Don Esperaliza would like to have a drink with you in the garden courtyard. DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO In the garden courtyard? Of course. Tell Don Esperaliza I will be right there. In the garden courtyard both Godfathers talk softly. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Are you having a good time Don Del Vechio? What was it you wanted to talk to me about? DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO Don Esperaliza, I have heard that some of the Gambino family are planning to expand their territory and take over all of the garbage routes on Staten Island. Since you own most of the garbage routes they have targeted you to be removed so they can move in on your business. Because your daughter saved my daughter last year, I am indebted to you and I want to show my appreciation by keeping you informed of this conspiracy. I don’t know when or where this plan will play out, but you and your associates will need to be especially careful. If you need back up, my associates are available. All you have to do is ask. Don Esperaliza hugs Don Del Vechio in the garden as appreciation for his honesty in revealing the assassination plot against him. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Don Del Vechio, our families and daughters have always been close and greatly appreciate your honesty about this plot against me. I will follow your advice and be on the defensive. Salute. (Raises his glass of wine up in the air). Both men return to the main ballroom. MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA How did your talk with Don Del Vechio go? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Very well my dear. (Leaning over to Carlo who is sitting near him) Carlo tell the guys to stay on guard today and I will fill you in later what a little bird told me. CARLO GAMBIZZI OK, Boss, I will tell Sammy, and Vincent and the other guys. I have a gun taped under your table if their is trouble. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Rita my beautiful daughter Happy 16th Birthday. Are you having fun? Your gift from your mother and I is in the driveway. Here are the keys. It is the red Camaro convertible. Godere. Enjoy. RITA ESPERALIZA Oh, daddy, a car. Really? Oh my God, I am shocked. (Rita runs outside to find the red Camaro and there it is sitting by the front door) I can’t wait to get in the car. Wow, the engine sounds great. Can I drive it home Daddy? DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Sure Rita, take your mother after the party and you can drive her home. Godere. Enjoy. Several hours later the party draws to a close and all the guests and God Fathers leave. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) Carlo Rita is going to drive her new Camaro home with her mother. You and I will take the Limo home. The other guys will take the Lincoln town cars. RITA ESPERALIZA Oh, daddy I am so excited to drive this brand new Camaro. Come on momma, we are driving home in style. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Don’t drive to fast daughter. I will see you both at home. Carlo lets get in the limo. Don Esperaliza begins to walk over to his limo with Carlo walking in front of him. Rita gets in the new Camaro, and her mother gets in the passenger side, and Rita turns the car on and there is a thundering explosion and the Camaro bursts into flames and exploding in all directions with Rita and her mother inside. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) Jesus Christ…maronna mia! Rita, Maria, mannaggia. (Shouting) Carlo stay away from the limo. Quick someone get a fire extinguisher. Rita and Maria are burned to death in the Camaro. Don Esperaliza falls to the ground weeping for his beloved wife Maria and his daughter Rita. VINNIE MAGLIANI Boss, what happened? SAMMY THE GAVONE GIAMBELLO I have a fire extinguisher but the flames are too big and hot to get near the car. I am sorry boss. Who could have done this? CARLO GAMBIZZI Boss, I looked under the limo. There is a bomb attached to the gas peddle under the limo. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Don Del Vechio warned me the Gambino family might be planning to make a move against my family to get control of the Staten Island garbage routes we own. I blame myself. I never thought they would move against me so soon, and at my daughter’s 16 birthday? Mannaggia. (Don Esperaliza covers his face with his hands and cries into his hands) FADE TO BLACK. SCENE 7-INT. DAY- THE FUNERAL FOR RITA ESPERALIZA AND MARIA DEL CASO ESPERALIZA AT THE ST. THOMAS ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERY ON STATEN ISLAND. On a rainy, cloudy day the funeral procession of limos heads toward St. Thomas Roman Catholic Cemetery on Staten Island. FADE IN: DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO My condolences Don Esperaliza. I had no idea that the Gambinos would strike this early and cause the death of your beloved wife and daughter. I am so sad for you. Anything I can do to help you find revenge, just call upon me. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Thank you Don Del Vechio. You are a trusted friend, and someday soon I will come to you for a favor. DON SAMUEL DEL VECHIO Thank you Don Esperaliza. God Bless. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (Whispering to Carlo) Carlo and always beware of your enemies, but most of all beware of your friends that are really plotting behind your back. DON VITO GAMBINO (60) GOD FATHER Don Esperaliza, my condolences for the loss of your wife and daughter. If ever you need a favor, do not hesitate to come to me. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Thank you Don Vito Gambino. The flowers were beautiful. My best to you and your family. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA (CONT’D) After the Priest’s final words the caskets are lowered into the ground and everyone walks back to their cars. PRIEST Ashes to ashes.O God, by Whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, send Your holy angel to watch over this grave,
through Christ our Lord.

Amen. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA Carlo mark my words I will get my vendetta for killing my wife and daughter. CARLO GAMBIZZI Just give me the word Don Esperaliza and we will make our move. DON DOMINIC ESPERALIZA No, it is too dangerous now. We will wait a while until the Gambinos feel relaxed and then we will strike. I will ask my friend Don Del Vechio, and his associates to join with us in wiping out the Gambino family in New York. FADE TO BLACK. CHAPTER FIVE- LIFE NUMBER FIVE AS FATHER MARIO GALVONO, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AT THE CHURCH OF MARY OF PADUA. SCENE 1- INT. DAY- LIFE AS FATHER MARIO GALVONO OF THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY OF PADUA, LOWER EAST SIDE OF NEW YORK CITY. Editor’s note: Father Mario Galvono should be a male actor in his thirties, however, the male actor that plays Antonio’s is the voice over when Father Galvono speaks. This means the actor that plays Father Galvono’s voice is edited in later after filming with Antonio’s voice so the audience can sense the reincarnated image of Antonio. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO (36) CATHOLIC PRIEST My story begins when I was born in Oct. 30, 1980 in Yonkers, New York. I grew up in a poor Italian family in Yonkers, New York. I attended Yonkers high school, and then went on to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. I was inspired to help people after my mentor Father Julio Batucci inspired me by his example. Bishop John Joseph O’Connor appointed me to St. Mary’s Church of Padua in the lower east side of New York upon my graduation from Seminary. FADE OUT. Flash back to 1999 upon Father Mario Galvono’s graduation from St. Joseph’s seminary. FADE IN: BISHOP JOHN JOSEPH O’CONNOR I want you to revitalize St. Mary’s of Padua church on the east side. It is an old Italian catholic church serving the local community for over 100 years. It has lost a lot of members as they have moved away or passed on. You will need to raise funds for a renovation of the church nave and it’s roof. It will be a challenge, but with your enthusiasm I am sure you will do well. FATHER MARIO GALVONO (20) Thank you Bishop O’Conner. I will do my best to make you proud. FADE OUT. Flash back. One week later at St. Mary of Padua’s church. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO (CONT’D) When I first saw the Church of St. Mary of Padua I was shocked. The outside of the building was dark from a century of car fumes and coal burning in homes. The front door was stained and warped and the roof had a blue tarp over part of it to prevent leaking. The entire church structure was crumbling from age and needed serious renovation to prevent it from collapsing. I prayed to Jesus to give me strength that day. DEACON JAMES DEMILES (40) Welcome Father Galvono. We have had an interim priest, Father Rosso for over a year and have petitioned the Bishop on several occasions for a permanent Priest. Finally, our prayers are answered. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I remember Deacon DeMiles giving me the tour of St. Mary’s and making excuses for all the disrepair in the church. DEACON JAMES DEMILES As you can see Father Galvono we are in need of much renovation. Our congregation has shrunk from 2,000 back in the 1950’s to 400 active parishioners. Many have moved away to the suburbs and others have passed away from old age. We are an old Italian church that has stood the test of time and weathering. FADE OUT. That Sunday so long ago I remember my first Mass. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO Deacon Demiles where are all the people for Mass? DEACON JAMES DEMILES Sometimes in between the major holidays our attendance drops severely. Many of our parishoners come out on Christmas, Easter and Italian Saint days. FATHER MARIO GALVONO We are going to have to work on our attendance I see. As Mass begins. DEACON JAMES DEMILES I have the privilege of introducing our new Rector Father Mario Galvono who has been appointed by Bishop O’Conner. I hope you will all give him a warm welcome after the Mass. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Good morning and may the Lord be With you. PARISHONERS And also with you. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Let us pray. Father we ask you to revive this church both in spirit and participation. We ask you to inspire us to seek to establish a capital campaign to rebuild St. Mary’s of Padua. We ask this all in the name of Jesus Christ by whom, and with whom with the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is thy name. Amen. FADE OUT. SCENE 2-EXT. DAY- SAVING A LITTLE GIRL’S LIFE ON 8TH AVENUE FROM BEING HIT BY A CAR. A month later. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO One day while I was walking down 8th street on the East Side I noticed a car racing at high speed down the street. As I looked up I also saw a young girl crossing the street in the middle of the block. Without thinking I yelled look out for the car. She did not hear me, so I ran to the middle of the block where she was crossing, grabbing her around the waist, and diving for the side of the road, just as the speeding car whizzed by. (Breathless) Are you OK? SILVIA DE COSTA AGAZONO (10) Thank you father (Noticing the white collar around Father Galvono’s black shirt). FATHER MARIO GALVONO That was a close one my child. God was watching over you this day. What is your name? My name is Father Mario Galvono. SILVA DE COSTA AGAZONO My name is Silvia De Costa Agazono Father. My father is the butcher on 5th street. His name in Gueseppi. FATHER ORLANDO GUCCI I am glad you are OK. The car was racing down the street and he surely would have hit you because he was driving so fast. (Getting up and brushing himself off). I will pray for you tonight and than God you were not injured. Give my best to your Father Gueseppi. SILVIA DE COSTA AGAZONO Good bye Father. FADE OUT. SCENE 3- INT. DAY – BAPTIZING A MAFFIA MADE-MAN WHO REALIZES HE IS DYING OF CANCER. A Godfather comes to be baptized. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO One day during the week a black limo pulled up in front of St. Mary of Padua church, and parked on the street. A well dressed older man with gray hair dressed in a three piece suit with a dark tie. DON JULIO FRANCISCO (60) GOD FATHER Father Galvono my name is Julio Francisco and I used to attend this church when I was a boy. I was baptized in this Church when I was a baby. Do you have some time to talk with me Father Galvono? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Sure Mr. Francisco, come into my office. DON JULIO FRANCISCO Father, I never had the opportunity to be confirmed as a Roman Catholic when I was a kid, and now that I have terminal cancer, I want to be confirmed as a Roman Catholic Christian before I die. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I can arrange that Mr. Francisco. Would you like this to be a private confirmation or would you like to be baptized during the Sunday Mass? (While sitting at his desk Father Galvono begins tapping the fingers on his left hand on his desk top). DON JULIO FRANCISCO Because I am well known as a Don of the Francisco Italian family of Manhattan, I would prefer to be confirmed in a private ceremony. FATHER MARIO GALVONO How about next Friday at 2:00 in the afternoon Mr. Francisco, and I am sorry to hear about your cancer. DON JULIO FRANCISCO Will I be required to take confession before baptism? FATHER MARIO GALVONO It is suggested, but not required, Mr. Francisco. DON JULIO FRANCISCO Good then I will see you next Friday at 2:00 Father. Thank you. FATHER MARIO GALVONO God bless and good bye Mr. Francisco. FADE OUT. SCENE 4- INT. DAY- HEARS THE CONFESSION OF DON FRANCISCO, WHO ADMITS TO KILLING DOZENS OF PEOPLE. The next week Don Julio Francisco returns early on Friday before his baptism for confession. FADE IN: DON JULIO FRANCISCO Good day Father Galvono. I have come early this day because I have decided to take confession before my confirmation. FATHER MARIO GALVONO That would be wonderful Mr. Francisco. In the confessional booth. DON JULIO FRANCISCO Father forgive me for I have never taken confession before. I don’t know where to begin. All my life I have been on the opposite side of the law. I have stolen from many people. I disrespected my parents. Most of all I have killed dozens of people. I have cheated on my wife in our marriage and I have broken the sacred vows of marriage. I ask forgiveness Father. FATHER MARIO GALVONO It is not for me to judge. In the name of Jesus Christ I forgive you your sins, go in knowing that you have been saved by your lord Jesus Christ, and say 100 Hail Mary’s for your penitence. DON JULIO FRANCISCO Thank you Father. I feel a weight off my shoulders. Praise be to God. Amen. FATHER MARIO GALVONO May I suggest Mr. Francisco, perhaps if you changed your life around and starting doing good things for people this might improve your status in heaven. it is sort of like karma, what you do in good deeds determines your afterlife. Don Julio Francisco comes out of the confessional booth smiling as he goes to a pew and begins repeating 100 Hail Mary’s. DON JULIO FRANCISCO Hail Mary full of grace. Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now, and at the hour of
our death.
Amen FATHER MARIO GALVONO I kept Don Francisco’s secret confession until the day I died. No one knew that I knew that Don Julio Francisco was a serial killer. FADE OUT. SCENE 5-INT. DAY- GIVES SHELTER TO A GAY MAN DYING FROM HIV AIDS AND PROVIDES SOLICE FOR HIS PARTNER BERNIE WALKER. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO In the 1990’s many of my parishoners were Gay, and HIV and AIDS was rampant among Gay men at the time. There was a stigma attached to getting the disease. On one occasion one of my parishoners named Tim Rey came to me for consolation. TIM REY (35) GAY MAN Father Galvono I recently went to my doctor after being sick for many months. He diagnosed me with AIDS, and gave me some medicine. I am afraid of dying and for my partner Bernie Walker. Can you help me Father? FATHER MARIO GALVONO I can pray for you and your partner. Do you have an apartment? TIM REY No, when my landlord found out I had aids, he threw me out of my apartment. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I have an extra room in the rectory that you are welcome to stay at. TIM REY That would be wonderful Father Galvono. Bless you. Everyone is turning against me as soon as they find out I have AIDS. FADE OUT. The following Sunday Father Galvano delivered a Sermon that got him in trouble with Bishop Eagan. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO Our capital campaign is slowly improving, however we need more of you to bring in your families and friends to help us succeed in restoring St. Mary’s church of Padua. Remember sisters and brothers our actions on Earth determine our rewards in heaven. It is almost like the Buddhist philosophy of Karma. The good that you do in your Earthly life follows you to the hereafter or Heaven. We Christians believe in Resurrection, which is coming back to life after being resurrected by Jesus Christ in the final days. Karma couldn’t hurt in doing good things for others and for St. Mary’s church. Feel free to give of your time and treasures to help us rebuild. The next day on a Monday I got a call from Bishop Eagan. BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN (DIOCESE OF NEW YORK)(60) Am I speaking to Father Galvono? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Yes, this is Father Mario Galvono, Bishop Eagan. How may I be of service Bishop? BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN Father Galvono I received a complaint from one of your parishioners that you were advocating Buddhism in your sermon on Sunday, and telling people to save up karma with good acts. That is not the philosophy of the Roman Catholic Church Father Galvono, and I want you to stop mentioning Buddhism or Karma or any of that crap. Do you understand me Father Galvono? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Yes, Bishop Eagan, perfectly. BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN Then we will consider this situation closed. Good day. FADE OUT. SCENE 6- INT. DAY- SAVES A WOMAN IN A BURNING HOUSE WHO TURNS OUT TO BE THE MOTHER OF DON IONNA. A year later while walking down a street on the east side of lower Manhattan, Father Galvono sees smoke billowing out of an apartment building. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO Mother of Mary that apartment is on fire. (Running into the apartment on the first floor) Hello, hello is anyone home. You have a fire in your building. Evacuate the building immediately. Inside an apartment Father Galvono hears someone yelling help. FATHER MARIO GALVONO (CONT’D) (Kicking down the door while smoke is escaping under the door into the hallway) Are you alright lady? Come let me help you get out of this burning building. The smoke is getting heavy. (Taking a wash cloth in the kitchen, Father Galvono wets two wash cloths and puts them over the old lady’s mouth and his own and carries her to safety. ANGELINA IONNA (75) MOTHER OF DON IONNA OF THE BRONX. Thank God you arrived in time. The smoke made it difficult to find my front door. I panicked, and thought for sure I was going to die. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I just happened to be walking by when I saw the smoke rising from the building. God was watching over you today. ANGELINA IONNA Are you Father Galvono from the church down the street? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Yes madam, I am the Priest at St. Mary of Padua’s Roman Catholic Church. Are you Roman Catholic? ANGELINA IONNA Yes, I am Father, but I seldom go to Mass. I guess I just got lazy? Now I think I better go every Sunday to thank God for providing you to save my life. FIREMAN (50) Are you alright Father? FATHER MARIO GALVONO I am fine. Maybe this kind lady needs help. What is your name again? ANGELINA IONNA I am Angelina Ionna. My son is Don Vito Ionna from the Bronx. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Don Vito Ionna you say? Yes I have heard of that name. He is a very powerful man. The ambulance arrives on the scene and takes Mrs. Angelina Ionna away to the hospital and that is the last Father Galvono sees of her. FADE OUT. SCENE 7- INT. DAY- DON IONNA REWARDS FATHER MARIO GALVONO Several weeks after the fire incident a black Rolls Royce pulls up in front of St. Mary’s of Padua church. Father Galvono is praying at the payer rail at the time. FADE IN: DON VITO IONNA (55) GODFATHER FROM THE BRONX Excuse me Father are you Father Mario Galvono? Sorry to bother you while you are praying. FATHER MARIO GALVONO That is OK. What can I do for you sir? DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER You don’t know me Father but I am Vito Ionna from the Bronx. You saved my mother, Angelina Ionna’s life during a fire in her apartment building several weeks ago. She could not stop talking about how kind you were and how you risked your own life to carry her out of the fire and smoke in her building when it was on fire. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I just happened to be walking by that day. God blessed her that day, and I was his instrument in helping to save her life. How is she doing? DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER She is well thank you for asking. Is there somewhere we can sit down and talk Father? My associates will remain in the church while we talk. Angelo and Ralphie, you guys stay here while I have a private talk with Father Galvono. ANGELO CERVATINI (40) CAPO Sure Boss. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Come into my office Mr. Ionna. How may I help you? DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER Father Galvono after talking to my mother about the fire and her almost being killed, I had a dream that night we talked. I saw Jesus Christ, who came to me, and talked about making amends and rewarding those around me for their good deeds. Jesus said, that if I did not amend my ways that I would burn in eternity or be reincarnated as a cricket in the next life. When I awoke I was sweating and my heart was racing. I thought about what Jesus said to me, and I decided to make amends. To begin with I want to reward you for saving my mother’s life. I wish to make a donation to your church in my mother’s name. I notice that you have a capital campaign ongoing to repair this very old church. I want to give you one million dollars to complete the renovation and repairs to St. Mary of Padua. This is my way of thanking you for saving my Mother at risk to your own life and taking no credit for it. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I cannot accept so much money Mr. Ionna. I did what any man would do under the circumstances. DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER I cannot accept that Father. What you did was nothing short of a miracle. I insist you accept this check for one million dollars with no strings attached. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Well if you insist. It would solve all our renovation problems. We will put up a plaque in your Mothers name for this wonderful donation. Bless you Don Ionna. FADE OUT. SCENE 8- INT. DAY- BISHOP EAGAN’S OFFICE IN ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL, NEW YORK CITY. A month after the donation is made by Don Vito Ionna, Father Galvono receives a call from Bishop Eagan’s office in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. FADE IN: BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN (60’S) Hello, Father Mario Galvono? How are you today? I hear your capital campaign to renovate St. Mary of Padua is coming along fine. It has come to my attention that you received a one million dollar donation from someone who is not a parishoner of your church. Is this true Father Galvono? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Yes it is Bishop Eagan. BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN You know Father Galvono a portion of that donation should have gone to the Catholic Diocese of New York. Were you aware of that? FATHER MARIO GALVONO No Bishop, I was not, however this donation was very specific in it’s application. It was from Don Vitto Ionna of the Bronx for my saving his mother from dying in an apartment fire over a month ago. He stipulated in the donation that all of the money is to be used for the renovation of St. Mary of Padua, and no other source. This is why I did not contact you regarding the donation. BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN I am a little disturbed about this situation Father Galvono. By rights we can seize a portion of that donation. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I do not want to tell you how to conduct your business Bishop, however the donor is Don Vitto Ionna. Does that name ring a bell Bishop? He is a very powerful Italian underworld Godfather in the Bronx, and if you were to seize his donation, there might be legal, and other repercussions from the Godfather. He has the right, I believe to restrict the donation in perpetuity to St. Mary of Padua. BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN (In an angry tone of voice) I do have the power to transfer you to another church if I deem it necessary. FATHER MARIO GALVONO You do what you deem is necessary, but neither of us are going to be able to change this donation specifically charged to be for St. Mary of Padua and no other source. BISHOP EDWARD EAGAN We will see about that. I don’t believe a parish priest can tell a Bishop what to do. You will be hearing from our lawyers soon. Good day Sir. After the conversation with the Bishop, Father Galvono calls Don Vitto Ionna. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Hello, may I speak to Don Vitto Ionna please. Tell him this is Father Galvono from St. Mary of Padua church. DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER Hello Father Galvono. How are you today? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Not good I am afraid. Bishop Eagan just gave me a call regarding your donation to St. Mary of Padua. He wants a portion to be given to the Catholic Diocese of New York. He may be able to follow through with his treat to send lawyers and have me transferred to another church. DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER Bishop Eagan you say? Really? Let me take care of that problem for you Father Galvono. I have some influence with the Union that is working on the renovation of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th avenue. I could threaten to hold the Union back from doing any further work on St. Patrick’s until the Bishop backs off from threatening you. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I don’t want to cause any problems Don Ionna. I just want to make sure St. Mary of Padua is protected from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Bishop. DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER Let me take care of business Father Galvono. You would hear from the Bishop again. I promise you that. Have a good day Father. FADE OUT. Several weeks later Father Galvono hears from an Associate Bishop Green at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. FADE IN: ASSOCIATE BISHOP GREEN (70) Hello, is this Father Galvono? This is Associate Bishop Green. I work with Bishop Eagan at St Patrick’s Cathedral. With the recent Construction Union boycotting work at the Cathedral, Bishop Eagan wanted me to tell you that he will not be bothering you again regarding the donation to St. Mary of Padua. Have a nice day. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Thank you very much Bishop Green. Good day. (Taping with his left hand fingers). FADE OUT. SCENE 9- INT. DAY- FATHER MARIO GALVONO SAVES A PARISHIONER ATTEMPTING TO JUMP FROM THE CHURCH BELL TOWER Several years later. Father Mario invests all the donated money in renovation. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO At St. Mary of Padua I used the donations wisely, and after several years the bell tower, roof, front door, and foundation were all repaired. There was enough money to even improve the altar. I thanked God every day and night for this blessing. Angelina became a regular member every Sunday. Sometimes she even brought her son Don Ionna. ANGELINA IONNA The church looks beautiful Father Galvono. Strange how things work out in life. If you had not saved me from the fire this might never have happened. DON VITO IONNA, GODFATHER Yes you have invested wisely and this church should stand for another 100 years. It is kind of karma to have assisted you in building this beautiful old church back to it’s original beauty. Every time I see this church, I am elated and as I get older it makes me think about immortality, and the importance of trying to live a good life. FATHER MARIO GALVONO The struggles and suffering of our lives is embedded deep within us all. Christ taught us to love our enemies and embrace the love of our neighbor and the need to make sacrifices for others. ANGELINA IONNA The peace this church brings me each week is something no one can buy. My son has changed his old ways and has tried to be a better person so as to find good karma that will make his life better. He is afraid that he will be reincarnated as a bug like a cricket. FADE TO BLACK. A week after the bell tower was blessed by the Associate Bishop Green an incident occurred. FADE IN: BENNY WALKER (75) CHURCH SEXTANT Father Galvono come quick. Someone is up in the bell tower threatening to jump. Come quick. It is a young girl I think? FATHER MARIO GALVONO Call 911 right away. I will go up into the Bell tower and see if I can talk her down. Father Galvono runs to the bell tower stairway located at the front of the church. He climbs the narrow stairs to the bell tower. FATHER MARIO GALVONO (CONT’D) Hello, I am Father Galvono. I can see you are troubled my dear. Can you come into the Bell tower and we can talk. Please I beg you. Let me help you come back in. Georgina is a dark haired Italian girl with green eyes and a short five feet two inches tall. GEORGINA GALUCCI (18) Get away from me Father. FATHER MARIO GALVONO What is your name? Do you attend our church? GEORGINA GALUCCI No Father, I am not a member of your church. My name is Georgina. Now leave me alone. My life is over. FATHER MARIO GALVONO Why is it you feel your life is over Georgina? GEORGINA GALUCCI My boy friend Bill got me pregnant, and now he doesn’t want a child. What am I to do? I cannot bring the child up all by myself and my mother is dead. I could use her right now. Oh, God what should I do? FATHER MARIO GALVONO I can help you Georgina. We have a program in the Catholic for unwed mothers. We will help you through the pregnancy and after with housing and many support services as well as other women in your position. It is all free. Come in so I can help you, and the baby to live healthy lives. Reaching for Georgina, come on trust me. Give me your hand. Father Mario steps out onto the round base of the Bell Tower and attempts to pull Georgina into the bell tower, and at the last minute she pulls away and Father Mario falls to his death on the sidewalk below. GEORGINA GALUCCI Oh my God. Sweet Jesus look what I have done. I hope he is still alive. I must go to him to help. (Georgina climbs back into the Bell Tower and runs down the steps to the side walk where Father Galvono is lying). Just then the Hook and Ladder fire truck arrives as Georgina climbs down the Bell tower stairs. GEORGINA GALUCCI (CONT’D) Father Galvono, Father Galvono are you still alive. I didn’t mean to cause you to slip. Please forgive me. (Taking Father Galucci in her arms and crying). I realize that you were trying to save me and to get me to realize that by having this baby I would be doing something good in this life. Forgive me Father Galvono. FATHER MARIO GALVONO I forgive you Georgina. Promise me you will have your baby, and take care of it until it is old enough to be an adult. Amen. (Father Galvono eye lids close and he dies. FADE TO BLACK. SCENE 10-EXT. NIGHT- NIRVANA. FADE IN: FATHER MARIO GALVONO I am floating. Where am I? GOD Welcome Father Galvono or shall I say Rita Esperanza, Rex the golden retriever, house fly, and Anthony Castelano? Life is suffering, and reincarnation is returning to remove bad karma with good karma in the next life. You have lived the span of five lifetimes Father Galvono, or shall I say Antonio, and finally through sacrifice and unselfish behavior you have established enough karma to enter nirvana. Welcome good spirit. FADE TO BLACK. The End.

From the book, “Autumn Winds Over Okinawa 1945,” by Dr. Pelham Mead; It was August 30, 1945 and the USS Aircraft Carrier Antietam had just docked at Haku bay on Okinawa. The signing of the Treaty was to be Sept. 6, 1945, but the Antietam broke down and had to drop out of the 3rd Fleet headed to Japan for the signing. My father, Chief Petty Officer of Aviation Mechanics had been on the Antietam since she was put in the water back in Philadelphia Naval yards in August 1944. Now it was time for him to leave the USS Antietam air craft carrier and return to Hawaii and then home to New York. He and three other sailors were taken ashore that day and left on the beach in Haku bay. Several days later the USS Antietam left for China where Russia had invaded the Manchurian peninsula.  My father and three other sailors were left on Okinawa not knowing that there were hundreds of Japanese snipers still on the island and the Marines and Navy had left the Island for the 10th Army division to mop up. When the sailors got to the Army tents further down the beach they were refused rations because they were Navy and not Army. They had to gamble to win food from the soldiers. Two major typhoons struct the island and killed hundreds of civilians and sunk over 100 ships. The three sailors had to fight to survive. Jungle diseases attacked them causing skin rashes and digestion problems. Life was hell on Okinawa and no US ships were in sight to take them back to Hawaii.

As I was having my morning coffee and reading the news online, AOL, and NY Times I came across an article about the NY City major wanting to drop the NY city high school entrance exams which it seems Asian students dominate. Imagine penalizing an ethnic group for excellence?  It is no secret that ethnic groups in New York city that support and emphasize schooling and learning at home tend to excel on entrance tests. Why? Because the social pressure from their community does not allow for failure. An Asian or Indian student must succeed for his or her community, not just for themselves. When an Asian student gets into a high rated New York city high school they bring honor to their family and community. At family, religion and community functions these brilliant students are honored for their success.

How about the rest of New York? Well the families are more dysfunctional than ever before. Black families and minority families suffer from economic plight; lack of jobs, discrimination, hatred, crime, violence, gangs and poverty. Compare an average white family to a Chinese family. In the average white family the children learn that anything free is good and to cut corners and try to get to the top anyway possible. In the Chinese family succeeding brings honor to the ancestors of the family. Chinese children are told that they must study harder and longer to beat the white students that dominate the majority of NY city High schools. Chinese families have rules about study time an discourage play on electronic toys.  Chinese families often have their children work in the family business at an early age. They learn accounting and numbers and the importance of working hard.

Sorry to say it the average white American family is lazy. They want everything handed to them. In the Jewish families the cliche’ “my son the Doctor,” points out the influence of the overbearing and motivating Jewish mother. In the Italian family having family is most important above education. Italian families have many traditions, but excellence in academics is not one of them. How about the Irish families? Why is it that so many Irish became Police and Firemen at the turn of the century? Because after the potato famine and the Irish invasion to the USA, Irish were hated and discriminated against, much the same as blacks are today. What ever ethnic group that is on the bottom of the ladder in American society, the harder it is to climb upward and succeed. Again the Chinese family or Indian family are strong because they treat girls as equals with boys in terms of academic success. Doing well in school is as important as being wealthy for Chinese and Indian families.  Especially in New York city, the melting pot of the East coast. The Chinese immigrants whether legal or illegal must struggle from day one when they come to America. First there is the language barrier and the cultural barriers, and then there is the level of poverty. The Chinese overcome these barriers by working harder than their natural born American families. An average American wants to work a short day of 6 hours and get paid for 8 hours. The immigrant Chinese family works from sun up to 11:00 p.m. at night. Chinese food places open at 6 or 7 in the morning to chop vegetables and cook the meats and seafood. At 10:00 or 11:00 they open for retail business and work all day with almost no breaks until 11:00 at night. They do this seven days a week. Chinese children learn that hard work helps them to succeed. American children learn the weekends are for play and relaxation. I don’t think the word relaxation exists in the Chinese mind. It is all work and more work and work rewards. The Japanese children spend 6 days a week in school including Saturday. They all work toward the exam to gain entry to College. Tutors are hired, parents pressure their children to succeed in school or else. Failure is not an option.

In the American society if you fail at College, you become a carpenter, a builder, a framer, a plumber, an electrician, all trades working with your hands because you cannot understand calculus. For a Chinese, Asian or Indian student failure is not an option. The pressure from the parents and the ethnic community is so great that Chinese students study 7 days a week. They do not go out and play or waste time doing nothing. Every day leads to excelling on the New York city high school entrance exams.

If the Mayor of New York city wants to drop the entrance exams for the high end high schools like Bronx School of Science, Brooklyn Tech, Stuyvesant High school and others, then he needs to change the family culture in New York City not drop the entrance exams. If the entrance exams are dropped, what criteria will be used to determine the best students get into the elite High Schools?  If you shut out the Asian students they will form their own charter high schools and ignore the public school system.  Because they study 24/7 they are going to succeed and eventually many will become politicians and change the system bak to entrance exams.

The Mayor of New York City cannot prevent Asian students from entering elite high schools no matter what. What he will allow is students that are destined to fail in these elite high schools with very high academic standards. The Bronx School of Science wins the various Science awards every year in New York State because they have a culture of excellence and they are proud of it.  Students wear sports jackets with the Bronx school of Science patch on it and they are proud they are part of the school. Pride can go a long way toward academic excellence.

Let’s talk about the faculty. Good teachers tend to work at excellent schools where the rewards for helping a brilliant student are better than the salary. Students that are accepted to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stamford, and other high standard universities bring honor to their teachers and school.  Success breeds success. Smart students help one another. At Bronx School of Science in the depressed Bronx borough they excel at Science because they have great Science teachers that are brilliant and because their students are allowed academic freedoms to research and try new medical or technical methods in Sciences.

Drop the entrance exams and the quality of the elite New York city high schools will drop over time. Drop-out rates which previously did not exist, will become a problem. Quality teachers will transfer to other high schools and charter schools to get out of the dying elite high schools. Chinese parents and Indian parents will form their own Charter schools and seek additional funding from the State, private corporations and the US. Dept. of Education. Eventually, the Elite high schools will not longer be elite and they will suffer from a poor reputation and a lack of success in placing it’s students in high level Universities.

So go ahead Mr. Mayor and see what happens when you try to level the field with Chinese and Indian families regarding academic excellence. It will backfire and take down a system in New York city that has flourished for over hundreds of years. You cannot change the culture of the Asian and Indian families. It is what they are bred for, success at all costs, especially time and community support.

 

PKM