Once Broken Read Online Free

tenth grade, Tony tried out for varsity football but didn’t make the team. Louie catapulted to the school demanding that his son play on the team.
    “Mr. Salvucci, Tony doesn’t have the necessary skills to make the team this year. With some training though—” Coach Gallagher was cut off by Louie.
    “That’s absurd! My son is a top-notch player. He played every season in Pop Warner. He was an All-Star for Chrissake.”
    “Mr. Salvucci, he didn’t demonstrate that kind of talent in the tryouts.”
    “Then give him another chance.”
    “I can’t do that. The team’s been chosen and players have been notified. He can try again next year.”
    “I’ll take this up with the principal. This is an outrage! You don’t like my son. He told me how you treat him in gym class. I won’t let you get away with discriminating against him because he refuses to kiss your ass.”
    Louie stormed out of the coach’s office, slamming the door behind him. Louie’s next stop was the principal’s office, where he complained about the coach’s poor judgement to no avail.
    Furious, Louie called a cop friend who provided Louie with the coach’s home address. After midnight, Tony and Louie crept up to his silver Chevy pickup and poured sugar in the gas tank.
    *
    Tony worked part-time at the A&P Supermarket. Louie’s anger, provoked by Tony’s complaints about his manager scolding him for trivial things, reached a frenzy when Tony was fired.
    “No one fires my son! Louie’s scheming brown eyes danced. “We’ll take care of him, son. Don’t you worry.”
    Louie paid a friend one hundred dollars to pretend to be an irate customer, confront the manager, and complain to a higher-level manager with the goal of getting the offending manager fired. It worked like a charm. When Louie and Tony heard the news that the manager was fired, they laughed about his never knowing what hit him.
     
    1971
    Tony was an attractive adult, but beneath his handsome exterior was a wanton little boy secure in the understanding that Daddy would always rescue him should the world become too threatening.
    During his years at Bentley College, Tony sold Chevrolets at a dealership across the street from Patty’s Donut Shop. Although the shop lacked organization, the coffee and food were excellent. Tony’s typical breakfast was on the run, so he ordered a large coffee regular and two muffins—one corn and one coffee cake. One morning, Tony walked in and took his place at the back of the line, then noticed a girl at the display case waving him up to the front. “You’re all set,” she said. “That’ll be $2.79.”
    Looking around to make sure she was motioning to him, Tony moved to the front of the line. “Hey thanks,” he said, feeling his customary entitlement. As he took the bag, he noted the girl’s name tag—Jackie.
    Back at the showroom, he boasted about the special treatment from “this Jackie girl.” His fellow salesmen were jealous not only for the special treatment but because the general consensus was that this girl was hot.
    Each weekend following, Tony sat at the counter with a smile and a pleasant word for the girl named Jackie.
    He knew she had a crush on him. It was obvious. But he was dating someone at the time. Jackie was attractive, amusing, intelligent, honest, and too available. Tony liked a challenge. So he categorized her as a nice girl, but not his type.
     
    1972
    Just as Tony was beginning to look forward to seeing Jackie, he drove into Patty’s empty parking lot. What? They should be packed with cars. Then he noticed the large orange sign on the door. “Closed. Thanks for your patronage.” He returned to the showroom without coffee or muffins.
    “Guys, did you know Patty’s was closing?”
    “Nope, no warning,” said Sal, the sales manager. “Yesterday, same thing happened to me. Drove in and read the sign.”
    Ted, the business manager, sauntered into the salesroom. “Good morning guys!” Glimpsing Tony, he