I like you a lot, Nicky. You're a respectful kid. But I swear, sometimes I think you just won't be happy unless you hear that the immigration laws have changed, and that the Bronx and Brooklyn and East Harlem look like they did fifty years ago, when the areas were loaded with Italians.

There are still a couple clubs on the far east end of Westchester Avenue. QD still holds court over by the Pelham Bay train station and Stevie still has his headquarters not too far from there. But these places just aren't hangouts anymore. The numbers stores are pretty much all gone, the social clubs are pretty much all gone, and most of the heavy guys live in the suburbs. Hell, other than Patsy's place, which is a legitimate restaurant (and a very good one), you can't even find them on Arthur Avenue anymore. And if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know, then you'll never get it.

They're still around, they're still earning, and they're gonna be around for a long time because people will always want to gamble and borrow money. But don't look for the old Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco type hangouts to ever pop up in the Bronx again. It's never going to happen because it brings too much heat. End of story.