"Cant do it, Sally."

Not this time. And I just couldn't resist the cheesy "Godfather" reference (Tom to Tessio) .

Let's just say that my pal Skinny's post is about 65 to 75 percent accurate, which is a huge fucking compliment on a board like this. Barney did go to Scanlon, then did a year at McAllister mortuary school, where, believe it or not, he showed a genuine interest. It certainly wasn't to learn how to dismantle a fucking corpse. But then came the pull of the streets.

Just one minor correction to my boy Skin. Sammy Black was MUCH more instrumental in Barney's rise than anyone else. Barney wasn't just his driver, he was like another son to him. He's still like a brother to Sammy's son.

Sammy was the future. If he didn't drop dead so young he'd be boss today with Barney in the two spot. No doubt in my mind. That was the plan if anything ever happened to Vince, and it had Vince's stamp of approval. But you know the old saying, you make plans and God laughs.

And Ralphie was never much of a street kid. Not really. He was loyal, a great earner, and capable. But not a street kid in the truest sense.

The deli and all that other stuff I can't get into. But as far as LEGITIMATE holdings, he owns everything from construction companies to apartment complexes to a strip mall in a VERY pricey part of Florida. Very big on real estate. Put it this way, he knows as much about real estate as Stevie knows about construction. And that analogy speaks volumes. He's ninety percent legitimate since his wife passed, closing in on 100 percent.

Forget the ghost stories and the mugshot that makes him look like Count Chocula. This is a VERY bright guy that we're talking about here. I mean, were talking about. I'm out now, unless I see something ridiculously stupid written about the man.