Johnny Chang is much older than Skinny Joey. Johnny Chang was not in their "boyhood inner circle" coming up. Most people make this mistake and associate Johnny Chang as in their boyhood inner circle coming up with the rest of them-Mazzone, Angelina, Borgesi, etc. However, Johnny's younger brother who is dead was in their boyhood inner circle.
They weren't boyhood chums, but they knew each other pretty well from an early age. Weren't Merlino and Joe Chang, Jr. made at the same ceremony? Plus they're only like 7 years apart. Not that big a differece.
