FASTALINO

Chapter 2

Forty Years Later

The Fastalino family had arrived at Ellis Island for the same reason as millions of others before them over the years. Giuseppe Fastalino, the father, was a poor winemaker from a small town just outside of Naples, Italy. Maria, his wife, was a quiet woman that loved her family deeply and had silent dreams of what America could bring for her family. The two wanted a better life for their two boys Joseph and Franco, as they were only three years apart in age but many years in physical maturity.

Joey was a boy of strength, height, handsome features, and talent in everything the young man decided to undertake. In school, he was the soccer player of kings, and they were heartbroken when the Fastalino family up and left for America. Joey knew his life in America was going to be better by how others described this mystical place. The young man had been primed for greatness the minute he had touched the checkered ball, and everyone who played with him knew.

The younger brother, Franco Fastalino, had a smaller, more timid frame and a personality that was unmatched against his confident older brother, but Franco had the legs of a gazelle. What he lacked in every area when compared to his brother, he tried to make up through his speed on the field. Franco had no real natural talent like his brother, but through some hard work, he could play in the game but never be the star.

Upon their arrival at Ellis Island, the family met Giuseppe's cousin Carlo Fastalino, who had come to America a few years before and settled in Brooklyn, New York. Carlo worked as a leather artisan in a leather shop that carried specialty products. Carlo lived in a quaint apartment with his daughter Leesa and wife Angelina.

"Carlo!" yelled Giuseppe when he saw him standing on the platform waiting for them to arrive.

"Giuseppe! Boys!" Carlo echoed back as they all were running to each other.

The greeting from Carlo was a warm one as he had not seen this family for many years, even when they lived in Italy. Giuseppe had reached out through some other cousins to get ahold of his first cousin after falling out of touch years before. When they had spoken through letters, they were in agreeance that Giuseppe and his family would live with Carlo until he could save a few dollars to move.

"You boys are so handsome. Look how big you are! My sweet Maria, as beautiful as your wedding day," Carlo said while praising the family.

"I am going to be the soccer king of America, Uncle Carlo," said the confident Joey.

"Oh yeah, my boy, when we get home, I want to see your skills because I am already king here," Carlo said jokingly to a serious Joey.

"He's right, Uncle Carlo. Joey is the best player in Italy, and we have seen them all," said Franco.

Carlo laughed at Franco's confidence and said, "I am sure you didn't see everyone, but here in America, you can be and do whatever you want. You just need to work for it. There is nothing easy or handed to you here, but it is there for you to take it. Let's get everyone home; I borrowed my boss's car so you didn't have to take a train." The family picked up their suitcases from the platform and followed Carlo to the car he had borrowed.

Carlo did not tell the family much about his wife while they were traveling, but he was pleased about being there for two years already. He explained the neighborhood to them as a little Italy in America. Everything they had in the old country, they had here.

He said, "Why would I live anywhere else if everything I love is so close together and the smell of bread wakes me up in the morning."

Carlo went on to explain that when he came out of his apartment every morning, he would take a deep inhale through his nose and knew the day had started in the city. The workers in the bakery would give him a slice when he walked by every morning. Carlo would send people into the bakery all the time while they waited for his expertise to finish working on their belongings. The customers loved Carlo because he could remember everything about them, and they knew he cared.