Act One-Scene Four - Remembering Joey Gallo

Act one

Scene four

              [lights come up and reveal a small kitchen in the Queens apartment of Dominic and Ernestine Gallo. Street noise can be heard through an open window. The year is 1948 and they are sitting in the kitchen of  their three bedroom apartment in Queens. Dominic is smoking a pipe and Ernestine is clearing dishes from their table. There are two large windows in the room which face to the side of another tenement building and down below to an alley. The month is May and the windows are open and the noise of the street can be heard more than faintly. Dominic puts down his pipe and gestures with the pipe to Ernestine.]

DOMINIC

Ernestine, now you must stop meddling in their affairs.

ERNESTINE

I can’t help it Papa. Look at him now. He’s wasting away to

nothing but bones.

DOMINIC

He’s only been married for six weeks. I’m sure eating

cannoli is not on his mind

ERNESTINE

And what is on your mind now? Before you didn’t leave me

alone like that.

DOMINIC

Its men’s business and you wouldn’t understand so when they

get here please keep a civil tongue in your mouth. And

please don’t tell him how skinny he looks. Maybe his wife

likes him that way.

ERNESTINE

I understand monkey business and you and all those other

monkeys had better not be up to something that you will

regret.

DOMINIC

Meaning what?

ERNESTINE

You know what I mean.

[knock on the door, Frank Gallo and his new wife Cecelia come in the door. Frank is dressed in the modern style with a felt hat and black overcoat. Mrs. Gallo is dressed in a mid-length wool dress and fashionable hat and gives his father a hearty embrace. Cecelia Gallo embraces Ernestine]

FRANK GALLO

Papa!

CECELIA GALLO

Hello Mother Gallo, It’s nice to see you again. And thank

you very much for the provolone. It was just divine. You

must tell me where you bought it.

ERNESTINE

At the Boccolo Market on 142^nd. Be sure to tell them you’re

 my daughter-in law and they’ll treat you better. Not

that they don’t treat everyone well, but you know it always

helps to drop a name.

FRANK GALLO

Especially if that name is Ernestine Gallo. Hi Mama

              [Ernestine and Frank embrace]

ERNESTINE

Frank are you all right? You look so thin.

DOMINIC

             [Slapping Frank on the back]

This boy is as fit as a fiddle. Now both of you sit down.

Can we pour you a little Chianti? You know its Saturday

night and there’s romance in the air

[Dominic, Frank and Cecelia sit down. Ernestine brings a bottle of wine to the table.]

I propose a toast. To your eternal love and may the good

Lord bless with you with many bambino’s to occupy your time.

CECELIA GALLO

Thank you Papa Gallo.

FRANK GALLO

You know Papa, I saw Uncle Paolo last night.

DOMINIC

Hey what's Pauley do ‘in  these days.

FRANK GALLO

Nothing Papa, he was driving Catanzaro’s produce truck. He

said that you should come over sometime and meet the new

missus.

ERNESTINE

Nothing doing. Your father’s not going down there to meet

anybody.

DOMINIC

Now you see Frankie. I’m under lock and key and there’s no

hope for parole.

 

[All three get up. Cecelia goes over to Ernestine and helps here put the dishes in the cupboard. Dominic puts his arms around Frank]

DOMINIC

Well Frank, how are things going for you over at the yard.

Is that dumb Mick Callahan giving you anymore grief? If he

 is you just tell me because we still got lots of paisan over there.

FRANK GALLO

No papa, he’s been real square with me. Pretty much leaves

us alone. It’s the colored he's all over now.

DOMINIC

You got the colored working over there?

FRANK GALLO

Yeah Papa we got the colored over there and some women too.

Ever since the war they’ve been over there. And

they're pretty good workers. You know but it’s gonna take

them awhile.

DOMINIC

I never would have thought that. You would think they’ve

saved those jobs for the boys when they came back.

FRANK GALLO

They did Papa but they still need them. The colored and

 women I mean.

ERNESTINE

And what’s wrong with a woman working over at the brick

yard. There’s lots of widows who need jobs you know.

[Ernestine pours herself a glass of wine and gives the bottle to Dominic who pours himself another glass]

That war changed everything and it sure changed this family.

[She puts down her glass and walks over to a picture of a serviceman hanging on the wall].

DOMINIC

Now come on Ernestine. This is a happy occasion.

FRANK GALLO

Mama, we all miss Joey.

               {Ernestine wipes her eyes]

ERNESTINE

It’s been almost five years now. You would think that I

would get over it.

[Frank puts on his coat and hat. Cecelia get up also]

ERNESTINE

Why so fast Frankie? When are you coming back. We miss you

so much.

FRANK GALLO

Mama, we’re going over to the Cassellis for bridge. Next

time I promise we’ll stay longer.

[Frank gives Dominic an embrace and Cecelia gives Ernestine a consoling embrace]

CECELIA GALLO

Let’s have a mass said for him over at St. Bonaventure’s.

They do such a good job over there.

ERNESTINE

God bless you.

[Frank and Cecelia walk out the door. Cecelia has left her hat in the Gallo kitchen. Dominic walks over to the window and Ernestine sits at the table and pours herself another glass of wine]

DOMINIC

              [looking out the window]

Sometimes I swear that I hear him out there in the alley.

There must be some kid out there who yells like him. You

know, gives that war whoop like a bloodthirsty Comanche

Indian.

ERNESTINE

             [still drinking wine]

Dominic, I don’t think I want to live any more.

DOMINIC

Stop that talk! Our son died a hero for these United States

and I won’t listen to anymore of that talk. We need to

carry on his memory and be strong.

ERNESTINE

[walking over to the picture hanging on the wall, begins to sob]

Joseph! Where are you now! Are you lying over there in

Salerno? I just can’t imagine that you are. Why did you

 have to go? Tell me, why!

              [door opens, Frank Gallo comes in!

FRANK GALLO

I forgot the hat. Mama what’s wrong!

DOMINIC

She’s talking to Joey’s picture again. Pleading with the

picture not to go to Italy. To Italy mind you! Who would

have thought he would have to go to Italy to die.

ERNESTINE

Frankie, I love you so much. If anything ever happened to

you I would kill myself.

FRANK GALLO

Mama, stop talking like that. Nothing‘s going to happen to

me. I’m not going anywhere.

DOMINIC

It was that madman Patton’s fault! That god damned ego-

maniac Patton! He drove those boys into that hellhole.

FRANK GALLO

Papa!

DOMINIC

It’s all true. Do you think those generals cared about their

lives? Do you think they cared how many they killed?

They were all blood thirsty bastards and Patton was the

worst. He could have let the Brits take Salermo but he

wouldn’t let them. Ego-maniac bastard!

ERNESTINE

Frankie, don’t you ever forget your brother. Don’t anybody

ever forget him. He was such a beautiful child.

FRANK GALLO

Mama, Joey’s a hero. There’s nothing gonna change that. All

the boys still talk about Joey, little Tony, Carlo,

 All the guys. We still talk about them. It’s like they were

on a trip or something and there gonna come back any

day now.

ERNESTINE

They have gone a trip but they’re never coming back.

Never...

DOMINIC

Frank, you better go now. You’ll miss your bridge game. Go

on now

ERNESTINE

Ernestine – Good bye Frank.

[Dominic walks to the radio and turns it on. Ernestine walks to the portrait on the wall and lingers for a moment.  Dominic and Ernestine sit down together at the kitchen table and pour another glass of wine. Lights dim]