I love mob movies. Particularly violent ones like The Godfather or Goodfellas. Not for the sake of them being violent films, but simply because I consider it to be a more accurate representation of what it was actually like to be in the mob. Other films make it seem glamorous or consequence free.
I always wished I was a gangster. The Chicago mafia kind, not the other kind you racist.
I always saw myself running it too, being the boss. Being the oldest of four kids, sometimes you feel like the head of the mafia. Especially when you gang up on your parents. Hey, I’m not saying we took the candy. Go ask the others, they’ll tell you. We were all in the basement playing Chutes and Ladders.
Obviously there’s a reason the world isn’t run by mobs, we need the police and (debatably) the government. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like. It’s hard to not to respect the women who headed some of the biggest cartels and mafia gangs.
My grandmother is Irish, and you can tell. She doesn’t have an accent, but she is very assertive and definitely wears the pants in our family. Sorry Grandpa.
With some of her stories, I’m not convinced she wasn’t a mobster. For example, there are varying versions of a story where after not receiving a package she was promised, she proceeded to hunt down the courier and ask for it. With a shotgun. She is one of my personal heroes for many reasons, as you may guess.
She’s taught me some of the tricks of the trade to being a strong woman. Being assertive and strong, not taking BS from anyone. Always standing by your family, and it never hurts to know a few street fighting styles.
Sometimes I wish I was a gangster. Even though I’ve never broken the law or been arrested, I’ve got my own stories like anyone else. I admire the mobs not for their illegal activity, but their strength and cunning and loyalty. I’m no Godfather or Capone, but I’ve got a good start.
SURVIVAL OF THE SAVVY 