In New York City, imports and exports are predominantly ran through one family: The Gambino’s. They have had control over trade within the state for as long as anyone can remember. To the average citizen, their lives are generally not affected. As a business owner, however, they are asked to pay a fee in order to be protected and be under the umbrella that is covered by various mob families. If a fee is paid, the mob has had their back, they are covered, but if they don’t, they can't promise to be protected.
There was one business owner, a butcher more specifically, who has had enough. The father of Louie Bravo was fed up with the amount of businesses that the Gambino family had under their control. The bravo family came in a close second in terms of controlling trade throughout the city, but as any good competitor would say, it wasn’t enough. The only way to help their family, and set up future generations for success was to learn the secrets of the Gambino family, to eventually pass them by and become more successful. And Louie was the perfect way to do it.
Frankie Gambino, the boss of the Gambino family, has been in control of all operations in mob for 35 years. While he is looked up to by everyone who makes up the Gambino family mafia, he has one son who wanted nothing to do with the family business. His name was Jimmy Gambino, and while he was being inducted into the mob, he decided that he didn’t want to join the family business and he walked out. His father, and alleged family man was very angry, but reportedly told Jimmy that he always had a family spot. Jimmy, who previously had a good friendship with Louie Bravo, told him this entire story, which Louie then went and told his father.
One Monday morning, Louie's father was preparing some meat in his butcher shop and an idea came to his head. He called Louie into the front of the store and said, ‘Louie, my boy, I have a plan that can get us on the inside of the Gambino family!”
‘Well what is is Pa?” Louie responded.
“You remember that fella Jimmy you used to spend time with? The one who ran from his family?”
“Yeah of course I do, how could I forget him?” Louie responded to his father.
“What if you took on his name and tried to reenter into the Mob as Jimmy Gambino? You know his story and with a good haircut down at Marlow's you’ll look just like him.”
This took Louie by surprise. How could his own father ask him to go undercover? He took a moment to let it sink in. Once he was able to digest the situation, he realized that as a member of the Bravo family mafia, he had no choice but to do this. Not for himself, but for his family.
“Alright Pa, I’ll do it.” Louie said to his father.
“I knew I wouldn’t have to ask twice!” Louie’s father said in a condescending tone.
As the days went by Louie was growing more nervous. He wasn’ sure that his was something he really wanted, given that he would really get into some deep trouble. But he had to put the family first, and Louie knew that. Over the next couple days he went around buying clothes, getting his haircut and researching as much as he could on the Gambino family. Next thing he knew, the day was here, he had to approach Frankie as his son Jimmy. This proved easier than expected. Frankie, while he is a big bad boss, was deep down, a family man. And when his son was returned to him he was ecstatic and willing to let him in.
The days went by before Louie’s initiation into the mob, he was getting nervous. It was time for him to take one of the biggest steps, murder. He had to hop into a car and turn on his high brights, and the first car to flash him in return would be his victim. But while this might have been nerve wracking, it was something that, again, he needed to do for the future of his family. As he was driving down the road, he was flashed by a passing car. He quickly flipped a U-turn and locked in on his victim. He sped up and drove by the drivers door, and with a lengthy pull of the trigger on his submachine gun, the other car quickly veered off the road into a nearby ditch.
Louie was ready for his official initiation. He made his way into a dark alley, where there was an unmarked door in which he knocked six times. Not one more, or one less. Six even knocks, waiting one second in between. The door opened and Frankie appeared in the traditional suit and tie, and a fedora. He ushered his “son” Jimmie, into the basement of this building. There he was greeted by other members of the Gambino family. He went through repeating many things that essentially went in one ear and out the other. He stated that before he was “alive,” and now that he was a member he is signing over his soul and he is “dead.” While he was doing this all for his family, it really didn't sit well with Louie. He signed a contract restating everything that was said, and he took a knife to his finger and let a drop fall onto the contract, ensuring he was forever dead, and no longer had eternal life.
That was it, Louie was done, he was done with all the hard parts. No more killing, no more signing over things, it was over. He felt great relief. While he was finally calming down, and the stomach ache that he had had over the past few months started to to fade, his “father” Frankie, asked to have a word with him. He was taken into a room in the back, where there was nothing but a desk and a red carpet underneath. Frankie sat down at his desk and asked Louie to stand while he addressed something of great importance.
“Initiates must learn a few things about the Gambino family in order to properly function with their fellow members.” Said Frankie.
He slid a folder containing a single paper across his desk. As Jimmie reached out to grab the folder Frankie said in a stern voice, “Remember, don’t mess with the Gambino family.” Louie’s stomach dropped and a man appeared from the shadows of the room, he had a suppressed handgun and aimed it at Louie. As he stepped forward, Louie made a run for the door. But it was to no avail, Louie was sprayed in the back with .9mm bullets and he crumbled to the ground. A pool of blood surrounded his body and he began to fade away. He saw a shadow stand over him and say “I killed my son 6 years ago.” and next thing Louie knew, he was staring down a barrel of a shotgun, he heard a loud bang, and it was all over.