Last Phone Booth on The Left in Brooklyn
What possibly can an emotionally unstable, elderly Italian American woman have in common with the recent day’s “La Cosa Nostra,” the Italian organized crime syndicate? Teresa Cussimano, originally from the Fordham section of the Bronx, has now been living in Brooklyn for over 30 years. Italian organized-crime families who dug in roots early in the previous century still hold some power here but they are barely surviving. In the after-effects of the terrorist attacks on America, the justice department and local law enforcement continue where they left off, to further eradicate what’s left of organized crime – La Cosa Nostra. With a confidential informant, the F.B.I. feels it finally has what it takes to achieve this hard-fought goal. At the same time, Teresa Cussimano’s emotional instabilities and her “Orwellian” distrust of the overall system is getting entangled in one scrape after another with individuals whom she deems “her enemy-ship.” She feels threatened, is threatened, and worse. Her beloved nephew who looks out for her can only do so much and the N.Y.P.D. cop’s hands are tied. Full of exasperation, Teresa knocks on a door anxiously, seeking help. That door belongs to a mob boss. For certain reasons, they get involved and duly help with her problems. Later come down racketeering arrests against many who have helped her, particularly the boss. Now Teresa gets involved to help them in their situation in what becomes an unprecedented quid pro quo.
John Peterec-Tolino
John Peterec-Tolino did not grow up in or originate from Brooklyn, the New York City borough formally known as ‘Kings County.’ Instead, he was raised in Nassau County on Long Island, just beyond the Queens border. Despite this, he spent considerable time in Brooklyn throughout his youth, frequently visiting relatives and grandparents who resided in various neighborhoods within the borough. These regular visits allowed him to become intimately familiar with Brooklyn, its residents, their distinctive dialect, and the character of its classic areas.
Eventually, the author relocated from Nassau County to Maspeth, Queens, where he lived for seventeen years. This move, being right on the Brooklyn border, further deepened his knowledge of that borough. Many years ago, he worked as a yellow-medallion taxi cab driver, an experience that acquainted him with the other city boroughs, particularly Manhattan, and greatly enhanced his street smarts.
John describes New York City as an amazing international metropolis. However, he notes that its unique character, along with the old neighborhoods and their mom-and-pop establishments, has been drastically eroded due to gentrification and the displacement of many long-time residents, primarily from the middle and working classes. He observes that many areas of New York City, especially in Manhattan, are now hardly recognizable.
Throughout his life, the author has interacted and connected with people from all walks of life, learning about their habits and ways. This experience has enabled him to embody many of the fascinating traits he encountered among the diverse populace. Over the years, he came to realize that despite the diversity, people have more commonalities than differences, regardless of their origins.
