Gangster Rap
The Hotel Decent has been open for business again this week, with Ross's cousin Ian joining us for a long weekend. One of the things Ian wanted to do was go on a very special trip - The Untouchables Tour in Chicago, which took in all the old gangster haunts.
The trip began well. We all filtered onto a converted school bus with two 'hoods' taking control. They drove us around the neighbourhoods we would never normally have seen, and to be honest would be too nervous to visit alone.
We saw the site of the St Valentine's Day Massacre and learnt loads about the old Chicago gangsters like Al Capone. What we hadn't counted on was that we would have a real gangster with us on board!
We were about 15 minutes into the tour when an old guy sitting behind Ian started heckling.
"When you gonna tell us aboud de Cotton Club?" He called out.
"The Cotton Club?" said our guide incredulously. "That was in New York, not Chicago."
"Wad aboud Danny Teriano den? He was mixed up wid Al Capone. He wuz a big guy."
"Never heard of him." replied our guide, Al Dente. Not, I suspect, his real name. He began to look a bit irritated.
I looked behind at the heckler. He was an old guy, thick set, a shock of white hair peaking out from a flat cap.He wore large sunglasses and spoke with a heavy accent. He rattled something off in Italian that I didn't understand.
The gangsters ruled Chicago in the 1920s. Was it possible that this old guy spoke on very good authority?
I began to get a bit nervous. Every so often he would dip down into a bag between his knees. I half expected him to pull out a gun.
In the end he calmed down and the only gunfire we heard was pumped out on the sound system. Just as well it's October and not St Valentine's Day!
The trip began well. We all filtered onto a converted school bus with two 'hoods' taking control. They drove us around the neighbourhoods we would never normally have seen, and to be honest would be too nervous to visit alone.
We saw the site of the St Valentine's Day Massacre and learnt loads about the old Chicago gangsters like Al Capone. What we hadn't counted on was that we would have a real gangster with us on board!
We were about 15 minutes into the tour when an old guy sitting behind Ian started heckling.
"When you gonna tell us aboud de Cotton Club?" He called out.
"The Cotton Club?" said our guide incredulously. "That was in New York, not Chicago."
"Wad aboud Danny Teriano den? He was mixed up wid Al Capone. He wuz a big guy."
"Never heard of him." replied our guide, Al Dente. Not, I suspect, his real name. He began to look a bit irritated.
I looked behind at the heckler. He was an old guy, thick set, a shock of white hair peaking out from a flat cap.He wore large sunglasses and spoke with a heavy accent. He rattled something off in Italian that I didn't understand.
The gangsters ruled Chicago in the 1920s. Was it possible that this old guy spoke on very good authority?
I began to get a bit nervous. Every so often he would dip down into a bag between his knees. I half expected him to pull out a gun.
In the end he calmed down and the only gunfire we heard was pumped out on the sound system. Just as well it's October and not St Valentine's Day!
posted by Hilary at
9:20 PM
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