Enough with the Mustache Pete's

Charley walked into the barber shop at the crack of noon. He had wandered down from his residential room and wanted to spruce up after his usual room service breakfast to spruce up before his usual round of meetings and sitdowns.

“Good morning Senor Ross…I be witcha in a minute” said Enrico the barber. There were a few Italians that worked in the toney WASP world of the Waldorf Astoria. Charley was just about the only Italian that stayed there. It was toney not Tony.

Charley stopped short. He recognized the stubby body under the towel in the chair. It was Albert. He didn’t belong there. Charley was always wary when somebody showed up where they weren't supposed to be.

“Hey Al is that you?” growled Charley in his native Lower East Side accent. He tried to keep a lower profile at the hotel but didn't dress it up when he was dealing with mutts like Anastasia. They were like wild dogs. You could never show fear. You should always establish dominance. If you didn't they would go for your throat. He had learned that as a boy in Sicily when he was a boy. The lesson had stuck.

“Yeah it’s me Charley” murmured the savage Mafiosi from under the hot towel. He pushed it off his face. “We need to talk. Me and Frank went up to get that package you wanted from the old man. We tried to feel him out. I don’t think he is gonna go for it. He’s gotta go Charley.”

“Not here Albert. We can talk later. I will meet you down at the club. Let Enrico finish your shave. He gives the closest shave in New York.”

“Sure Charley. No sweat. I like this set up. You can’t beat a fresh shave with a sharp razor and a hot towel to soothe you. I like this. I might make it a regular thing.”

“Just not here Albert. I want to keep it out of here if I can. You know what I mean. Erico’s brother has a shop down at the Sheraton. He is a wizard with the razor. Ain’t that right Erico?”

“Si Senor Ross. He is much better than me.”

“Ok Charley. I will. Man this is the good life. My old man woulda breaka my head if he saw me pay somebody to shave me. Ha. This will be the death of me padrone.”