TRIBUTE
WE’BROOKLYN RE PLAYING back to the club. I recalled a very long table, resting on what appeared to be a stage, back against the far wall. There were 11 or 12 men, older Italian men in suits, seated there. The men faced a crowd of dancing couples, folks milling around, laughing, d r i n k i n g , kibitzing, slaping one another on the back and just happy to be where they were.
After the waiting became tedious, I turned to Billy and asked him, “What time do we go on? It’s after ll PM?” He answered, “No, it’s not like that ..... somebody comes over and says, Play now! I!” So, about 11:30 or there about, we went on, played close to an hour, came off the stage and took a break. The venue was sparse and no food was served there. Drinks, yes, but no food. I was hungry. I noticed a restaurant just a short walk down the street from the Derby, so I headed there to grab a bite. None of the other guys were 26
I’M ITALIAN - SUMMER - 2022
interested in coming along, so I went alone. It was after midnight. There were only a few customers at one booth, and a few others At the counter sipping coffee and watching the TV overhead. I seated myself at a booth. A waitress shuffled over, dropped a menu on the table and walked away. Perusing the offerings of the Venus Diner, I decided upon a Greek Salad. I’d had one once or twice before in Philadelphia, at Alyans, a middle-eastern haunt just off of South Street that I frequented on a regular basis. I was relieved to be alone for a while. My thoughts drifted
Where they were, was a Mafia social club. The figures seated at this obviously venerated table were reminiscent of Last Supper paintings I’d seen in the Roman Catholic churches I’d grown up attending. later. We were scheduled to go yet a third time, but were cancelled. There were ‘bodies in the streets’. At the time, that’s all we were told. Years later, I was to learn that the Colombo civil wars were claiming the lives of several mob members and associates. One of the casualties was a made man named Vincent Fusaro who owned The Venus Diner . The Brown Derby was subsequently renamed The Turquoise Club. All this occurred between 1990-1991.
