Being selfish in the mob can get you killed. "Guys have been killed because they held out on their captains," Pistone says. "If you're making money illegally, you have to report it to your captain whatever that money is, whether it's $100 or $1 million."
"One thing about wise guys, they don't lose [fights]," Pistone says. "They know that with the power of the family behind them, the citizen is not gonna beat them." During his "Donnie Brasco" days, Pistone was riding with some wise guys when their car got lightly rear-ended. "They get out and start giving the guy a rough time. It wasn't like the guy meant it, it was just a bump. They start smacking the guy around. I stepped in to stop it, and I took a few smacks too, because I stood up for the guy."
"The first thing you're asked is, 'Do you pledge loyalty to this family?'" Pistone explains. How far does that loyalty go? "I know a guy who [was asked to kill] his son-in-law. The guy's son-in-law was running a drug operation and got caught skimming. The guy got the contract to whack him." Did he do it? Does Tony Soprano like friggin' ziti?
You can't earn if you're not running scams. Pistone says he knew one wise guy who would yell at his son for sitting at home watching soap operas instead of working the streets. "Anything you can think of, wise guys got a way to make money out of it," Pistone says. Not sure where to start? "Catch a stockbroker that might have a bad gambling habit or a bad drug habit."
A wise guy's wife, girlfriend or daughter is off limits. "Most likely, you fool around with a wise guy's wife, it's gonna get you killed," Pistone says. Even an ex can spell trouble. "I know a guy who caught a good beating over a guy's ex-wife," Pistone says. "It all depends on who the wise guy is."
Contrary to the portrayal in The Sopranos, Pistone says, wise guys generally have respect around women. "They'll kill you, but they won't swear in front of a female," Pistone says. "You figure that one out."
01 · 02
|
