Don Vito Scripto and Vinny (The Mechanic) standing outside the Wordland Social Club. The sky is gray, and the air is cold and raw.

Don Vito: Da’ time is nigh, Vinny. Da’ Rubicon has to be crossed.

Vinny: Who is dis’ Rubicon?

Don Vito: Nobody, Vinny. It’s figure of speech.

Vinny: What you saying, boss?

Don Vito: Ya gotta whack him, Vinny.

Vinny: Whack who, Don Vito? Dis’ Rubicon figure?

Don Vito: Nah, Vinny. Not Rubicon. Mugsy.

Vinny: Mugsy! Geez, boss, Mugsy Cliché. Why? What did Mugsy do?

Don Vito: You don’t wanna go -- I mean, don’t ask me my business, Vinny. I told you, don’t ever ask me about my business.

Vinny rolls his eyes and stays stiff as a board through a minute of awkward silence.

Don Vito: Okay, Vinny. Just this once, you can ask me about my business.

Vinny: Mugsy’s been like a son to you, Don Vito.

Don Vito: He crossed me, Vinny. He’s been disloyal. He needs to sleep with da’ fishes.

Vinny: But what has he done? I mean, yeah, the kid’s a little wild sometimes, and he may engage in some inappropriate behavior, but still he’s --

Don Vito: What did you just say?

Vinny: About what?

Don Vito: Mugsy’s behavior. What did you call it?

Vinny: I said he may engage in some inappropriate behavior, but he still loves you. He don’t want to take over your business, boss.

Don Vito: It’s not the business, Vinny. He’s gotten inside my head. He’s making me say things I don’t wanna say.

Vinny: Like what?

Don Vito: Like a minute ago, when I told you not to ask me about my business. I almost said, “You don’t want to go there.” What kind of a mafioso says crazy stuff like dat’? He’s making me forget the old words, the old phrases.

Vinny: I don’t think so, Don Vito. I think that at the end of the day, you’ll find Mugsy Cliché’s loyalty to be very robust.

Don Vito: What did you say?

Vinny: I said, at the end of --

Don Vito: I know what you said.

Don Vito looks closely at Vinny. What he sees is not a pretty picture.

Don Vito: He’s gotten to you, too. Hasn’t he, Vinny?

Vinny: Whaddaya mean!

Don Vito: You saying things like “inappropriate behavior,” “at the end of the day,” “robust loyalty.” You’ve switched your allegiance to Mugsy Cliché, haven’t you?

Vinny pulls a Saturday Night Special from his hip pocket.

Vinny: That’s right, Don Vito. We’re living in the 21st century. The old words and phrases won’t do. “Sleeps with da’ fishes.” What the hell does that mean, anyway?

Don Vito: You’re wrong, Vinny. We have to remain true to the old ways. We must have honor. We must have respect. We must --

Vinny empties his gun into Don Vito’s chest. Don Vito falls, lying in a pool of his own blood.

Don Vito: Mother of God, is this the end of Don Vito?

Vinny blows the smoke away from the barrel of his gun and strolls away, whistling tunelessly.

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Subtitle: Ya don’ wanna get within no ten-foot pole of dat place, lemme tell ya

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The tragic tale of our intrepid hero Don Vito Scripto, notorious mobster, who orders a hit on one-time protege turned dirty rat Mugsy Cliché