Through Their Eyes Thursday: Michael Corleone Part 1

I love my Family. I love them dearly. Family is everything to me. It’s so important it brought me to where I am in life today. My Father. My hero. Pop. A powerful man. A clever man. A strong man. Seeing him weak and dying after the attack outside his office hurt. Hurt bad. Hurt so bad I vowed to protect him from that day forward, even if it meant sacrificing my dreams in life, after all he sacrificed his whole life for his Family.


Dartmouth college was my first escape from a life with the Family. Then my country needed me. I was a hero. A war hero. Respected. Fought shoulder to shoulder with fellow marines in the pacific. I hold a coveted navy cross for bravery in combat. I was on a straight path. My Father had big dreams for me, politics. Santino said I was always pops favourite but I tell them all it’s because I’m the youngest boy.

My return to Dartmouth saw me meet and fall in love with Kay Adams, a teaching student who resonated with my ideas of a full, legal life. Then my life took a turn. My hand was forced. We had no choice. My destiny awaited me and also frightened me. I was stepping into my families world, a world I knew but also had no clue about. I did it for Pop. The Family Patriarch needed us, needed me. I felt dizzy. Almost like I wasn’t in my body. Surreal. Like watching from the bathroom door of Louis, the place I’d “make my bones”. The year was 1945 and I didn’t know when I’d be returning to my home country.

Before I knew it there was panic, shock and horror. A police captain and his companion for dinner were just gunned down while they ate. I woke up in Sicily. That’s how it felt. Like a blur. Like a dream, a nightmare. Did this happen? No, surely not. Will Pop pull through? What will he think? How will the Family survive if Pop dies? Mama. She will be broken hearted. Kay. Poor Kay. No answers for her.

Sicily had a big impact on me. I learned my roots. And the origins of the way of life which i would now live. Then I was struck by the thunderbolt. Apollonia. I’ve never known beauty, passion like Apollonia. I loved Kay. But in a different way. Apollonia was of my families tradition, culture. We wed, we made plans. I was happy as could be in this distant land i was growing to love daily. Then Sonny.

Sonny was my older brother, a real tough guy. It broke my heart. I needed to be with Family back home. The Family needed me. We were suffering at the hands of the other Families. But first i had to move to safety.

Fabrizio, get the car and tell Apollonia to hurry up……….

Gar O'brien
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