The Romeo Club: Restless Old Men Eating Out

The sleepy hamlet of Inlet Cove in Westchester, New York, is about to have some excitement. After his attempted rubout and subsequent arrest, Tim Collins must reveal his secret. He's been living a double life. His best friends know him as a good humored and successful businessman.

But other acquaintances know him as a degenerate gambler. He's been able to keep the two worlds apart. But after betting wrong on Superbowl LII, those two worlds collide. Restaurant owner Johnny Paradise had named the group the ROMEO Club, an acronym for Restless Old Men Eating Out. His friends are convinced this was a misunderstanding, but a broken Tim Collins reveals his double life, his addiction, and his options. They aren't good. The feds want him to testify against mafia don Sam Napoli, and members of other gangs. It's a death sentence. Tim laments his crimes and wishes

he were dead. That's the only way out.

His lunch companions include Frankie Grace, a local undertaker and Dr. Claudio Odelli. Together and with the help of Frankie's connections from his old neighborhood in Little Italy, they might be able to grant Tim's wish.

Around a table at Paradise's Italian Restaurant, a scheme is hatched to save Tim Collins by convincing everyone that he has gone to the pearly gates (or even a different direction). The relentless agent Reno Amore may have something to say about that. I invite you to Johnny Paradise's Italian Restaurant. Become a member of the Romeo Club. Be careful of the hot peppers.

Welcome to Paradise!

Vincent Graziano is the married father of two children and grandfather of three. He is a product of Manhattan's iconic Little Italy where he was born and raised. The life experiences he had as a young man have shaped him and are evident in his writing. After a failed attempt as a stand-up comic he continued the family funeral business. Although he is a licensed funeral director, still active in the funeral profession, as you'll see, he has not lost his sense of humor. To contact him; v.graziano53@gmail.com