STetc ch 38 indications

[Michael Bailey]

  *
>From when Dippy C. broaches the subject, I count upwards of 25 new paragraphs (admittedly, some are quite short, but still, that's a major major amount of back-&-forth for a chance meeting in the Korzo) while he's developing the theme of, "she's taken, and pregnant, and don't even think about going back to Milwaukee."

I don't see him denying his feelings for the young lady (April Randazzo - now who th' heck's that again? I think I remember Hicks met up with her on one dance floor or another - she's not the daughter of that Bruno is she? - no, but she's like pledged to some mob guy?)

So, being right there, Chazz apparently "does" see Hicks "not denying" his feelings for the young lady - so he repeats it in different keys and using different metaphors -


  *
Even if you could beat the morning [betting] line on that
  *
No place you want to go tap-dancing into
  *
Want to be sure you're not mistaking this for the usual evening at the opera, some elderly basso trying to keep the leash on a soprano that's in the mood to get out and scramble
  *
Old flames are a dime a dozen, West Madison of the labor market of love
  *
Time to be up off the linoleum

As if he's watching Hicks's eyes, driving his admonitory message home with a new trope every time he sees a glimmer of contrary hope flicker -

and I begin to think Chazz is relaying his message at the behest of somebody -


  *
Thus underscoring connections betwixt the Chicago/Milwaukee mob and the government agency presumably employing "the Dipster"
  *
Like, "ok, on your way to Sicily to do (whatever kind of mission) you need to stop by the Korzo -"

Like as if "They" know right where Hicks'll be - as if They or one or more of their minions or myrmidons PLACED THE SHADOW TICKET IN THE FIRST PLACE. (one surmises)


  *
"Talk to your old pal Hicks
  *
"And let him know that if he tries to interfere with the Randazzo/Infernacci nups, it isn't April he'll be sleeping with -


And Chazz underscores the message by a cinema-ready gesture:
"...reaching under the cracked ice for a gold-headed sea bream [ie one of the "bright, though regrettably dead-"eyed critters Hicks'll be sleeping with, should he not heed] and speaking into it like a microphone, talk about a fish in the face."