"To all of our family; friends; esteemed and honored clergy; visiting dignitaries...  Hello.
   

    "On behalf of the Magglioli branch of the San Giuseppe de Napoli Family I greet you humbly and thank you for the attendance to the wedding of my only daughter, my beautiful flower, Floriana.  It is an occasion for much celebrating, perhaps a father's sadness too, of sorts; no longer shall we spend our Sunday afternoons tending the vegetable garden here at the estate.  It's back there, in the southeast corner, by the replica of Trevi Fountain of which I am told it is to 3/4 scale of the original, not that such a thing should matter.

    "For thirty-five years, my wife and I have provided for our eleven children in the only way as we know how.  We did what was best for the family and have had very few regrets, at least that we would share in a public forum such as this.  And now we find ourselves bidding a good-bye to our youngest child as she goes off into the world with a man about whom it could be said I know very little.  And this concerns me, for I like to know everything I can about everyone in business and personal affairs.  For instance:  Bradley.  This is a name?  Bradley.  I am not aware of any saint named Bradley.  Also, what is a "Tariff Negotiator"?  This is a job?  We negotiated plenty of tariffs down at the docks in my day.  Of course there was none of these medigans with their stiff collars and cologne and electronic organizers.  At least not for long.  I understand that he played rugby in college, and was quite good.  I do not, however, understand rugby or college.

    "Now my daughter, and may I say that she looks absolutely angelic, and just like her mother when I married her.  In all the neighborhood Floriana has been the least rebellious.  They all have the stage with the ripped clothes or strange shades of hair.  Or the piercings, why do you stick pins in yourself?  Some sort of teenage voodoo, I guess, and these things never happened in Sicily let me tell you.  There is more and more trouble in the world the further away you get from the Pope.  But my Flori never did these things and gave us nothing but joy until now.  And so I will listen to my wife, God bless her, and allow this wedding to proceed against my better judgment, even while my grandmother, God rest her soul, spins in her grave like a roulette wheel.

    "I have met this Bradley's parents and the father is a real Pezzonovante.  Senator White.  His people have had real power here in America for many years, and I honor and respect the name he has made for himself.  However, I submit that his attitude toward the businessmen of the city, men such as myself out to make a living, a good living, this attitude is not especially helpful to us.  Fight 'Organized Crime'?  I submit that it is the un-organized criminals that make daily life in our city so difficult for so many.  Perhaps he is put off by the sometimes life-and-death nature of the decisions we make every day.  Or perhaps he just needs to wet his beak, eh?  I'm always happy to help a friend, as long as that friend understands that I may need help myself someday and may call on him for a service.

    "In closing, let me now share a small secret with you.  My people tell me that my new son-in-law's middle name is James.  James!  Now there is a biblical name that I can work with.  And so, I now know how best to refer to this young man that is marrying my sweetest rose:

    "CARLO!"

    "Cent' anni, everyone, cent' anni.  Try the veal, it's the best in the city."