Don Venutos Sissies

Players: Capo De Matzo, counsel to Don Venuto. Don Venuto also known as the Godfather; Mario Venuto, son of Don Venuto; Ms. Rosa Cappella, professional dominatrix; Carol Evans, mother of Mark Evans; Mark Evans aka Martha Evans; Helen Andrews owner of the Little Miss Muffin Boutique; Ralph Summers, a friend of Mark, aka Robin; Steve Franks, friend of Mark, aka Susan; Sandy Summers, Ralph's mother; Tracy McCall, Mark's girlfriend. Jack Summers, friend of Mark, aka Janet.

Synopsis: "If you can't change your boy to be like other boys, then simply change the other boys to be more like your boy!" Capo De Matzo said to his Don in that low soft spoken gravely voice of his. His Don, Don Venuto, nodded and laughed. Don Venuto laughed, because he was about to make those boys teasing his son an offer that they couldn't refuse.

*

"I don't know how I'm going to handle this?" Don Venuto said to his Capo and best friend.

"If you can't change your boy to be like other boys, then simply change the other boys to be more like your boy!" Capo De Matzo said in that low soft spoken gravely voice of his. His Don, Don Venuto, had asked what to do about his son and, more importantly, the rumors about his son from those other boys. And there was that teasing as well.

You might not want to say it out loud but Don Venuto's son Mario was a sissy. A effeminato giovinetto or effeminate boy with little if any masculine qualities. A piccolo ragazza, or little girl, according to one of the Don's soldiers who whispered that only once. A comment to someone else along with a snicker. A comment made a day before that soldier was found floating face down near pier seven by the edge of the bridge. At least that was the rumor that started spreading around among the locals and a few of those boys who teased Mario.

So the Don, as much as he loved his son and tried understanding him, simply couldn't at first. What made it worse were the growing rumors and the embarrassment those rumors were causing him. That was his frustration and that was what drove the question he posed to his Capo as they shared a glass of wine late into the night.

For Capo De Matzo there was an easy solution, as he answered: "Semplice".

"Not so simple!" The Don answered.

"It is! You are Don Venuto! For the Don, many things are simple!" Capo De Matzo said laughing as he lifted his glass and added, "Salutare!"

"Salute my friend. Now tell me how I can make this simple?" Don Venuto asked.

"Compleanno partito!" Capo De Matzo said with a smile.

"A birthday party? You are not making any sense my friend!" Don Venuto said smiling at the man smiling back. His friend was a wise man so the Don knew he'd get an explanation.

"A little girl's birthday party but no girls! Just for the boys! For all of the boys!" Capo De Matzo said laughing as he added, "Capire?"

"Caprie? No, I don't understand. A little girl's birthday party without little girls doesn't make any sense?" Don Venuto said and then paused.... it was clear by the change in his face that he suddenly understood as he added:

"Si! Giovinetto come piccolo ragazza! Buono! Genio mio camerata! Salutare!

"Yes! Boys as little girls? Good! You truly are a genius my friend... Salute!"

"Salutare!" Capo De Matzo said as he lifted his glass with the Don's.

The five lieutenants stood quietly in front of the Don's desk. Their Capo, De Matzo, had called them earlier that day simply saying to each: "Casa! Venni! Volare! House! Come! Hurry!" It meant come to Don Venuto's and don't stop on the way. None of those standing there knew the woman sitting by the fireplace.

"This is Ms. Rosa Cappella, she specializes in little girl birthday parties. She is helping me with a party and I want you and your men to hand out the invitations when she gets them ready. I want those invitation handed, in person, to every mother of every boy, that lives in this neighborhood and goes to school with my son," Don Venuto said.

The men nodded. It didn't matter that some of them didn't understand or that a few wondered over why, just that they did what they were told to do. Their orders, like most orders from the Don, were to be carried out and carry them out they would, and they were ordered to make those boys an offer! An offer that none of them could refuse. The five men smiled.

That was the story that would eventually spread around the school. No one knew where that story came from but then again, it didn't matter. There was a Godfather and he was not happy. That was the part everyone understood. That was the part the boys understood that day they walked home.

Carol Evans wiped her hands on the dish cloth before turning towards the door. Her son Mark already coming down the hall was interrupted as she said: "You go finish that math mister! I'll get the door."

"Mom!" Mark said freezing in his tracks but couldn't do so without making his frustration known. Mark was in his room again, but against the door trying desperately to hear what was said by whoever was at the door. Mark was hoping for any reason to not finish his math.

"Mark!" Mark's mother Carol yelled.

"What?" Mark said happily given it was her now interrupting his math.

"Come in here!" Carol said sounding serious.

"What's up?" Mark asked then grew quiet at the look on his mother's face. It was nearly white! Pale!

It made Mark pause and add: "Mom? What's the matter?"

"It's an invitation to a birthday party?" Mark's mother said.

"From whom?" Mark asked now seeing the pink envelop in her hand. Why an invitation to a birthday party made her look like that seemed odd.

"It doesn't say from whom but clearly it's from Don Venuto! Those were his men that delivered it." Carol said quietly as she sat hard on the ottoman in front of his father's old chair. Everyone in that neighborhood knew who the Don was now and most of his men, or at least the types of men that might work for the Don.

"For who then? Me?" Mark asked.

"It's for you! That much those men delivering it made clear as well." Carol said.

"But you don't know who's party it is then? Is it for his son?" Mark asked growing curious over his mother's concern and that connection to the Don.

"Honey, I'm not sure! Come here and sit!" Mark's mother said.

Mark didn't hesitate. He knew his mother's moods and this one she was suddenly in scared him. Mark knew of the Don, the Don's son and the rumors about that man the police fished out of the river a few days ago.

"Mom, what's the matter?" Mark asked with real concern.

"Honey! This invitation is for you to go to a birthday party!" Carol said.

"OK, so?" Mark added.

"So, it's a girl's birthday party but there won't be any girls there!" Carol said.

"I don't get it?" Mark asked.

"Honey, those men said that it's a little girl's birthday party but not, because it's a costume party and only for boys. All of the boys in the neighborhood as a matter of fact and you'll all be going dressed as girls. Little girls!" Carol said.

"What are you saying?" Mark asked suddenly very confused.

"Honey, have you been teasing this man Don Venuto's son?" Carol asked.

"Me? No! Honestly mom, I know better! I guess some of the boys do, but not to his face since that man was found. Some of the guys, in fact, said that's the reason that man ended up in the river," Mark said in a panic. He hadn't teased Mario but he knew that some of the boys did.

"Why?" Mark said.

"Because that was the reason those men hinted at. Evidently the Don has decided that all of the boys are going to be sissies for at least one day and that's the reason for this little girl's birthday party. You've got to go dressed as a little girl." Carol said.

"Not me!" Mark said flatly but knowing full well he didn't dare not go. Not if he knew what was good for him and he had an image of that man floating face down near the rocks by pier seven.

"You've got no choice. I don't have a choice!" Mark's mother said and added almost in tears: "You must go and you're going dressed as a little girl."

"Mom, what if this is a joke or something?" Mark said.

"And what if it isn't?" His mother noted.

"I'm going to call a couple of the guys!" Mark said.

"Use your cell phone to call your friends and see if they've got invitations, and I'll call a couple of the moms." Mark's mother said.

It only took about twenty minutes to call most of the guys Mark knew and what Mark discovered was they too had invitations. Mark's mother also confirmed that, so far, every mother of every son had been given their invitations personally and told the same thing.

Everyone was in a mild state of shock. Everyone had an invitation and it was clear that everyone was going. Everyone was going because it was also clear that anyone not going would, according to those men who delivered those invitations would BE MISSED!

"What do we do now?" Mark asked looking at his mother when she hung up the phone.

"Are you kidding? Honey, you're going to that party!" Carol asked.

Mark already knew that. Mark knew that when he'd hung up on Chuck which was after he'd talked with Ralph, Stan and Jack. They too were going and going as girls. They all were. There was no doubt about that. What Mark was really asking was what he'd have to wear.

The phone rang again making Mark jump this time. He dreaded picking it up but did.

"Mom! It's a Ms. Rosa Cappella? She says she needs to talk with you." Mark said after picking up the phone just a short time later.

"She'll be here in a second." Mark said to the woman on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" Mark's mother said taking up the phone Mark was still holding. Mark stood nearby.

"Yes? Yes, I know, we got the invitation this afternoon. Yes, he's going! Yes, he will be dressed. You're coordinating the party? I see. Yes, I was going to shop for something. Well, I don't know what yet. I suppose a dress obviously. No, I hadn't thought about it much. OK, hold on and I'll get a pencil!" Mark's mother said motioning for Mark to get her a pencil and paper.

"What's the name of it? OK, Little Miss Muffin Boutique. Muffin as in the spider...? OK, I've got that. What? Why? No, I don't understand that part at all. OK, this is now getting a bit ridiculous! Does he have a choice? No, I didn't say no, of course he'll do it.

"Yes, I know who that man is but that doesn't give him the right to push us around like that. I know you're not the one doing this, but obviously you're taking orders from him. And the other boys! Are the other boys going to be wearing the same things?

"So he's paying for it? No, I didn't know that. And I can get everything there then? I suppose I have to right? I mean my son doesn't have much choice in this obviously! Well, you can tell him for me that I think he's being a bully! Good day to you to!" Mark's mother said slamming the phone down.

"What?" Mark asked. He'd gotten some of the conversation but there were a lot of gaps.

"That woman is coordinating the party. Evidently the Don is paying for the things you and the other boys will be wearing! He's set up an account at this place called the Little Miss Muffin Boutique. They are supposed to have shoes, dresses and accessories." Mark's mother said as she looked at the paper with the name and address on it.

"So we don't have to pay for any of it at least?" Mark said not sure if that made a difference or not, but growing suspicious that it wasn't all of it as his mother looked up. The look on her face suggested it and made him add: "What?"

"Honey, according to that woman, the Don wants all of the boys to be wearing panties as well as their little dresses." Carol said deciding not to try and find a better way to say it.

"Panties? As in girl's panties? You've got to be kidding?" Mark said.

"I wish I was. I wish I could give that man a piece of my mind." Carol said.

Mark fell back on the couch heavily. This was going from bad to worse.

"Panties?" Mark said.

"We'll have to go tomorrow. The party is Saturday." Carol said as she patted Mark on his knee.

"Panties?" Mark repeated.

"I'm afraid so." Carol said in a sympathetic voice.

Mark groaned.

They found the place but neither were prepared for what greeted them. Little Miss Muffin boutique wasn't exactly a boutique. Not a quaint little shop for girls as Carol had suspected but a full blown store that made her wish, for a moment at least, that she had a girl. She hid that part as she urged Mark past the door he'd opened for her.

"MOM!" Mark whispered as they slowed and stopped just inside the store. A hint of what waited inside was in the windows and what was in the windows were mannequins in dresses clearly meant for pageants. Clearly for little girl pageants since those mannequins were little. Pinks, lavenders, lace, bows and ruffles everywhere and everywhere something girlish and feminine. There was nothing in that store for boys.

Dresses upon dresses in racks that looked like they covered every pastel color imagined and to the left, past the jewelry, and makeup counters, lingerie that Mark only glanced at. To his right shoes and in front of him, going all the way to the back, more dresses. Rows of them as he stood frozen in place. This was not a clothing store for girls, this was Mark's worst nightmare.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked.

"I'm Mrs. Evans, Carol Evens. I'm here with my son Mark. I understand we should have an account set up for us for a costume party?" Carol said looking around the woman at the racks of dresses that were giving her goose bumps. She could only imagine what it was doing to Mark.

"Of course! You'll be one of Ms. Rosa Cappella's boys then? Please, follow me and I'll do a quick verification on the list I was given and then guide you through our selections. I'm Helen. Helen Andrews, but please call me Helen." Helen said.

"Thank you!" Carol said as she fell in behind the woman now walking towards the back of the store. Mark didn't want to follow and the only reason he did was to stay within the protection of his mother as those girls already in the store began taking notice. "Has there been any other boys in yet?" Carol asked.

"Actually we have one boy trying on dresses at this very moment and two others were in earlier. This is going to be quite a costume party I'm told. Imagine how wonderful it's going to be for these boys to get to go through this sort of experience." Helen said.

"Imagine." Carol said as she added, "Can you tell me the name of the boy already here?"

"Ralph Summers I believe. He's in changing room three. That's the middle ones over there next to the mirrors." Helen said as she moved behind the counter. She picked up a metal box, thumbed through the cards, alphabetized, and found Mark under "M". Helen pulled the card as she said: "Ah, here we are. Mark! Just let me initial this and then we can look over your selections."

"Ralph! Here?" Mark asked.

"Seems so!" Mark's mother noted nodding over at the changing room.

Mark almost fainted dead away as his school mate appeared. There was no mistaken Ralph as a boy but he was wearing a gathered ruffled lemon yellow dress. What made it funny in a way was his regular boy style black shoes and socks and the tee-shirt he still wore. What didn't make it funny was that Mark saw himself doing that very same thing.

"Dresses first I suspect since everything will coordinate around the dress." Helen said as she pulled a sewing tape measure from around her neck as she added, "Let me get his shoulder, chest and waist measurements for his size."

Mark held his arms at his side for the shoulder measurements then held his arms out for his chest and waist.

"Size seven, remarkable." Helen said as she wrote that down on the card with Mark's name on it.

"Remarkable?" Carol asked.

"Size seven is a delightful size. We have a fairly substantial selection of dresses in size seven." Helen said.

"Oh joy!" Mark said sarcastically.

"Why don't we start with our pageant styles first then you can, if you don't find something there, move to our bridal or formal sections." Helen noted with a gesture of her hand.

"That would be great!" Carol said.

"MOM!" Mark said wishing she didn't sound so enthusiastic.

"Honey, relax! It's just being conversational." Carol said and added, "Look you're not the first and definitely not the last and Ralph there is also here so try and relax."

"Relax? Mom, we are buying a dress for me to wear to a birthday party! Hello?" Mark said.

"I know! Can't be helped honey." Carol said fighting the smile she felt creeping up on her. In spite of Mark's dilemma she was beginning to sense this as more fun than not.

"NO!" Mark whispered as they came up to a rack of dresses Mark didn't even want to look at.

"Honey, there are no simple dresses in here! Look, we can spend time looking here and finding something quickly or we can spend time LOOKING AROUND." Carol said.

"NO! Let's just get something and go!" Mark said not wanting to stay any longer than necessary. He saw Ralph and Ralph saw him. Both boys dropped their eyes as Mark added, "Grab one quick and let's go!"

"These are our size sevens. We've got several styles with the ones on the left our fullest. If it were me, I'd go with those only because he can wear the bouffant slips and not the petticoats. The petticoats tend to slip down when they play. I suspect they will be playing?" Helen asked.

"To be honest, I'm not sure but the full slips do make sense." Carol noted.

"Slips?" Mark said.

"All of our dresses are going to require a slip of one sort or another and the color is going to dictate the panties." Helen said and added, "Same with shoes if you don't go with the basic Mary Jane. We've got those in a patent white and in black."

"Panties?" Mark whispered.

"All of our dresses come with costume designed panties." Helen said.

"MOM, I'm going to run away if you don't hurry!" Mark said in anguish.

"You'll do nothing of the sort. Now stop. You think this is easy for me?" Carol said fighting back the smile that she was fighting desperately to hide.

"You're not going to be wearing this stuff." Mark said.

"It could be worse!" Mark's mother said.

"How?" Mark asked.

"It's for a party. What if Don Venuto had decided you guys wear these things to school or something?" Carol noted.

"That would be worse." Mark said. "You even care which color?" Carol asked.

"Are you kidding?" Mark said.

"Didn't think so. OK, so let's go with pink, white and maybe yellow." Carol said.

"Three? Why three?" Mark asked in a panic as he watched Ralph being turned by his mother in front of the mirror.

"OK, just the pink one then. This one!" Mark's mother said lifting a pink confection from the rack.

"Excellent choice. That's one of our best." Helen said delighted.

"So what does this one need in the way of slips?" Mark's mother asked.

"Come one and I'll show you your choices." Helen said as she turned towards the lingerie and added, "Our panties are near there as well."

Mark followed closely trying not to look at the girls now watching this unfold. Some were watching in amazement at Ralph already. Mark also tried not listening to the dress his mother carried as it rustled loudly.

"All of these slips are styled for that particular dress!" Helen said as they reached the lingerie. A girl and her mother looking through panties in a large pastel lemon bin paused to wonder over the boy following the woman holding a dress. The girl smiled oddly, the mother simply watched as Helen added, "Ah, here we go, size seven!"

Mark's mom lifted the slip and it too joined the dress and the rustling grew louder in Mark's ears. Ears that felt like they were on fire around the edges as he flushed more. Why did the store have so many girls in it he mused in anguish. Ralph was gone when Mark looked and Mark looked because it was his turn to face that next humiliating step.