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Later that afternoon, Richie met Shay and Vito at one of Richie’s favorite eateries, The Leaning Tower Taverna on Columbus Avenue in the North Beach district.
Shay and Vito were already seated at Richie’s preferred booth in the far back of the diner when he arrived. The cafe’s owner had been known to ask other patrons to leave the booth whenever Richie showed up unexpectedly.
The waitress followed Richie with his favorite beer in hand, Anchor Steam, and then waited patiently while he greeted his friends before ordering carbonara with prosciutto for lunch.
Shay had a cup of tea in front of him, while Vito was working on a beef tongue sandwich on a sourdough roll. Vito was Shay’s opposite in every way, from his wide, ham-fisted build, to his grungy clothes, including the brown car coa
