Don Meanie really enjoyed New Years Day, especially the Philadelphia Mummers Parade.  He would get all his mugs together and head over the Walt Whitman bridge to Broad Street in Philly.  The Don looked forward to seeing and hearing all the clubs strutting their way up the street.  The parade would go on all day and Don Meanie would be there from the beginning to the end.

This year Chubby was getting into it pretty heavy.  Everyone was laughing at his attempt to strut. Don Meanie let his guard down.  He moved out into the street to give Chubby a demonstration of the Mummers strut just as the Riverfront Mummers approached.  The Don started strutting along side as they played.  "Chubby, come on, follow me!" Don Meanie said.  Chubby says, "I'm right behind you, Boss."  Off they went with Splat, Burny, Bare and all the other mugs running behind.

As they approached 10th and Market, Chubby noticed two mugs he didn't know had joined them.  One was tall and broad shouldered, the other short and bony.  At first he thought they were enjoying the fun with them, then he saw the muzzle popping out of the sleeve of the tall one.

Drifting back, Chubby moved close to Burny and said, "keep an eye these two mugs, I'm gonna take Don Meanie into the crowd on 10th , you and Bare grab them if they try to follow us."  Burny nodded his head and continued dancing as he moved closer to the two.

When they got to the corner, Chubby pointed to Don Meanie and they cut through the crowd.  As they emerged, they were greeted by three mugs in a Caddy.  Burny and Bare grabbed the two strangers as they came out of the crowd behind Chubby and the Don.

Don Meanie knew the one sitting in the back seat. "Don Geovonni, am I to understand you want to speak with me?"  Don Meanie said while looking Don Giovanni straight in the eye. "Why have you gone to this trouble . You just had to ask for a meet and I would be there. What is it you want?"

Don Giovanni was head of the 'family' in Philly.  He almost never requested a meet.  He liked to make surprise entrances.  He said it gave him the undivided attention of those he was meeting.

"Don Meanie," Don Giovanni began,  "you are well respected within the 'Families.' I have news for you."  "It must be of grave importance to approach me in this manner!"  Don Meanie slid into the Caddy next Don Giovanni.  "What is it? "

" It has been brought to my attention that the Meanies we have missed for so long, are being held captive by an organization called TopKat."

Don Meanie sat quietly for almost a minute and then spoke.  "Do you know where they are being held?  We will get the 'Families' and free them."

"I have mugs trying to find this TopKat as we speak. " Don Giovanni said, "They have places somewhere in Los Angeles, New York and Fairfield, N.J.  So far we haven't been able to pin point their exact location."

In his many years as The Codfather, Don Meanie had cultivated his image as a disciplined leader of New Jersey 'family.'  The Mummers Parade was good for him.  The music and strutting gave him some relief from his thoughts.  He had been feeling somewhat discouraged and down for sometime.  The New Meanies where constantly on his mind.  The one thing he hadn't been able to figure out was what had happened to them.  It was like they had disappeared from the face of the earth.  And now a glimmer of hope from and unlikely ally.

Don Meanie wondered what Don Giovanni's real motive might be for finding the New Meanies. Why give The Don this information?

"Thank you Don Giovanni, you give me renewed hope that we may some day see the New Meanies.  Let me know as soon as you have more news and let me know how I can help."

Don Meanie stepped from the Caddy and went back to the parade with a reserved smile on his lips.  He strutted and enjoyed the rest of the day with his mugs.