The Night Before Testimony
by Rok Finger 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
not one soul was stirring, besides the bodyguard Klaus
as noble Rok Finger and his Russian child bride
sought shelter from the mob with the ol’ FBI
it started with gangwars, then things really took off
when the death threats rolled in, all addressed to Rok
“You’ve killed more Italians in your short troubled time
than a Coppola film and Mussolini combined,
pack your bags, little shit, you’re going on a trip
to a room where your neighbors are plankton and fish.”
Like a mousetrap sprang Rok from his tiny night bed
and crushed the skull of some poor mouse’s head,
“Quick, dear Felchyana,” he said to his wife,
“pack your shit quick and run for your life!
Those fat goomba bullies have put me on their list
and they all want a piece of the Rok from St. Nick!”
When who through the door should wondrously appear
but a big mick named Nicky and his black friend Amir.
“It appears you’ve pissed off the wrong people,” he said,
“I’m afraid you’ll be spending this Christmas quite dead.”
Oh, shit, good people, things looked quite dim
for our three-foot hero and what-ser-name with him
when who should appear, right out of thin air
but Rok Finger’s old pal, wheelchair-bound Camembert!
He was not armed, but Cam did scream so non-stop
every neighbor on the block promptly phoned the cops.
They arrived with guns blazing and clubs swinging free
unaware of the danger, but hey, they’re N.Y.P.D.
Old Rok spilled his guts in a new record time
and begged for protection from the dear FBI.
They wasted no time, and hauled Rok away
to meet with J. Edgar or whoever runs it today
With the dirt Rok had on Yogi, Mario, and all,
the state prisons will soon be packed wall to wall.
Rok gets probation and time served—how cool!
“It’s the way we reward you for being a stool.”
And with those kind words the agent disappeared in the night
for survivalists in Montana waited to pick a fight,
For Rok and Felchyana, they planned the best Christmas yet
though they were as far from civilization as you could now get,
“But we’ll enjoy the grim situation, no matter what ‘tis,
or wherever the hell this ‘Fargo’ place is.”
So with prospects all brighter, things turned out great in the end
except for poor Camembert, sentenced from five to ten.

I Sure Hope it Was
the Kiss of Death
So I am not “cool” with manly love, that’s my business. I don’t know why people find it so necessary to make everybody know all the details of their little private life. Ick. And if they find out you’re uncomfortable with gayiety, trust me, they only want you more.

I May Have Started a Gangland War
My comments are not entirely important here, but suffice to say they bruised a lot of feelings and led to name-calling and bullet-firing. So insignificant, really, they don’t bear repeating. But I would suggest if you’re going to get worked up over a difference of opinion on Johnny Mathis being a better crooner than Frank Sinatra, maybe you’re the one with the problem, and the state shouldn’t issue you a gun permit.

My Wife as a G-Dawg
Before you get worked up in my diatribe, I should let you know that won’t be what the column’s about this week. It was going to be, I thought I’d give everyone a double-dose of old school Rok Finger, but that was before my wife started swearing like Slappy White.

Respect!
No doubt you believe I’ve lived with respect every day of my life, but good people, in the interest of telling the truth, I have an admission: I’ve never been a well-respected man. I know I carry on loudly and speak with conviction like a man rolling in oodles of respect, but it’s all been a charade.