Chapter 14
Julian stepped down as capo two years later.
Voluntarily.
He told me:
“I keep hearing myself say animals should be chained.”
I said nothing.
He continued.
“I don’t know why I said it.”
“I do.”
He looked at me.
“You needed Elliot to be less than a child so what you were doing felt easier.”
Silence.
He nodded.
Dehumanization often arrives as joke first.
Dog.
Animal.
Weak thing.
Spoiled child.
Words that lower the moral cost.
Julian hated realizing he had done that.
Good.
He moved into logistics and estate operations elsewhere.
Smaller role.
Less visibility.
More actual work.
He became better.
Not redeemed automatically.
Better.
Agatha also changed slowly.
She stopped giving advice unless asked.
At first this looked like sulking.
Then perhaps discipline.
At family dinners, if a nanny corrected Elliot, Agatha kept quiet.
Once I caught her opening her mouth.
Then closing it.
May you like
Progress can look ridiculous.
Still progress.
