"Just like Mama's, eh?" Boardwalk Empire Season 3 Episode 2

"Just like Mama's, eh?" --Gyp Rosetti

It’s nice to see that the Italian hothead, Gyp, gained a bit of a sense a humor this past week. I guess Nucky gave him a lesson during the New Year’s Eve party that you don’t make friends by leaving a trail of dead bodies. And what Gyp needs right now are friends…and alcohol, and boy, is he trying. The man settled for spaghetti and coffee! What an awful combination! But Nucky has a way with putting wannabe big shots back in line with the rest of the grunts. Unfortunately for Nucky, Gyp isn’t as half-cocked as he appeared to be last episode. He may actually swindle Nucky and Rothstein out of some illegal libations.
Another big shot who was personally escorted by Nucky Thompson to rock bottom has returned. Sallow and as thin as a rail, Eli is released from his two-year staycation in the slammer to become low man on the bootlegging totem pole. If prison didn’t show Eli how much Nucky was going to make him pay, maybe making the most annoying character on the show, Mickey Doyle, his boss will do the trick. Although, it’s not looking like Eli will stay at the bottom for long. He’s already turning into Owen’s right-hand man. This alliance makes you wonder if Owen will stay as loyal to Nucky this season.
Plus, Billie Kent’s extra ‘interests’ are becoming an issue for Nucky. At first I felt compassion for Mr. Thompson, but now I see him for the hypocritical misogynist that he is. He collects women to fulfill his needs, and expects complete devotion.
Is Season 3 it for Nucky? So many characters are set to betray him, but how is that different from any other season?
One question, what happened with, Regina, the dog Gyp gave to Margaret? I’m still waiting for the cops to put two and two together and pin the murder on Nuck.

Boardwalk Empire Season 3 Episode 1

When I sat down to watch Boardwalk Empire last night, I didn't expect to find my own story, too.

Like Jimmy, my father, was a bootlegger during Prohibition.
Like Jimmy my dad, Louis Rosen, was murdered in a turf war with the Mafia.

And like Jimmy, he left a child—me-- at the age of two.

Watching Tommy's confusion and loss last night, I was reminded of the feelings I had when my father suddenly disappeared. Although I had a mother, and Tommy was orphaned, it was as if I was orphaned, too--my mother disappeared frequently into her new llfe as a partying flapper. And when I was old enough to ask her how my father died she told me he died of pneumonia. As Tommy, I lived in a world of adults hiding the truth.

I discovered the facts about my father's life and death at the age of 12, when my older brother told me I could read about him in the newspapers of the time. So I went to the Cleveland Public Library and found his story on the ten-year old pages of The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Cleveland Press in huge headlines and graphic pictures.   

Boardwalk Empire is an entertaining TV series that viewers enjoy, turn off and forget about until the next Sunday night. But for me, the story doesn't stop; it stays with me, lingering, haunting my dreams.