Mafia Magi

The time: Late evening. The day: December 26^th. The year: 0 AD. The place: Bethlehem in Judea.

A caravan of three sedan chairs wends its way through the narrow back streets of the city. All three sedan chairs are the same. Each chair is carried by two well-built bearers. The bearers are wearing black robes, black shoes with spats, hats and wrap-around sunglasses. The sedan chairs are highly polished black lacquered beams and cabins with black veils covering the windows. The caravan takes a side street to a secluded manger and stops.

The bearers lower the sedan chairs. They look around. One bearer from each sedan chair leans into the window and gives the all clear sign. The occupant of the first sedan chair steps out and surveys the scene. The locals have come out to take in this strange sight. One wizened old man in a turban stares at the hat the caravan leader is wearing.

"Eh, what's wit ju, ain'tcha never seen a fedora before? Okay boys, we're here. Dis is da place. Antny and Giacamo, you stay here and watch the cahs. These folks don't look too reputable, if you know what I mean."

The two occupants of the other two sedan chairs get out, suspiciously look around, and follow the first man toward a barn at the end of the path. The barn has no door, just a cloth flap, which is, tied back revealing a young man and woman caring for a newborn child.

The leader of the three walks with his head up, shoulders back, and his right hand clasping a dagger hidden under his cloak. As he nears the barn door he steps in a pile of donkey dung. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!", he bellowed.

The young couple looks up. "Yes?"

"Christ! Do youse guys know how much deese shoes cost? Plenty, I can tell ya dat!"

"I am sorry about that. But this is a manger and you have to expect that kind of thing around here. This is not the Bethlehem Ritz. We tried there. They said there wasn't one room was available. Personally, I think they saw my wife was ready to deliver and were afraid we'd spoil the bed sheets. And then of course there's the screaming during the delivery. Not good for business." Approaching the leader carefully, the young man asked, "By the way, how did you know our names?"