Donald Greco

The Malandrine Donald Greco

Malandrine is Italian slang for a malicious troublemaker. And it's a concept that the Italian Bellanca family, led by brothers Rino and Lou, have clearly imprinted in their minds.



The children of immigrants, Rino and Lou grew up in hard times during the Great Depression. Their family had to struggle just to have barely enough food to eat. After their service in World War II, they returned home to work as skilled craftsmen in a steel mill. They also had side jobs that helped them save money and invest it in small business ventures. Two of their ventures made them rich: selling two pieces of rural property to mall builders.



But though they were wealthy, both brothers were the kind of men who were fulfilled by work. So in retirement, Lou continued his longtime sideline of shoemaker, and Rino was employed as a maintenance man at Spring Common University.



Rino, though he found work pleasant and fulfilling, managed to become an enemy of a young superstar professor whose life ambition was for the presidency of one of the country's great universities. Also, during Rino's years at Spring Common, he just by happenstance becomes acquainted with a young widow whose husband was also a professor at the university. It's the beginning of a love story.

But tragedy also haunts the Bellanca family in a sudden and unforeseen way. And Rino realizes that his money can't save him from the consequences of life. His world is in disarray, and he realizes that his sole consolation is revenge upon the "malandrine" professor who has caused him such anguish.