Final Word from Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Perhaps you'll forgive another "Godfather" analogy. They saythat Vít Bárta of VV visited Petr Nečas in the company of Petr"Luca Brasi" Lessy and presented the prime minister with anultimatum about the selection of the new police president."Either your brains, or your signature, will be on the appointment,"Bárta told him. Afterward, Lessy was overhead stutteringto Bárta, "I am honored ... and grateful ... that you haveinvited me ... into your family. I pledge my ever-ending ... loyalty."Soon thereafter, Bárta summoned Lessy and told him,"I'm a little worried about this Ivan Langer fellow. I want youto find out what he's got under his fingernails. Go to ODS, andmake them think you're not very happy with our family. Andfind out what you can." So Lessy, who isn't the swiftest sheepin the flock, lumbered back to his walk-up, took out his sizeXXL bullet-proof vest, and checked the bullets in his gun. "Yes,I think you and I can do business," Langer said when they met,as a henchman looped a garrote around Lessy's neck.
Glossary of difficult words
dishonor among thieves - meaning that thieves cannot trust each other (the usual expression is "honor among thieves");
analogy - a comparison or similarity between two things;
Petr Lessy - VV's choice for police president, accepted reluctantly by Nečas;
Luca Brasi - a character in The Godfather; one of Don Corleone’s personal enforcers;
to stutter - to stumble over one’s words; to speak with sudden involuntary pauses and to repeat the initial letters of words;
ever-ending - an incorrect way of saying "never-ending" that actually means the opposite of what is intended;
swift - in this contest, smart;
walk-up - an apartment that does not have access by elevator;
henchman - a faithful follower or political supporter, esp. one prepared to engage in crime or dishonest practices by way of service;
garrote/garrotte/garotte - a wire, cord or apparatus used for killing someone by strangulation.