Youngest son of Manny and Sophia Victoza, Salvatore was always a bit frail and skinny. Though you would think he was sickly from looking at him he was actually the only member of his High School graduating class that never missed a day of school due to sickness.
Manny ran a Flower delivery service out of the Lower East Side of Chicago, and the family never seemed to want for anything. They weren't wealthy, but seemed to get by fine...just a hand me down or two every now and then.
His three older brothers were much larger and brawnier than Salvatore, and they played sports, and were popular in school. Salvatore on the other hand would rather spend his days reading, or playing video games.
He was however popular in school. You could always find him the center of a bunch of people telling jokes, or relating some story.
When Salvatore was 11 his twin sister Salina came down with Liver cancer. The prognosis was not good, and much to his great dismay, it seemed as though she would not make it. While the family was certainly not religious, then didn't necessarily have anything against religion, so one night shortly after learning of his sisters condition Salvatore, at wits end, snuck off the the closest church, broke in through an open basement window, and spent the night praying until he dozed off in front of the alter.
His parents were frantic looking for him, and when the preacher finally found him the next morning they had spent most of the night combing the neighborhood looking for him. To relieved to be mad they admonsished him for his misbehavior. He told them it was OK. That he had talked to the angles and Salina was going to be OK. Everyone assumed that his young mind had dreamed this conversation due to the stress of the situation. Everyone except his sister that is.
Then....She recovered. The doctors claimed it was a miracle. Salvatore knew better...he knew that he had made a deal and he would hold to it.
Hence, he had finished divinity school with honors, and had spent the last few years travelling the globe, learning about different cultures and helping people.
A year ago he returned. He moved into a small efficiency in the house of his favorite Professor Dr. Rhumstead, and was taking some time helping the Professor catalog a couple of book collections that the Religion Department of the College had recently acquired.
Yes, he had come home. Taking a few courses at the college, and helping substitute in a few classes...even delivering the occasional sermon. But he had decisions to make now. Should he settle down and find a nice parrish to tend...should he keep up his foreign volunteer work...Should he continue his education, seeking answers to his unanswered questions.
Time will tell.........
