"Still Breathing, Still Pouring"

"Still Breathing, Still Pouring" was the choice Sal Defalco made for the name of his autobiography. It hurts to think that title couldn't be used now but not as much as thinking of a world where the Legendary Savatore DeFalco never had his story told completely.

Sal had such a varied, wonderful and amazing life. I know because he asked me for help working on his autobiography. At first I merely tried to edit his manuscript, a tome of over 100 pages of stories that he had put together just in case he ever wanted to write a book.

To be honest, I didn't believe many of his stories at first. I thought they held some semblance of truth but I honestly felt he talked a far bigger game than he had ever played. I went home and Googled him; I didn't have to search past the first page. The pictures, stories, biographies, magazines, and court details were all over the place. The next day, I asked Sal if he needed help getting the story of his life organized. I drafted a roughly 10,000 word outline that consisted of the different eras of his life, the major events he wanted told, and the order in which he wanted them told. I did test samples of writing styles until I found something he felt represented him. In the end, I spent almost a year researching the 1970s, Disco, and Studio 54 that I sometimes feel that I lived through them. (In fact, I may remember it better than some of you do.)

The time I spent trying to finish Sal's story gave me a new insight, respect, and love for a man who came so far and did so much. I spent hours at Boom with him, either during a post-shift drink or leaning across an empty bar while we waited for someone to come in. He didn't just tell me stories, he exposed himself to me, so completely that I literally know all of his deep, dark secrets.

Without even realizing it, I had gone from editing a manuscript to becoming its ghost author over the course of a few short months. I always knew I could organize his ideas into a clear vision of what he wanted it but I never felt able to author something of this scope. To be honest,  I really didn't want the work but I knew that this was something Sal needed to see finished.

The computer I kept my version of the notes on was stolen a few years back and the two composition books I had filled with hand written notes of major events were lost during the collapse of my relationship. I felt that Sal would understand and appreciate what I had done but with the utter breakdown of my own personal life, I just didn't see anyway of completing something this big. .

Despite all of this, I have enough information, facts, research, and personal knowledge of his life that I would be able to fill in any gaps that might exist. I know that Claude Tant has the manuscript and outline. Instead of feeling like a failure for not finishing his life story, I feel I may be the only person who can actually make sure that the Legend of Sal DeFalco is told the way it was intended.

I have skill as a writer but I have never contemplated a project of this size and scope. I truly believe this story needs to be told but it must be the way Sal intended or it will just be a salacious rip off of a truly classy man. If you are interested in seeing his story told and can help me form some kind of plan for taking all of the information and putting it together as a cohesive whole and then seeing it published, I will devote my full attention on making sure it gets finished.

The Party Never Ends and the Legend Can Live On forever if we make sure to tell his story the way it was meant to.