The Lark: Vol 3, Issue 14, December 2023

Although automobiles had been produced from the 1880’s, until the Model T was introduced in 1908, autos were mostly scarce, expensive and unreliable. Priced between $260 and $850 (the starting price would be $8,700 today with inflation) the Ford Model T was an instant hit. In a matter of days after the release, 15,000 orders had been placed.

Carmine was looking for a new business as the jitney business was very time consuming. He was travelling all over the city during his workday. Maria told him that she could no longer spend her entire day on the telephone taking orders. She had to tend to the children. And she wanted Carmine to be spending more time with their family. Carmine had read about business people who were buying cars and renting them out by the day.  He thought that this was a wonderful idea and would leave him more time to spend on Home Avenue with Maria, Florence and Joseph.

With the capital that Carmine had earned from his days of being a jitney driver, he bought himself a used Model T and parked it in the side yard of his home next to the garage. He loved to restore cars. He wanted them to sparkle with original showroom luster. The children would spot their Dad sneaking out after dinner with a wrench and a polishing cloth in hand. He worked on each car in the garage to ensure that it would be in top condition for rental the next day.

The word got around pretty quickly, that the gentleman in the jitney business was now renting cars for $1.25 per hour. The phone rang at home on day one:

Maria: Pronto, Carmine’s Rent-A-Car

Senor Pecorino: Maria, what’s this that I hear that your husband is now renting Model T’s? I want to impress my wife for our anniversary. Can he teach me how to drive one? I want to drive to Roger Williams Park and Oakland Beach.  I’ll need at least four hours.

 Maria: Senor, Carmine is busy getting his nice shiny black one ready for the road.  What time would you like him to pick up you and Senora Pecorino?

Carmine's Rent-a-Car

Just like the Model T was an instant hit, Carmine’s Rent-A-Car business took off like a rocket ship. People from all over the city were clamoring to rent his car. Some wanted to rent a car for just one hour, others wanted to rent for the whole day.

One day Carmine came home with a gleeful look. Guess what he said, I sold my car today for roughly double its value – someone paid me $400. Maria looked at him in disbelief. What are you going to do now she exclaimed? No car, no business. Carmine said, “I am going to buy another car.” And after I fix that one up, I may sell that one and have enough left over to buy another car. Then I will have two cars.  Carmine was now smitten. He realized that he could buy and sell cars and make a good profit.

Soon there were four Model T cars on the driveway and in the garage.  The money started to flow into the business. He was working just as hard as ever because there would always be one car in the shop that would need a new tire, an engine part or a gizmo for the two-speed transmission. Luckily, he had his father standing by to help with the mechanical needs. Joseph (the father) was putting in time nights and weekends helping Carmine.

The late teens were a good time for the rent-a-car business. Carmine could spend more time with his family and Maria was spending less and less time on the phone. But as always, as with any business, there are failures as well as successes. One day Mrs. Squadronto, who was a notorious window shopper, rented a car. Carmine warned her to keep her eyes on the road. She did have her eyes on the road as she drove the shiny black car over the curb, down a grassy embankment and into a watery ravine on Pleasant Valley Parkway.  The car was now partially submerged in the brook. The police called Carmine and said that there was a hysterical woman standing next to his Model T that had run off the road and was in a ravine. They asked him to come rescue her and his car.

Carmine continued with the rent-a-car business for a year or so until a second, and this time worse calamity fell upon him. He had rented a car to a man who was not in his circle of local clientele. Being suspicious, Carmine tried to determine who the man was and where he was going. The man was sullen, uncertain about his destination, but he promised to return the car by 4 pm.

At dinner that night Maria was concerned about Carmine:

Maria: Carmine, you look so worried. What is the matter? You haven’t spoken a word to me or the children tonight.

 Carmine: I rented a car to a man today. He looked suspicious. He was supposed to return the car by 4 p.m. It is now past six. I did not like the way he acted today. I should not have rented to him.

Later that evening the phone rang. The children were asleep. Maria picked up the phone, thinking that perhaps someone needed a car tomorrow:

Maria: Pronto, who is calling?

East Greenwich police officer: Good evening mam. This is Sgt. Bill O’Hara with the East Greenwich police department. We are trying to reach a Carmine Petteruti. Is he there?

 Maria: (Deep breath) Yes officer. Is everything all right?

Sgt. O’Hara: Not exactly. May I speak to Carmine?

Mary whispers to Carmine. It’s the police department.

 Carmine: This is Carmine Petteruti. With whom am I speaking?

Sgt. O’Hara: Mr. Petteruti, I am Sgt. Bill O’Hara from the East Greenwich police department. We have located a car that is registered to you. The plate number is C 427. Were you in East Greenwich today?

Carmine: No sir, I rent cars for a living. That is one of my cars. My customer did not return it today. Is the car O.K.?

Sgt. O’Hara: Yes, Mr. Petteruti, the car is fine, but the driver is dead. He has a bullet wound in the back of his head.

Carmine: O Mio Dio! Madonna Mia.

Sgt. O’Hara: Did you know this man? He has been identified as Thomaso Guglietti, a resident of New York City.

Carmine: No. He told me his name was James Brown.

Sgt. O’Hara: Mr. Petteruti, would you be able to come down to the station this evening? We would like to ask you some questions.

Carmine called his brother, Ernesto. Ernesto drove Carmine to the East Greenwich police station that evening. Carmine, flustered and anxious, was released after questioning. He saw his car, C 427, parked behind the station. The inside of the windshield and the dashboard was spattered with blood. The police would not release the car.

When Carmine met Maria at the door that evening, he fell into her arms. “We have to find another business.”