Prologue
THE SHORT, SWEET, LOVING LIFE....
Young Joe thought he had found a shortcut to happiness ... He lived by his wits, preying on the sexual hunger of aged homosexuals and aging woman ... Like Helen, who loved him with all the passion and devotion of a mother, a wife and a mistress ... But when he let a younger woman talk him into a plot to steal Helen's money-and bring about her death-the shortcut turned into a blind alley from which there was no escape ... Waiting hopelessly for relentless fate to catch up with him, he heard his father's voice: "You who chose the easy way, the short sweet life, have you found happiness? ... One hour of it? One minute of it? ... No, there is no easy road to happiness, you must take the hard road!" ... But now it was too late for that....