Carolyn, 76

“The mafia came after me in the 80s. I was building a restaurant in Atlantic City and I was almost done with the construction of it. I just needed to put on the roof. The mafia came in and they said they had let me get this far but the roofers union would not let me get any further. They said I had to use union people. And I said, ‘I don’t have the money; let me show you the numbers. I have half the money, so here’s the deal I’ll make with you: your union people don’t have to do anything and I will pay them half the money. But you let my people put the roof on.’ They agreed. I didn’t want the mafia having anything to do with the restaurant because I knew that once they get into you, you’re with them until you drop dead. So I was able to talk my way out of that one.”