No Tourists At The Cup Defenders, a Basil Rosa novel

This is the third novel in the Basil Rosa trilogy that takes place in Rhode Island in the late 1970s and early 80s. Thank you to Meric Bulca for the cover painting, and to Erika B Hollen for the design.

You can find the novel here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1025315

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No Tourists At The Cup Defenders is narrated by commercial fisherman Pee Wee Coyle who tells the story to James, detailing the short life of Victor Silva, who was James' father. 

Pee Wee's narration is the fulfillment of a promise he made to Vic’s wife, Loren, that when their son James was old enough, he’d share what happened to Victor.

Raised in Fall River, the son of immigrants, his mother speaking very little English, his father, having suffered multiple strokes, unable to speak and living in an elderly care center, Victor Silva, aged 23, believes he disgraced his family after being discharged from the Navy for selling narcotics. Working on the wharves in the city of Newport, Rhodde Island is where he believes he can make amends.

Victor works seven days a week, earning $50 in cash per day. He lives in nearby Bristol and rises at 3:30 a.m. each day to drive to Newport. His Bristol apartment, a simple garret, is next door to a drinking club for immigrants and their sons who reside in Bristol. Here, in the evenings, Vic unwinds with local men who make him feel welcome. It seems to Vic that the purpose of his life is to create a sense of home.

Arriving to Bowen’s Wharf on time each day, Victor rides out on the ship Iron Jane at 5:30 a.m. with a rag-tag crew employed by Aquidneck Fish under Skipper Sonny Lombardi. They’ll empty nets kept in the Atlantic from early spring to late fall. They pull these nets up by hand, store the catch in a heap on Iron Jane’s deck, and return to Bowen’s Wharf to sort and store it.

Quitting time often comes at twilight. A young man, “a greenhorn” earns respect from seasoned vets such as Mitch McSherry, part owner of Aquidneck Fish and foreman to Sonny. Mitch sees potential in Vic, who’s learned he’s gotten girlfriend Loren pregnant. For advice, Vic turns to Pee Wee Coyle, who is an experienced lobster fisherman with a stellar reputation in the fishing community, but Pee Wee is often away at sea, so Victor decides to seek advice and friendship from his younger, energetic co-worker Pat Degnan, also a greenhorn. 

Pat doesn't have Pee Wee's life experience behind him, but he provides Victor a sympathetic ear. They’ve both made an enemy in Cliff Larch, who dislikes Vic because, as Mitch’s nephew, he’s jealous of his success. Cliff dislikes Pat because Pat’s been sleeping with Marla, Cliff’s ex-girlfriend. Cliff is also a drug-dealer. 

Victo warns Pat to stay away from Cliff and Marla. Pat doesn’t listen. Still, their friendship endures. When Pee Wee is in port, the three of them get together. Pee Wee dates Pat’s sister.

Victo, in spite of his steadfast work regimen, struggles to pay rent and bills. He takes no time off and is forever on the brink of exhaustion. Loren remains a soothing presence, her family likes him, but Vic’s worried about how they’ll make ends meet. 

Then his father dies. Everything about life and his relationship with Loren feels unfinished and this weighs on Vic’s conscience. He brings Loren to his father’s funeral and they stay with his family in Fall River. 

He must tell his mother he’s going to marry Loren, that they already have designs on a small house Loren’s father has agreed to help them purchase. They love each other and, best of all, Loren is pregnant. 

There’s one hitch. Vic fears his mother won’t approve. Loren is a pious Catholic, but she’s not Portuguese.

Vic tries to convince his mother this doesn’t matter, that he’s found true love. Though disappointed, his mother agrees to the union, but only if they’ll marry at her church in Fall River.

The long summer wears on and wears Vic down until one August evening, near the point of collapse, he sees Pat Degnan and Cliff Larch fighting on the wharf. Most crewmen have gone home.

Cliff stands for everything Vic’s trying to rebuke. He watches as Pat takes a beating from him. Vic chooses to defend his mate, and he gets in some quick punches until Cliff stabs him in the neck with a grappling hook, piercing Victor's carotid artery. 

Vic dies in the ambulance on the way to the emergency ward. Loren never marries. Pat leaves Newport altogether, though not before he and Loren create a fund to help Loren raise her child alone. 

For twenty years, Pee Wee stays in touch with them both and contributes to this fund. His final contribution is this telling of Vic’s story.