By the mid 1920's Al Capone had become a major player in racketeering in Chicago.
His rise to the top had made him many enemies and he opted to spend much of his time in numerous hotels to avoid easy detection.
His wealth allowed him to buy the best of everything and he was known as a very snappy dresser.
He spent a fortune on clothes and one day decided to splash out on some hugely expensive, black and white, crocodile skin shoes. They were his pride and joy.
Despite his wealth and fame he did have moments of great loneliness. Stuck in his hotel bedroom with just his henchmen on guard outside the door, he longed for company.
One afternoon he passed a pet shop window. Gazing out from its cage was a little, tabby kitten. Al's heart melted and he bought the kitten and took it back to his hotel room where it was treated royally.
One evening, returning to his room after a meeting with other gang leaders, he saw his prized crocodile skin shoes scratched and torn to shreds. The kitten, now with newly sharpened claws, sat looking very guilty in the corner of the room.
Capone exploded in a furious tirade. He threw his damaged footwear at the dressing table, smashing the mirror. He kicked the bedside table, sending it and its contents across the room.
His henchman, hearing the kerfuffle inside the room burst in, machine gun at the ready.
Seeing the mess and the damaged shoes, he then spotted the kitten cowering in the corner.....and he sang.................
"Pardon me Al, is that the cat that chewed your new shoes"?
