Let No Man Write My Epitaph

Nellie Romano has had to raise her only child, Nick Romano, as a single mother in the tough West Madison St area of Chicago in her husband, Nick Romano Sr., having been executed by electric chair for killing a police officer, something she asserts he didn't do with a further assertion that he truly was a good man. With Nick's upbringing, Nellie has had the help of a close group of six friends, led by Judge Bruce Sullivan, all who, like Nellie, are down and out in one way or another. Those within this group with substance abuse issues are Nellie herself, who needs nips of gin to function, the Judge who is a downright drunk, and Flora, a bar singer, who is a hardcore heroin junkie, like Nellie and her gin needing fixes to function. Regardless of these problems, they have all treated Nick like their own, high school student Nick in return having grown into a caring young man. Without any other job skills besides waiting tables, Nellie has still been able to provide Nick with a good education - he an aspiring concert pianist - in turning to a more lucrative profession as a B-girl. Nick's problems stem from taunts by specific classmates leading to street fights in defending his family name, Nellie believing such taunts about Nick Sr., but in reality about her. As the Judge, in a moment of lucidity, figures out a way practically to help Nick get out of West Madison St for good in reaching his career goal by calling in a favor from his days as a lawyer, lonely Nellie starts dating florist shop owner Louis Ramponi, not aware that the Judge has always loved her himself, he, in the back of his mind, seeing a life for them together despite his situation and the differences in their ages. They may all have the biggest fight for the Romanos in needing to save Nellie from Louis, who had a more nefarious reason for starting to date her, which may in turn threaten not only Nick's chance of getting out of West Madison St into being that great concert pianist, but his life in its entirety.