question: What is Antonio's wife doing whilst he is smuggled aboard a plane? answer: Cleaning paragraph: Antonio Badalamenti , a Sicilian who has been settled for many years in Northern Italy and is employed in a car factory in Milan , takes a vacation with his family , leaving behind the modern conveniences of his home in northern Italy , to visit his ancestral home in Sicily and introduce his blond , northern Italian wife , Marta , to his mother , father and other relatives back home . While his wife suffers in the comparatively rustic conditions of her husband's hometown and has trouble adapting to the culture of Sicily , Antonio becomes reacquainted with his childhood friends . He also pays a visit to the local don , Don Vincenzo , who is a crime boss . The don smooths over some problems Antonio had with a deal to buy some property on the island , and in return , Antonio is tasked with carrying out a hit for the mob . As an outsider with no strings attached and a crack shot , Antonio is seen as a perfect candidate . While his wife is sleeping one night , Antonio leaves for what is purportedly a hunting trip with his friends . In reality , he is put inside a wooden crate and smuggled aboard an airplane into the United States , where he goes to New York City to carry out his task . The job done , he is returned to Sicily in the same manner and arrives back at home as if he's just finished the hunting trip . 