Whatsername decides to take a walk through the business district of Philadelphia. She had had a conversation with three different crew leaders from Chicago, Los Angeles and Las Vegas over the past week; all had commented how the business districts in their cities were just not thriving. One of the biggest income sources for the mafia had always been protection payments but these business owners had little to no income to make their payments.

Whatsername always saw IRC Avenue and its coffee shops bustling. There was no income to be found there however and the situation was getting grave. She saw the same thing while walking in Philadelphia. Pubs with bartenders trying to stay awake in hopes one or two people might pop in for a drink. Bakeries with empty display cases as the owners were tired of throwing away most of their baking at the end of the day. Hair salons closed up by mid day, restaurants whose chefs had moved on to other places. The quietness was eerie and very disheartening.

During one of the recent conversations, Whatsername had suggested forming a meeting place. Somewhere like-minded people who wanted to go out and enjoy the nightlife and locals businesses could meet up and find others striving for the same. The suggestion was well received by those in the conversation. Whatsername now walked over to IRC Avenue and found herself a vacant building. She would not need to do a lot of work as this was only going to be a meeting place. Somewhere to find a friend to go for a drink with, a new acquaintance to go for a bite to eat with, only a starting point to get together with others and head out on the town shopping, drinking, eating or just enjoying the cities’ activities. She found a large piece of plywood and spray painted a sign

#socialites on IRC Avenue

The starting point for business district shenanigans

Whatsername went inside and waited for others to show up to head out for some cocktails.

This is a nice little idea - one which could potentially pump some life back into previously quiet businesses. I myself am guilty of avoiding businesses simply due to the fact that they sit empty - do I really want to eat and drink by myself? Of course I don't want to be that creepy person in the corner of the bar by himself. 

The success of this scheme now depends on how many people regularly meet up in the #socialities coffee shop to get things going. I myself may pop round looking to get a gang together to hit the town. 

There's nothing to lose from this scheme - and you might just make a new friend!

I look forward to frequenting this area when visiting the coffee shops. It's a great idea to encourage further development of our business districts and ensure we're making the most of this valuable real estate. Who knows what sort of side deals may be struck or what sort of new friendships might develop as a result. Far too long these areas have been filled with little more than dirty hot dog water carts selling more cans of spam than anything you'd actually consider consumable. I look forward to watching the standards rise and seeing how the Socialites Coffee Shop might help this. 

Camzilla overhears Whatsername talking. He then runs around the corner for a few hours only to come back with his shirt off and a tattoo around his left nipple reading "#Socialites"

I'll definitely be there to participate in business district shenanigans. I'll drink you all under the table as well. 

He had been a little busy recently, even though his mails had flown back and fore Philadelphia over this topic. As someone who had liked to see a bit of life in an often dead business district, he enjoyed popping his face where he could to build trade.

"The business districts in many places have fallen into disrepair, the amount of dead business owners with children who haven't taken over has been frustrating for some"

"I hope this can help resurrect some of both the streets and business district and hope to drop by when business calms down"

SpikeS steps out from the darkness into the streets, visiting Philadelphia, on Market Street.

Whatsername seems to be onto something, and she might just have the pull to complete such a mission. A revival of the nightlife in Philadelphia and even the other cities has been on hold for far too long.

I do think though that there is far more that can be done from this. Previously, my recent ancestry has called forth to the masses for a more vocal community. However, there is something about the streets that many find intimidating. The business districts perhaps are a bit more welcoming to the masses. I think that this can be a good jumping off point for everyone to start talking again.

When considering the antisocial climate currently, it’s hard to gauge the cause of it, but an open forum, a tabernacle or some other place with libations, might just be the place to ease people’s minds and mouths so that they might slip soft words to one another, words of love, perhaps? Well, yes, maybe, but no more importantly, words of friendship, words of basic communication. Words of… or rather… a word… “Hello.” Of course, after that hello, they’ll probably want a drink and more words will flow, and with a sea of words flowing inside the stew of people bubbling behind a clandestine cast iron door, perhaps sometime, there might be something truly flavorful found, a feast for all of us to join in on. Words are what bring us together. I see most of us as lone wolves though. Lone wolves don’t speak to themselves, do they? They shoot horses, don’t they? I’d rather be shot than be a mute, but that’s not a fate that I think many of the masses care about.

These days though, I’m not discussing requirements for speech. I am joining this call though, for a collective, a commune in #Socialites, to gather and drink and be merry. If this can be done, maybe someday the voices will echo from the bars into the streets, and we’ll be brought into joy reading publically of those fine memories of bacchanalia and romance in those darkly lighted alleyways outside of the bars.

Winter is practically here, and it is just a good time as any for us to gather together huddled around hot hard drinks. We must talk to bide the time away while it snows outside, but our voices must be heard in doing so. If the business districts are to be the key to the men and women finding their voices in this world, then I can think of no better route, so long as there is a coalition of bright and strong willed minds behind it. I hope that the tender tongues can spread a beloved plague of babbling throughout restaurants and bars and shops, because silence only leads to death. If we can keep talking, we’ll know we’re really alive.

Having said all of that, I think it’s best to touch on one thing I mentioned previously in this statement regarding intimidation. If you feel intimidated enough so that you’d choose to be a mute, please do feel free to contact me, or others of this faction. You should not be afraid to speak. If you speak with honor and respect, there is nothing to fear. I was going to say grace, but most of these conversations I’m expecting shall most likely be a bit slurred, so we can forget about that little requirement.

And now for a prayer: Bless all those who plan to join into this movement. Bless the great Barry for never becoming the most vile of all creatures, a silent colossus. Also –od, please help the lingually challenged find their paralyzed tongues at the back of their throats before it’s too late and their silence envelops them and they choke on their own (last) words when they do attempt to speak.

SpikeS strolls through Market Street Station to catch a bus back to New York to see what else can be done there for the cause. 

DeadlySin was enjoying a break from his recent work, and decided to stop by and see his crewleader in the streets. He stood and watched as she hammered a sign up before going to the coffee shops. He found himself suitably intrigued. He knew exactly why she had done what she did - the business districts were devoid of life these days. Business was certainly not booming. He stops, lights up a cigarette and smokes it while listening to everyone say their piece. Everyone seemed to be in the same frame of mind, this was definitely something that would help overall and is a good idea.

"SpikeS you make some good points. I have to disagree with one though, as silence does not always lead to death. For some people, silence is what keeps them alive. I would also like to add something to your last point, about people with paralysed tongues. Yes it would be good if people shared their voices more, but let us not forget that a tongue that wags too often is also not good for business."

Deadly smiles at SpikeS before putting his cigarette out.

"This is a good idea, and I hope it becomes a great success. You can bet that I will be there in Socialites, people being more friendly and conversing is something I fully support."

He tips his hat and heads off to the coffee shops.

You are correct. Silence doesn't always lead to death, but complete silence is like already being dead. Talking can totally lead to death, but that's why respect is being encouraged in this movement. 

Considering how few really talk these days, any encouragement to the paralyzed tongues is a positive move. Most of them are already probably suffering from atrophy, and the longer they wait... Yeah, they shouldn't over do with their voices, but cacophony is better than eerie crickets and stray pitter patters of leather soled feet on the sidewalk.