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| The Big Sleep | Started by: Cathy_Parks on Jan 26, '08 15:05 |
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Cathy Parks walks out of a Church Yard and into the Streets. She had recently been paying her respects to the many dead of the past few days, laying a rose for each of those who had been a casualty whilst in her employ. As she passes out of the cemetery she notices someone knelt by a grave their hands covering their tear ridden face. She finally reaches a square in the Streets where there are a few people gathered, and pauses pensively for a moment, lighting a cigarette between cupped hands. She tosses the match to the ground and then turns to the people gathered and begins to speak. "The Big Sleep is what's waiting for all of us at the end of whatever crazy journey we're on. None of us can escape that and I'm not even sure I'd want to. But in our line of work, death looms much larger than in the majority of other occupations. And yet that's the decision we take - riches in exchange for a severe shortening of our life span. Pockets lined and fat with the knowledge that tomorrow we may never see our family again. "It may not be mentioned in the small print of our invitations into a Family, but it's unspoken. The Big Sleep can happen to any one of us at any moment. We just take each day as it comes and hope that whatever God you believe in is as forgiving as the scriptures teach us or that they were wrong about whatever wrath is bestowed upon us sinners. "But what I'm here to discuss today, is not the ephemerality of life or the consequences that come from living the life that we do. What I want to discuss and get your thoughts on is your own personal experiences with death and how you deal with it. "Amidst the bloodshed of the past week, the tears and the triumph for some, I had the occasion to see so many different reactions to the deaths of loved ones. Whilst frequenting Churches, Chapels and cemeteries, I've seen those who just shook their head at their death of their relative and got on with it, a resignation and an acceptance of death that would put the Dalai Llama to shame. As I watched on I wondered whether those people were honourable or simply cold-hearted. "On the other end of the scale, I also had the experience of seeing well respected Mafioso take to the Streets after receiving news on the death of their relative and literally throw themselves on the ground spitting at those nearby without shame or thought. I heard such terrible oaths sworn that a brothel madams would have been put to shame. Was this completely unbefitting of someone who is supposed to live a life of honour, idiotic hissy fitting or heartfelt suffering? "I understand that a reaction to a relative's death is entirely dependent on the situation. If the person to die were of advanced years but suffering from illness, the event is saddening but not uncontrollable fit-inducing. Or perhaps the deceased was someone who was gunned down without reason in the prime of their life - understandably an event that would cause even the most unfeeling of Mafioso to shake a fist at the heavens. "What I am asking, is that either hypothetically (if you've been lucky) or from your own past experiences, how have you or another of your bloodline reacted to the loss of a relative or a good friend? Are you the silent resigned type? Are you the simmering vendetta type? Or the outspoken, the temper laden individual? "I will give an example of my own after some people have spoken. However, just in case any of you are wary of speaking, I would like to make a disclaimer: "This is not an underhanded way of me finding out who likes to talk shit to leaders in public or who may possibly cause problems in the future so I can rub them out with a self-satisfied smirk. I may be deemed by many as a ruthless and hard-faced bitch, but if I really wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already. "Even after this assertion, if you are worried about speaking on recent events (indeed the sentiments and memories are still very fresh) then please allude to something your parents or grandparents or even further back may have written about or told you first hand. "The reason I ask is because of a personal curiosity of mine. As a leader, there is a very good chance that my days are running out at a rapid rate - not paranoia, a simple fact. Therefore I do from time to time wonder how my daughter would handle the news of my death, and whether with my last breaths I would try to fight on or accept that all encompassing finality of The Big Sleep. I would like to know the opinions of others on the matter and how your bloodline in the past have handled such events." Cathy takes a drag on her cigarette and waits for the first person to speak up. |
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Death? pffffffffffffft He's my BOING!'s groomer! Its never business, its always personal :D |
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| Reply by: Zebedee at Jan 26, '08 15:11 | |
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None of my ancestors ever kicked and screamed at the death of their father. However, there were a couple who took great offense at the death of their father's Boss. It all depends on the specifics of the situation. If the deceased Boss was a schemer with ambitions of murder and power, the death would be shrugged off. It goes with the territory when you hold those lofty ambitions. However, when the deceased Boss was just trying to earn some money and make the streets a better place for immigrants, my ancestors would berate the murderers who killed the respectable mafioso. I can only think of two times when any ancestor of mine acted undignified, and both times were because of the death of a Boss under bogus circumstances. Never because of the death of their father. |
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| Reply by: TheWeasel at Jan 26, '08 15:19 | |
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Tollin listens attentively to Ms. Parks as she spoke. When she finished, he pondered for a little bit and then had his ideas clear. "One would probably always be bitter at the loss of their father. I find that the sons/daughters of dead mafiosi usually have something to say about their parent's death. I tend not to listen to them because they are biased. The death of a family head, though, is another story. As was mentioned before, it would depend on what kind of leader that person was. While I do not think that the death of a leader should be blown off and passed by, I don't think people should come out onto the streets and spout useless nonsense to the rest of us about it. If one has an intelligent and meaningful statement or comment other than 'You fools don't even know!' then that could possibly be exceptable. The idea is to find out why your leader was killed, and if you think it was unjust, then do something about it, instead of just speaking out here. But remember, your actions have consequences too. Personally, I tend to move on quickly about the death of others. It's unfortunate, but there are always others to take their place." |
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| Reply by: Tollin at Jan 26, '08 15:33 | |
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Listens close to Ms. Parks words. Mike Hunt begins to speak. As I heard many and I mean MANY rants about certain bloodlines being killed, it shows no honor. This "thing of ours" revolves around power and money. The only way to obtain power and money is to take it. The fact that countless others speak about the ways of our life shows nothing but disrespect. A loss in a bloodline is always a hard and difficult time. The emotions are always unclear and unwilling to understand the event. My bloodline has always looked away and moved on with the fact of a dead ancestry. I think thats the only way to put a death away. Bury your dead relative and move on. As time moves forward, the past will be forgotten. My ancestry will always do the same and move along. I hope my words influence others. |
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| Reply by: Mike_Hunt at Jan 26, '08 15:40 | |
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HorrorKore listens to Cathy speak, and tries to remember his own family losses. It is hard for me to recall any of my friends or familiy members' detahs. The reason being because I choose not to remember their tragic fates. I feel if you dwell on the past, it will hold not only you back...but your family name as well. Now, although I choose not to remember their ends does not mean I do not remember them. I remember their accomplishments, their trusted friends and all the good times they had. Remembering this about them is what drives me to reach my own goals and accomplishments. I think this is the mindset that one has to have coming into "this thing of ours". Mafiosi (at least most) have a shortened life-span then if they were to enter some other type of living. So to come to grips with this fact by remembering your familiy lineage for their accomplishments and not their deaths, will allow you to prosper even more than your father/mother did. I believe this is the only way to see your family line reach it's full and max potential. |
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| Reply by: HorrorKore at Jan 26, '08 15:56 | |
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Ryan had been counting cards in his head for most of the long winded speech. While normal people day dream and stare into space, Ryan plays out fictional hands of poker in his head, working out the odds for each hand and the like. Madness perhaps. As a rule he did not like public speaking but on this occasion his fantasising had been cut short by the topic of death. It had always fascinated him no end and as such found himself compelled to speak. "Death is a wonderful concept and I am sure some of you may have heard me rambling on about it before. "To himself everyone is immortal; he may know that he is going to die, but he can never know that he is dead." is my own personal mantra of sorts. Isn't it just so appealing? It is free license to live your life how you want to and to hell with the consequences. Now I will not bore you with my philosophy on religion and what not but to understand my point it must be made clear that I believe death is finite. There is no Big Afterlife preceding The Big Sleep. With that in mind why shouldn't we all grab life by the waist and ride it until completely satisfied? I am here for a good time, not a long time and I intend to make the most of it. I certainly do not intend to change the world but merely to enjoy myself thoroughly. Now you asked about how people reacted to the loss of a loved one and I have gone off on a bit of a tangent but I will attempt to answer your question as best I can. My ancestors had a lot of different reactions to people dying and most of them being totally wrong. My opinion in the here and now supersedes any of theirs and I will not outline their flaws for you today. For me it is quite simple, if a person dies and that person has made my raping & pillaging of this thing we call life more enjoyable then I will be annoyed. I will seek vengeance from the perpetrators too as it is the natural reaction. As a species we love violence. Vengeance just so happens to be one of the most satisfying forms available. Being introduced to The Big Sleep while on a conquest for vengeance is a poetic and therefore ideal way to leave the world. As for when I die? Well I did say above that I will never know it has occurred as there wont be any afterlife for me to ponder over the event in. I can compromise and draw you up an alternative scenario however. If I was given five seconds to live right now the question I would ask myself would be very simple, 'Wasn't it a fucking rush?'. There would be two possible answers and the only one I would want to hear would want to hear as I drew in my last breath would be, 'Yes, yes it fucking was.'" Ryan looks on at the people around him, particularly at their faces. He attempts to gauge their reaction to what he has said, to see if he has converted anyone. Ryan believes that there is no point in speaking unless the people listening are likely to bend to the will of what is being said. He decides his efforts have been fruitless and turns to leave. "Bunch of bastards." he utters to himself. |
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| Reply by: RyanDelaney at Jan 26, '08 16:18 | |
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