There was nothing but a shiver that had gone up his spine. He had been used to Manhattan winters, but for an odd reason, Philly winter seemed to cause shivers to run laps up and down, the only source of heat was the glowing stick that was clenched between his teeth. It was a nasty habit, his ma had told him but yet, the whole family smoked. "Ain't nothing else to be doin' when the city turned dry." His pa had said, though, the city had never really turned dry when Prohibition had hit. The government in their offices had little in the way of stopping the liquor that continued to flow, Prohi's shutting down on Speak for another one to spring open again. Bigbsy certainly hung out at a couple of joints, though had never been busted being inside one when he was growing up.

Right now, he was working. Working on making a living that could sustain him for the future. There was no point being stuck in the moment when the bigger picture was to last him a lifetime. Bigsby drew on the cigarette, the smoke that came like trendrils, snaking out of his nose and into the cooler air around him. A couple of jobs here and there, he had just gotten back into Philly after doing a job for those up in Chicago. Bigsby had always been told to keep in touch with the news, and so he had. Al Capone had been deemed Public Enemy number one a week after his release, certainly enough to strike fear into any sensible man working around his turf, much like the gangs who had their grip on Philly as well.

He took another drag before dropping the stub and squashing it with the heel of his shoe, adjusting the overcoat around him as he stepped out of the alleyway. Bigsby had been trying to make a name for himself, to make profits run in his family. Everything he did was fuelled by the sole motivation of keeping his family going. Hauled in once by the cops, he was determined not to let the event set him back too far. Snow continued to fall around him, weighing his hat down ever so slightly as he reached up to brush off what had settled on the brim.

Louis had found Cosmo and Kalinic at his door as he went to leave for a walk by the old Pier. The smouldering would probably take days to damp down even in the cold and wet but sometimes it was nice to even stroll down to reminisce.

”Louis there’s been a guy keenly doing jobs for us around the city. You might want to take a look at him. He says he’s just trying to keep afloat. Should we check him out?”

”Have him come round if he’s wanting a job in the railroad company. There’s loads to do at this time of the year.”

Louis walked out of the office and headed into the cold streets. The chill was going right through him like bad seafood, he shivered and popped his collar up around his neck. 

It was not long before he was aching for another stick. The only source of comfort, and the only source of warmth out here. Bigsby looked around him, watching as the flashing lights of a cop car sped past to a place unknown to him. They could be apprehending a crook, perhaps even stopping a bank robbery but it was nothing to do with him. He wondered exactly how many were on the payroll of the gangs that moved about his old hometown of the Lower East Side, as well as those who were on the dole in his new hometown of Philly. He had siblings, and they all were fighting to get jobs after the move - his paycheck being sent to his ma's. She was unemployed and trying her best to keep the family together; his sisters on the other hand had moved out years back, trying to get bigger and better opportunities.

Bigsby popped his collar, trying to prevent the cold from seeping in any further as he continued to walk - his hands and cold fingers fumbling for his lighter and his cigarette as he clenched it between his teeth again; a old habit that he had picked up off his pa. He was patient, as he did a couple of errands for a crew; hoping it would lead him to bigger and better things in life.