A frustrated Anton waits sombrely for his podium to be built.  He steps onto it and begins to speak... 

"Friends, what a tragedy has befallen us.  It is no secret that I fund contests and newspapers.  Most contests and newspapers, and particularly the best ones, are organised with either my money or my input.

We all know this, so why do a bitter few rail against me?

I don't know.  All I do know is that I invested $6M into Douglas "Mac" MacArthur's contest, and then some bastard shot and killed Mac.  

Anton lowers his head as he remembers his fallen friend...

And then one KarrinMurphy comes out and claims that she knows the "benefactor" and that the contest would go on.  

Not on my watch, Karrin!

I invoked the DESTRO PROTOCOL and announced the cancelling of the contest.  Karrin kept claiming she owned it and it was going ahead.  I, correctly, pointed out that she did not.  And on and on it went.

Eventually, a sit-down was convened.  Now, I don't know if Karrin's family don't have much history with our life, or if it's because women often don't make it into a sit-down, but all I can is that her behaviour was appalling.  My beloved RH Delicate was there and said she was embarrassed at Karrin's behaviour.

I asked her to address me as CL Anton, Don Anton or Boss Anton.  This was beyond Karrin.  She wasted everyone's time.

And, today, I regretfully killed her, with the blessing of her CL and GFC.

Her offspring today told me that my late, great friend and comrade BillyRusso was the benefactor.  I know this to be untrue, because Russo is like a brother to me.

Deadset - understand who you are talking to before lying to them, huh?

Others have involved themselves in the discussion, but they shouldn't.

Those that wish to discuss this further, please say your piece here.  I am treating this as an impromptu contest, and each response will be assessed and awarded a cash prize commensurate with how eloquent it is.  

Deadset, I will not sully Mac's name with your slander.

You may speak ill of the dead, and the living here, but I will not enable your chronic disrespect.

Don’t feed into this bullshit people. He’s just trying to boost his credits by having people respond.

Everything he says is a lie, including everything about the fair writing contest that was run by an anonymous benefactor through first Douglas_MacArthur and then KarrinMurphy. Both of those people are dead, with at least know for sure through Anton’s whisper that he was the murderer of Karrin and suspicion has been cast as to if he murdered Douglas as well. 

I truly hope that all of you can see what is going on here. Anton is the “leader of the streets” as long as only his speeches and writing are in the streets. As soon as someone else, anyone else steps up, he immediately enters attack mode. He is not a leader, not of the streets anyways. It’s clear as day that he kills those that stand up to him.

Deadset - your response, whilst spirited, lacks clear cohesion.  It is a call to arms, yet it fails to specify agreed actions.

You cite two murders.  One of them was publicly claimed by Anton, the other was one of these mysterious deaths.  Certainly, Anton seems affected by Mac's passing.

One wonders who KarrinMurphy's mother was.  She did not raise a good mobster.  No.  She raised an idiot.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, I have sent you $500k.  

Ragnarok - what do you consider the "death of the Streets"? 

Anton people are scared to come to the streets because of you, and let me be honest I think you're talented in fact I have no doubt about that. But the arguments the name calling the deaths and comp interventions, nobody wants to deal with that I wish so much you'd put that talent to good use, now I know you'll respond with some witty comment and pretend that you liked your writer brethren and all the showmanship stuff you say. But seriously just take into consideration how much better you could do for the streets, like a genuine leader you would do so much good. After what I can describe as an embarrassment of a day for all of us involved please let us all move on from this. Let's all do better. 

Selena, you make some good points.  My take on today is that the Streets have been very busy, and that that is a good thing.  Many people have participated, with some vigour, in the various conversations.

My firm belief is that that can only be a good thing.

I believe that we will, Selena. 

It isn't sad at all. I believe that not everyone needs their hands holding or has to run and cry to Daddy every time someone says something mean, you know, bring in the Mafia and that, maybe we are capable of handling our own shit.

A similar approach, I might add, which allowed Chalk to charge around like a raging dickhead ruining stories for no real reason other than to throw his oar in. Why? Because he had made his bones and we shouldn't all be giant pussies when we don't like something someone Made says.

If I feel Anton crosses a line, he is disciplined, same as anyone else. However claiming he is leader of the streets and pointing and laughing while the Billy Russo bloodline Marleau all over the place does not qualify.

And there in lies the problem Grin-08, you don’t see what Anton does as a problem. Of course that’s because you like to keep your lap dog around so everyone’s focused on him rather than your dickhead line that has been around doing the same obnoxious shit generation after generation.

Theres a reason a whole lot of people around here can’t wait to see you in the obits.

Grin hears a nasally whine nearby and looks over to find his resident stalker, Deadset, talking at him yet again. "Please Sir, Mr Grin-08, Sir! I'm a good boy, Mr Grin-08 Sir! Absolutely no disrespect at all to you Sir!" he whimpers piteously. Grin sighs, feeling those Deadset puppy dog eyes desperately boring into the side of his head, begging for attention. Deadset was a truly pathetic specimen, following him from street corner to street corner, and Grin wanted nothing more to do with him. The guy wasn't cut out for this life, little better than a common thug. Grin-08 shook off Deadset's grasping hand, as it inched nervously towards his jacket, hoping to gain his attention that way. This minor motion sent Deadset tumbling to the floor, his "I luv 2 write" flower-embroidered tramp stamp peeking out as he sprawled on the pavement at Grin's feet. 

Grin stepped right over him without another thought and spoke to SammyGarcini instead.

A higher standard? Like what? Be nice to everyone? Don't call yourself the leader of the streets in case someone gets their knickers in a twist and cries about it? Please. Petty squabbles can be settled between people all by themselves. If I feel something has gone too far, I'll step in and end it. People can act with their feet, if they don't like Anton, tools available to all of us to prevent contact, If he's such a piece of shit leader, nobody will join him. If he's speeches are so awful, nobody will listen to them. 

All it has ever really seemed like to me is that people don't like Anton's bloodline and they are sad that they are no longer allowed to just kick him without repercussion. Even get uppity and pretend he and Billy Russo weren't good friends, even though they spoke for hours and hours and hours every day. 

Grin shrugs.

As you say, generally, people need to get a grip.

Your relative Anton made a life out of challenging people with no protection to duel while you hid behind a wall of body guards. You’re no nearly as big and bad as you think. You’re a coward, the same as always.