NAK stands on a street corner, nervous, but ready to put something out there.  He had an old crate under his arm just to give him that little bit of extra height - not that he needed it - but so he could shout above the swarms of passing people, hoping to catch just a glimpse of their eye.  Perhaps if he could attract their attention they might stop and join in the discussion.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I stand here and I am very curious about something... something that by itself seems very obvious, but merely from my own perspective.  What I'd like is to hear what you, yes you, think about the various ranks we award ourselves, or are awarded to us, in this thing of ours."

Readjusting his tie to catch a breathe he then continued.

"It's very easy to see things like respect, if you are an Earner you show respect to someone that is a Don, and the various other possible matches of those differing ranks.  But that is not what I am interested in.  I mean what it means, how it feels, to you when you achieve a rank.  Does it increase your loyalty if you get something?  Does it have no impact?  Do you feel bad if you don't achieve the next step because someone feels you're not ready?

So much in this thing of ours is based around money, and very little around how we feel as an individual.  I suppose that is just the way it should be, but, with each passing rank does our perspective change?"

NAK took a small bottle of water our of his coat pocket and took a swig, another good way to pause for time.

"As a gangster, and I can only talk from personal experience, I felt expendable, as I moved up I felt that I wished to cling onto life more and more.  Family journals show the same feelings from my bloodline.  But does it from yours?

Please, tell me ladies and gentlemen of these streets, what does rank mean to you and how does it impact your day-to-day activities in La Cosa Nostra?"

Isa was always busy but never took issue with taking the time to answer any questions. On this day she came across a serious question coming from @NotAKillerISwear. Although this question has arose many times with diverse answers, Isa felt compelled to answer with her stance on what rank meant to her. 

She listened to Gamma and agrees on one point made. Times have changed. But is this not of life? Without change where would the diversity be? Change is seldom welcomed. While I have been on these shores longer than I would like to admit, I must respectfully disagree one has to be here seven years or longer. Perhaps you are not aware some come from afar who have led lucrative careers in this thing of ours. I would debate the opposite of your point. 

Isa proceeds to answer the question at hand. For me each rank has its own responsibilities that are to be carried out into each rank one achieves. For example, I was an earner from day one. By the time I was ranked to earner I was a true blooded earner. Money is what makes this world go around.

As a RH I still perform the same workload I took on from the start of my journey and it has grown tremendously since day one. I do support and have handed out jobs to those below me many times as I climbed the ranks. This starts in my world when I get my button. If that is not taking rank seriously, I am at a loss. 

Isa exits the stage for the next speaker