Civilian sat at his desk tapping his ballpoint pen against his teeth. It was a simple desk in a simple room, the open journal in front of him wasn't made of expensive paper, or beautifully bound, it was just a simple, everyday diary. He took a sip of his cocoa and looked around for inspiration, he wasn't a natural born writer, in fact he wasn't a natural born anything, just a simple civilian. Finally, he put pen to paper.

11th August 1955

He paused for a moment, unsure if this were perhaps too bold a start, it was after all Thursday, some might claim it was Friday, but Civilian knew that there were no 11th of Augusts on a Friday occurring in the 1950s, so they were just plain wrong.

It has been a very strange day indeed. When I woke up this morning, it looked like it was going to be just another day at the office. Filing paper work, tidying up, cleaning, the usual mundane, simple tasks that you get assigned when you are a simple Civilian in the Mafioso. That I even ended up working for the mob was strange enough, I had been happy to just be a civilian my whole life, but Ian had come along hadn't he, a veritable giant of a man. Actually, he wasn't, he was of average height, about 5 foot 11 inches, but the way he carried himself made him seem taller than he was. He had the bearing of a Colonel, not a blustery one, but one who inspired awe in his troops and fear in his enemies, or so I believe having never been in the army myself or met a Colonel before. And suddenly he made me an offer I couldn't refuse and I joined the Mafia.

To be honest, its not much different than working for any other corporation. The Workers get shit on, you sell shit to people that they don't really need or want, and the corporation doesn't pay any taxes. I may as well be working for American Insurance Group. Anyway, that is all by the by. When I woke up this morning and got out of bed, placing my feet into my simple tartan slippers, little did I know how my life was destined to change. I washed and Shaved, picked out a nice Cream Shirt, a simple brown suit, and an unobtrusive paisley tie. My Horoscope had said that today was a Power Tie kind of day, and who was I to go against the will of the fates.

Damn you fates! Maybe it was the power tie, but as soon as I entered work, I got a message from one of the workers... I believe Ian calls them Associates, not sure why, I thought associates worked at law firms, just more evidence of his greatness and all round education I suppose. So I went straight to his Office, you don't keep the boss waiting after all, that just wouldn't be cricket. On entering the office the first thing I noticed was 10 suitcases. I enquired if the Boss was going somewhere, and he told me that he wasn't, but that I was. In the suitcases was $30 million and I had to go and buy that empty building down the street and set up my own HQ. Now, there were a lot of words in that sentence I didn't understand, but after 20 minutes of explanation on the side of Ian, I finally did. The first thing that struck me was how big $30 million dollars was.... boy had Hollywood lied to me. It weighs 661lbs in $100 bills. Yet the movies would have you believe that it all fits in a little attaché case. Rubbish! My back was broke shifting all that money. Ian of course waited until I had it all loaded into my Chevy 210 before laughing and telling me that as a Crew Leader in my Own right I could have had some of the associates move that to the car. Ian for his own part didn't even slam the door on me, he had ImportantBusinessman do that for him... what a man.

So here I am, King of my own... kingdom, leader in my own right, and Captain of Queen's. Yes, all in all it has been a very strange day indeed.

Civilian set his pen down and looked at the page. Out of habit he placed a piece of blotter paper on it before closing the book, even though it had been 20 years since he had written with wet ink. Taking another sip of his cocoa he hoped that tomorrow would be an altogether more normal day.