I look around myself in the pitifully small bar. Smoke drifted from multiple tables, slightly clouding my vision. I headed over to the bartender, more in the way of taking five steps to cover that length. "Pitiful" I muttered, perhaps not the brightest thing to do in a crowded place, but fortunately, no one seemed to have heard me. The bartender himself was  a burly, bearded man, about the height of my shoulder. His dress was stained from the various liquors, and for a strange moment, I was tempted to add the stain of blood to it. Shaking myself slightly, I ordered the best slop they had and sat on the stool nearby. Life had not been what I was expecting it to be. Sure, I was raking in the dough, but I still wore the same suit I had on the first day of the 'bussiness' and I was growing pretty tired of ripping off post offices and shops. My gun, which I always wore on a handy strap underneath my right arm, was still full of bullets and not a single shot had been fired. Hell, why have one then?

What was the point of being in the world I was in, if all I did was scare old guys and ladies? My father had been a top mafioso until the day when he went soft and moved to the Carribean Islands to 'start his life anew'. It had lasted for about two hours, and he was found dead in the airport toilet. I had been eight at that time. It had all been a bit hectic, but in the end I was put up at a half assed orphanage, where the matrons made it clear to me that I was the son of a 'thug' every day. I had hated life right up to the time I left that place, and i'm not sure I've changed that opinion a lot now. On the streets, it didn't take me very long to get into some bad company and wander around. I felt alive for the first time as I got into a gang fight, and ever since then, I honed my skills on the streets and sometimes at the local dojo if I had the money.

One of the gang, who I could call the closest to being a friend, put me up with a local family, and I took that chance, figuring that I could kill a lot of birds with one stone. Get rich, get powerful, maybe revenge for my dad, if I got around to finding out who did it. I didn't give a shit for the old man, but my pride wouldn't let me walk away without doing anything. Anyway, that's how I got into my dad's line of work, and went around doing anything the higher ups told me to. I made a lot of money, but somehow, I just couldn't go around spending it, getting fancy cars or a decent house. Damn...I muttered, blinking out of my reverie. My problem was quite simple, really. My pride made it clear that rank had to accompany money, and that where I went and how I dressed had to agree with the respect I had.

Too lost in staring at the fluid the bartender proudly called 'beer', I failed to notice a well dressed man near me until he spoke to me

Hey kid, you seem to be in trouble he said. I just glared back at him.

Well, I can guess what your problem is. I've seen you around here a few times, and I guess that you're facing what a lot of new guys would. You're young and impatient to rise in the world. Now me, I've been around for a while so let me give you some advice.

At first, everyong think that money and killing are really exciting. Money is always essential in this world, and it's true that you'll end up with blood on your hands before everything is over, if you get my drift. But look at when you joined. Three days ago? Friend, you should be lucky that you're in a family that cares for you as much as it does right now. You see people getting shot every day because they aren't as lucky as you.

You may think that everyone is ordering you around to grunt work, but you'll soon get around to seeing that a lot of families don't even do that. They let their guys go around, getting attacked and shot. But your family is guiding you, friend. Soon, they'll test you to see if you're worthy of higher levels. Be patient until then, and you'll rise to whatever dreams you have. Until then, be loyal to your family and respect those who deserve it.

A last word to you, friend. The world we are in is more than money and killing. It's a world where you walk on the dark side of life, and you'll find yourself getting closer to death with every incident in your life. But, it's also a world where the word 'loyalty' finds a lot of admiration, and friendships  that are true will be cherished more than the rest of the bums in the world could ever imagine. Hone your skills, and always be true to whom you work for.

At this point, he got up and put on his hat. Do what I say kid, and you'll probably see me again he winked and headed for the door. I was speechless, knowing in my heart that I owed this man more than I could ever pay.

paton was sitting at the bar, sulking over a pint of peer, wondering what the point of being here was. Why was he putting himself through all the hardships to get nothing out of it?

But that's when he noticed a well-dressed man darting over to a young man who looked to be in a similar position to himself, he discreetly listened in...

what a heart-touching speech he thought to himself, suddenly, he had so much more respect for his new family and all the people who have helped him into such a good start to his life. He values his close friends so much more and has gained so much more patience from this one speech. He feel he should go and thank the well-dressed man... HE chases after him out the front door, but when he shoves the door open and looks both ways, the well-dressed man was gone....

That was a very interesting story...

Thanks, I was just playing Devil's Advocate, kind of.