"Just wait and give them time to sort themselves out" was all she ever heard. Saedrissa had known these words were constantly passed onto her ancestors. Surely it sounded like good advice didn't it? But the question becomes, when is it time to stop giving them time and to start sizing up the situation for what it really is?

Realistically you could hear these words all day but it won't amount to anything. There is no specifics to them. There is no estimated date when people would have their stuff together and sorted out. Specifics make for a better understanding. Open ended meaningless sayings do nothing to lay aside the fears or current thoughts. This sounded a lot like avoidance to her.

As she wandered the streets she began to wonder about the today that she was currently living in. This today was filled with so much paranoia, greed and death. Would there ever be a better tomorrow? A tomorrow worth waking up to and seeing? Spotting someone nearby she approached them cautiously.

"What would make a better tomorrow for you? Would the death of an enemy make it better? Or would building something so fantastic that it would be remembered for more than just negatives be better? Do you even care where the future lies?"

She noticed that she had grabbed their jacket and were tugging. Flinging her hands up in irritability she started to pace.

"Sorry. I know I can get so lost in my own thoughts but I care about tomorrow. Every day my ancestors have sat and watched with horrified thoughts until they were killed by someone who was so worried they would be dead. I happen to dream of a world that people actually get the chance they deserve. Those that don't deserve them, should be left at the bottom where they belong. After all hard work and loyalty should be rewarded more than poisonous lies and endless brown nosing."

Noticing the person was still standing there she looked directly at them.

"What do you think? A better tomorrow or a horrifying today for you?"

Well painted picture of the latest happenings followed up with questions.

"As she wandered the streets she began to wonder about the today that she was currently living in. This today was filled with so much paranoia, greed and death. Would there ever be a better tomorrow? A tomorrow worth waking up to and seeing? Spotting someone nearby she approached them cautiously."

What did Anna, your CL answer, beings she continues to be a part of and assists in painting the paranoia, greed and death? 

That is something you will have to ask her. I cannot speak for anyone but myself.

Sprechstallmeister's mocha was getting cold as he stood in the freezing wind, watching and listening to Saedrissa ramble on to gangstersrus. When there appeared to be a window to go up to her, he took it.

"You raise a good question here. The death of my hypothetical enemy would certainly make tomorrow better for me in the short term, but I prefer to plan far, far in advance. Sometimes, when you're thinking about the future, it's smarter to keep your enemy alive. How you shape the future is defined by what you do today, and hurting or helping anyone can change the course of everything."

Sprechstallmeister took a sip of his mocha. His throat was getting rather dry already.

"You can't rush evolution; it's an act of nature. Nothing lasts forever - not even your arch enemy's life or your beloved marriage. This is why I believe we need to worry about the future, putting our current differences aside, and enjoy the present for what it is. As much as you may not want to believe it, there's never truly a better tomorrow around here. One dictator falls, another climbs to the top. It's the circle of life. The only thing that may differ is the amount of paranoia, greed and death. But this will never disappear completely."

Sprechstallmeister sighed, feeling rather pessimistic. He preferred to look on the brighter side of things, but this topic wasn't one he could lie to himself about. It's a cruel world out there and he knew it all too well.

"I have to agree with RazorRamon, as well. Nothing is better than seeing sweaty men grab each other all over."

Sprechstallmeister chuckled. He made a funny!

Hi saedrissa, I will address your question right off;

"What do you think? A better tomorrow or a horrifying today for you?"

I think this question is not as straight forward as one might be inclined to think. This question is incredibly subjective to the time that its asked, likewise is it to the people who listen to you. It might be the case that they have lost their whole family recently so this place is the worlds worst, they will come and answer your question with a negative view, simply because they have witnessed bloodshed. It could be that they have fallen victim to a gun malfunction and lost their life at a very old age. Their outlook would be completely different to that if they where flying high as an influetional business man of this world.  what might be their "horrifying day today" might not be their outlook in a few days time when things are looking better for them, as I say its so subjective. So I don't think you'll ever get a true or real flection based off that question. In saying that though, are some people of this world that can never, ever, be pleased, no matter what they get, I can name a few actually.

 I happen to dream of a world that people actually get the chance they deserve. Those that don't deserve them, should be left at the bottom where they belong. After all hard work and loyalty should be rewarded more than poisonous lies and endless brown nosing."

In an ideal this is how life around here would work, but it just doesn't and it never will be. All the will in the world hard work alone isn't enough to help you succeed, there are many elements to it. Its a naïve approach to think that and the sooner people realise that, the more likely that people will get over this fact. "Brown nosing" as you put it, as much as I disagree, is something that people will always do. They may more see it as networking but the principle is still the same. Lying, cheating, turn coating, brown nosing are all terms and actions that exist in our world, there is no getting away from that fact.

Likewise though, there enough people in this world who think they deserve more than they do, they are disillusioned into thinking that they are entitled something that they are not and there lies the problem, IMO. Some people will never, ever be tamed into understanding their role within this world, some people are born to just follow, others lead.

To answer your question;

simply because of my current situation, its a better tomorrow for me.

Saedrissa smiled as she listened to Sprechstallmeister.

Thank you for your thoughts. While I agree that you can't rush evolution it would be nice if the people in the here and now would get off the paranoia because of a long ago past. Can we really strive to be better if we are stuck looking over our shoulders rather than looking forward? Maybe this is why there will never be a better tomorrow, just a better less death period.

She turned her head towards South-paw and found herself in a whole new maze of questions.

I like that people will never have the exact same answer. Not all of us have the exact same experiences so the ones we do have will certainly be what shapes our thoughts at any given time. So a true reflection on any matter may never happen, but it's interesting to see the thoughts behind some people anyways.

I think your words could open up a whole new conversation in some degree. I think there are people who undervalue what people are really worth. They think they are nothing better than a shield for them during a war. Can't treat people like that because during that war, that person may casually decide that sleeping in a bunker that night is the much better option. There are very much two sides to that "problem".

Another problem is what people deem their role is. Followers, or leaders. Not all leaders have been meant to lead, and not all followers are meant to follow. Sometimes the roles flip. Sometimes they are what they are and you have no choice but to wait for something to happen.

I am glad that you think it is a better tomorrow for you though.

Anna heads Saedrissa giving a speech, and, smiling, walks over to listen. She always enjoyed hearing her people speaking out and sharing opinions on the streets. As she approached, she also noted South-paw stood sharing his own thoughts. Giving him a nod and a smile, Anna waited her turn to speak. When it came, she began, measuring her words carefully.

"As ever from your line, Saedrissa, some very interesting thoughts here. Thank you for sharing them with us all. I hope that you find the new crop of leaders that the last week or so's warring has brought live up to your hopes more closely than it seems many in the past have for your line."

Anna stops and takes a swig from the silver hipflask, which once belonged to her great-great Grandmother and was sufficiently tarnished by the years, before replacing it into her pocket.

"What would make a better tomorrow for you? Would the death of an enemy make it better? Or would building something so fantastic that it would be remembered for more than just negatives be better? Do you even care where the future lies?"

"What would make a better tomorrow for me is for my family to wake up safe, well and happy. If my family are happy, if my city is happy, then I am happy. I know that may seem like a very simple response, but it is the very simple truth. My line achieved everything it really badly wanted to do several generations back - now, I am here to serve my family and my city in the best way that I can. Doing that would make me feel as though I was bettering tomorrow."

Sprechstallmeister listened contently to Saedrissa. He felt another ramble session coming on.

"That would be nice, yes, but it's unrealistic. Thinking about today, tomorrow, next year; we need to keep with the times and not drift off to purgatory. The past sticks with people, and more often than not, it's a good thing. You can judge a person by their ancestors' history around here. People don't change often enough to give a fresh chance every time they may warrant one, though that is drifting from the topic at hand.

However, I do agree with one thing; we can't move forward while we keep looking back. Perhaps that's why this place we call home is always so stagnant? The last innovative decision, in terms of things we are required to do or how leaders run things, was made long ago. We need leaders to step up and think less of the past and more for the future - but every leader who does just that, winds up dead before they can really shine. It's a recurring theme here, and one that likely won't fade any time soon."

He had more to say, but he stopped himself before he somehow wound up talking about pigeons. His rambles were legendarily random.

Outforarip was....

Out for a rip when he noticed the speech of Saedrissa.  The question itself was simple.  However, He couldn't help but notice how the question was already answered for her in her own mind. OFAR lit up a dart and finished his beer before deciding to ramble on.  He looked up and a zeppelin was flying over the sky - but before he digressed (or perhaps after) he thought he should speak.

"This question is tainted by the words preceding the time periods. I'm a simple guy..."

"I just gave you a little fodder there that I wouldn't be overly surprised if you chose to jump all over - but the question should simply be - should be live for tomorrow, or today? Horrifying and better are completely anyone's guess.  Me?  Should I be horrified about today?  Maybe.  But why to fuck worry?  I'm a low ranking dude and if some guy's gonna end my life - he's gonna end it.  Not much a lil' feller like me can do about it.  Should I assume tomorrow is going to be beautiful?  Once again - who to fuck knows?"

OFAR rubbed his scruffy face and lit another dart

"So should I live for tomorrow?  That answer is no.  Tomorrow may never come.  Just when you start planning for tomorrow, you find yourself sleepin with da fishes wearin the cement shoes, eh?  I live for today.  This moment.  It might be all you have.  You can choose to make it horrifying, or you can choose to make it fuckin' sweet and awesome.  Knowwhadimsayin?"

OFAR hops onto the tailgate of his pickup truck and throws the empty bottle into the truck (well hidden under a blanket or something of course so he doesn't draw the attention of the poepoe) and waits for others to chime in.

As Ripley was walking the streets he noticed Saedrissa giving a speech. He hurried through the masses to hear what it was about. In the crowed Ripley saw a couple of familiar faces giving their thought on the question raised by Saedrissa. The question raised was:

"What would make a better tomorrow for you? Would the death of an enemy make it better? Or would building something so fantastic that it would be remembered for more than just negatives be better? Do you even care where the future lies?"

"I know this is a cliche but I think a better tomorrow starts today. We all need to look at our selfs first and see how we can improve. Improving yourself will improve family, cities, countries." 

"Secondly a better tomorrow for me starts when having friends around who help me grow, enjoy and be the best I can. Friends can be in families or not. That shouldn't matter. Without friends we have no tomorrow."

Thanking Saedrissa for opening up the stage and all that had listened. Ripley stepped down allowing the next person to shine light on their thoughts.