PJ was down the local pool hall playing a game of pool with Marley. There was nothing better to him sometimes than relaxing with a decent game of pool. Even if it did mean fraternizing with the newly arrived wanna be mobsters, if they knew what was good for them they wouldn't dare approach him about entrance to the family while he was in mid shot. You'd like to think so anyway. When taking a shot an eager and cocky petty theif approached PJ. He held back his displeasure due to the very respectful way he started until he said...

"I notice your LHM is not here with you sir, do you have one? I have heard how much you like people who are upfront and say what needs to be said, So I would most certainly like to put my name foward for it. I've great leadership qualities and will do you proud."

Now, if this was the first time someone had been ballsy enough to ask for the position. PJ might have let him off lightly. Instead he grabbed the pool cue and smashed it across the poor guys face. While he lay on the floor in a pool of blood, not one of his 'friends' dare helping him, PJ took a knee next to him and spoke loudly enough for the rest of the room and hell, even the streets outside to hear.

What makes people think they even have a chance at being my Left Hand Man? I mean seriously... Do people think that I will make them my LHM on the basis of how much balls they've got by asking me directly and upfront? Even though I know not a flipping thing about them? The LHM spot to me is something that needs to be filled by someone who has been known by my family line for generations. Someone whom I trust prothusely and someone I know his is loyal to the very fibre of their being considering the information they would be entrusted with. So with all that, why is it that people think they would gain my extreme trust, loyalty and friendship from just a few words in a measly invite request?

So, let it be known. NO, I am not taking applications for my LHM. Now sod off.

PJ goes back to the game, pots the black and smirks at Marley.

Now that's how we do things.

Ah but what if their blood line was a leader once? Surely then you SHOULD give them the position???

OBVIOUSLY NOT. I won't go into names but there's a few of you who tried it. Cheeky fucks.

Well said PJ.

Oderus overhears the commotion from a nearby table where he is busy snorting blue chalk. He walks over to the table where PJ, Marley, and the Cow are speaking

I agree, Mr. Jelly. No need to rush getting yourself a Left Hand Man. It is not a position one applies for. It is a role given to somebody you can trust to council you and see all the different sides and perspectives of situations we all come across in This Thing Of Ours. I applaud you for your patience in this matter, and may your Left Hand Man be a wise one....

"At least lets hope he is wiser than your Right Hand Man" Oderus grumbles under his breath as he scowls at his arch nemesis Mob_Marley

And Cow, you are correct as well. People's ancestry should not entitle them to a position of prominence based solely on some dead relative. Unfortunately not everyone understands or agrees with this logic. But then again, everyone has their own opinions which is what makes us all unique. A rainbow of fruit flavors if you will.

Oderus steps over the shattered skull of the petty thiif that lie in a puddle of his own blood before him and approaches Marley

Care to join me in a game of pool? For money of course. I break.

Kates leans against the nearby lamppost and chirps into the conversation.

The choice of a RHM or LHM is possibility the most important decision any leader has. I myself have in the past choose to stick with an IA RHM or LHM, or none at all, rather than elevate someone to the position just for the hell out it.

Considering that in the eyes of City Hall a RHM/LHM IS the crewleader, as seen in recent events, the ridiculous of accepting someone who has to ask for it should be apparent.

Please pretend that my nouns and verbs connect in their usual manner and make sense. I apologize- it has been a long and trying day.

It is always nice to see these young mobsters with high asperations of power, and to work their way to the top but they must realize it might take a while, and there is only a certain number of positions in most families. Do not get discouraged when you are told no, especially when it is a job of high importance such as left hand man and right hand man.. I mean really would you let some random thug in YOU family have a lot of power? No, you would make them earn respect and earn their position in the family.

It is supposed to be important when you get into a position of power.. It will make it mean that much more then you finally work your way into a position of power yourself.

Bravo PJ.  It always astonishes me when I see young criminals think that they can skip over any normal hard work and loyalty to be parachuted into a position of power.  Having said that, it's happened in the past, with tragic consequences, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that someone with a little bit of chutzpah might get lucky and ask a leader who isn't as considered in his/her decisions.

Incidentally, rumours that Boaby only keeps Merrick as LHM due to his toilet cleaning skills and contacts in the dancing bearded ladies community are entirely erroneous.

As a young crew leader, really having just founded my crew, I was constantly approached by young mobsters. People I had never seen or met before. Fresh faced idiots, directly off the boat, out of the gutter, or from wherever these young fools spring up. All of them came to me with the same statement. 'I see no you have no Left Hand Man, Im the guy you need!' 

Really, still wet behind the ears thug? I dont know you anymore than I know that homeless bum sleeping in the trash heap over there. It takes a serious lack of intelligence to approach a Bolded Suit on the streets and demand to become his second man. Postions of power are to be earned, not handed out.

Well Mr PJ, this takes me back to when my father was authed in Las Vegas last year in February, it was a late winters night, the snow outside was falling fast and the Godfather of that time, Hypno, was sleeping with my sister..well, that has nothing to do with the story, but anyway..

After just an hour of setting up his HQ, my father had numerous mails from strangers offering their services to become the new RHM or LHM, they weren't bothered which, just wanted the title..
Besides the point which you make about having someone random who you don't know take such an important roll within the family, the part my father struggled the most on was that these people come to you and bring up a conversation about leaving their family to join someone else without even talking to their leader first, that in itself warrants a bullet to the head. If these people are willing to just walk away from their family because a better job comes along, what are they going to be like when a war kicks off? instead of standing by your side, they'll jump ship to the nearest family who isn't at war.

These people should be hung, they have no honour, pride or respect to their family.

Thankfully Frankie, i've not had that... Yet. Completely agreed with your thoughts on the matter though.

If someone was to approach me about my LHM position, which I have already stated I do not like, to find that they were a member of another family and are more than prepared to jump ship just because a better position comes along. They'd be getting a bullet. Not a position. These people are usually the people who are quick to claim loyalty and respect for their leaders. So there lies the second problem. Lying to their leaders in the first place about their loyalty for their family and willingness to do anything for it.

The people who get these positions are the people that keep their head down and work hard. Showing and proving before hand that they deserve it and they can do it well.

People are very quick to say what they know the leader wants to hear, but saying it and actually believing it in yourself are two totally different things, it's where most of the bad blood comes from.
I think it's more disappointing to see that these "so called" mobsters are very well experienced in this thing of ours and should know better, if it was fresh blood, new to the scene of organized crime, then perhaps we could give them a little slap on the wrist and show them the right of way, but when its these guys who have been around very a long time, nothing more can be done to teach them, they are who they are and this is just the wrong occupation for them.

This is something I too have seen recently, it is almost as offensive as "ken i join ur kru?". As John said earlier it is amazing that these individuals think they can just jump into such a position without any inputting any hard work.

Sad times indeed.

ken i be ur lh plz PJ?

srsly, im well gd at all dat kinda stuff.

I agree with most points that have been made, but given some exceptions, I wouldn't be offended as some stated above. There's new bloodlines out there who set goals from themselves that are pretty hard to reach under a short period of time, perhaps even a lifetime. But in my opinion, it tells me they want to go the distance and actually become something. Now there are individuals who care nothing but their own success. However, I believe those are easy to distinguish. My answer will always be 'No' unless their bloodline worked closely with  me before and then I would calmly direct them down the right path that might give them a chance to become a part of my upper structure one day. All they need is alittle guidance rather than a interview with the back of my hand.

If there's a experienced bloodline asking for a position in my upper structure at a young age, then that's a completely different story. They know how these streets work and for them to approach me with that question is a slap in my face. My response to them would be no response at all. I would simply label this person as a rotten apple and put him on the back burner until proven worthy. Not only did they completely ruin their chances of becoming a part of my upper structure, but they have me questioning their motives and as a result, I can't trust them. In no way do I want to surround myself with people who only care about themselves rather than family.

Sal slams his drink down on the pool table next to PJ

"I completely understand what you are saying, your Right Hand Man, and your Left Hand Man, are people who you trust the most, and i would agree with Tritium here, if anyone did come up to me, sending me a message about becoming the LHM to the family, i would read the first line, and ignore it, they may have the best bloodline that anyone has heard of, but if I have not had the pleasure to get to know them, and to get to trust them, then i would ignore them. If that person who contacted me shows great signs of being a great member, and then there is another member, who didn't ask me for the Left Hand Man spot, i would not hesitate to pick the equally trusted, maybe less experienced, but a lot more respectful."

Sal puts a $10 note on the table

"Want a game PJ?"

It would seem the message did not get through to some people...