Arizona had spent the last couple of days traveling back and fourth between cities, running errands for her Godfather Pine. He was too important now to be running around doing it himself and since she was trying to advance in this world she was happy to do it. Plus her take at the end of the week was one that she could have only dreamed of. Someone at her age making the money she was making, it almost made the risk factor that this life endures disappear. 

During her trips she made sure to make time to properly visit each city and each district. It really was her first time being able travel and she made sure to take full advantage of it. Figuring after her errands were done for the day she would enjoy a night on the streets, have a couple drinks, grab a bite to eat or just enjoy the local culture.

There was one issue though, finding an open business was a lot harder then it should have been. She understood in certain instances that a couple of the cities in this country had recently been war stricken and/or left empty of organized crime control for an extended period of time now.  It was a trend that she even saw in cities that were populated with mobsters. Yes she knew that there were a couple of options spread out in this land of our but not many, not many at all.

It really hit home when Arizona finally had some down time and was home in Detroit. She was hungry and looking for a bite to eat, she looked and looked but there was nothing. Everything was closed. It truly made her wonder what was going on around here, was this country smack in the middle of a depression? One where people couldn't even open up businesses and keep them up? 

Maybe it was more then that, perhaps we were not in a depression, perhaps mom and pop shops just aren't the thing anymore. This was something that was bothering her but wondered if she was the only one to notice or even care about it. She tried to ask a couple of random people walking the streets but the majority of them just ducked their heads and walked away when she approached them. More then likely it was her appearance or her affiliation with known criminals that made the locals steer clear so just decided to turn to her fellow mobsters. 

"Fellow mobsters, I come here today to ask your opinion. I realize that my time around these parts is a bit on the newer side but there is something a bit disturbing to me that I have noticed. The lack of businesses around this entire country! It's damn near impossible to find a bite to eat or grab a drink around here. What the hell happened? Has the economy crashed? Do people just not have the funds to up and open a business or do people just not care to see their cities flourish anymore?"

Arizona takes in a big breath before continuing.

"I'm just wondering what is going on here, its quite sad to see. Socially, things just seem to be dying out at a rapid rate and if it continues where will this leave us? I for one know that once I get my building permit and nod from the boss man, I will setting up businesses all over the place. That is just me though, I alone can't fix this."

She stopped speaking hoping her voice carried enough weight to at least attract a couple people over to the conversation.

Ascanius skips out into the streets tra la la.

Well, there might be a slump in thriving businesses, but swagnarok hits the nail on the head. There is no real money in it. There is no benefit to it, and our culture is a very lazy one. Our silent colossuses don’t encourage it either. So, people might as well sit back, and do their bullshit city chit chat, and rob old ladies. That’s all that really excites people in this life anyway, that and murdering random friends of Tyler. But you know, maybe, just maybe, if there was a push from leadership, the businesses would thrive, but generally, they only have them do that for naughty means. My line wanted to enforce it. Make it a fucking world wide rule, but oh no pissy bitches. No, we’d bitch they’d say. No. No. We don’t want to work, and we’ll bitch. Fuck that. Have a voice. Have a personality for fuck’s sake, faceless no-names. Have something to make you stand out in this wet newspaper grey world we live in. I think it is the duty of leaders to encourage socializing, to encourage activity, to encourage fraternity among all mobsters, and well what better place could one do that, but rather than around a tabernacle.

Alas though, it is unlikely much will change in this. People want money. People want a prettier gun. Far and few really care to fine tune their voices, and it’s quite depressing. Yes, there are some who make their way out into these streets even, but mostly for vanity’s sake, not for the real enjoyment of conversing with another human being. There is a barren social aspect to the game. People keep doing the same exact crimes, and getting away with it! Where’s the fun in that? They used to come out here and brag about their elaborate schemes! And as for the business district? Where the fuck is my sandwich? Where the fuck is a pizza shop? The fuck kind of Italian neighborhoods are we in without pizza shops? The fuck? Really?

These cities ain’t got no soul.

We really need to appreciate the dudes and chicks that do try though. There are some that bleed their hearts out and though some are like total dicks, they are artful in their cockiness. So cheers to all of those. But the business districts aren’t for the vain. The business districts are for the friendly, for the entrepreneurs. And damn do we have a complacent populous.

Fuck. 

Asca skips off tra la la la la.

A business trip to Detroit was so far, a bust. He had been trawling the local businesses throughout the districts in pursuit of some more equipment for his new business venture in LA. It turned out scavenging all the failed bars was much cheaper than buying it new. Right now he was after glassware, however most was shot up by the vengeful victors of whatever circumstances they had fell fowl to. Nothing much was worth accommodating though. 

What had caught his interest was the young woman talking openly on a corner, she expressed passion and desire, admirable qualities. After listening for a moment, Christian chipped in.

"The question I'd raise signora, is rather; What are we doing with our businesses?.

"I've seen many, many dilapidated and abandoned ventures in my travels, all showing signs of the same initial excited bursts of footfall and social interactions, only to fall fowl to neglect, with little more than nostalgic banterings to remember them by.

"Quite recently, I was introduced to a business opportunity by the respectable signore RobOakheart, of Chicago. I would recommend paying his establishment in The Loop a visit, as he has began laying the foundations of something which can be quite engaging. I myself have also dabbled in his enterprise, if you visit Stinky's Bar in Chicago, you'll find a simple and lucrative opportunity, which is still open to anyone with the guile and motivation to participate in it.

"It's a simple operation, one that rewards both parties with activity, exposure and monetary values."

Gato chews on a toothpick and smiles warmly.

"My point is, the potential for expression and entrepreneurship extends far beyond how many buildings we have that are counting down to closure. When you're next in Chicago, look us up, you'll soon understand my excitement for the future of our business districts and the possibilities that are truly available to us " 

Arizona listens intently as a couple people come forward to express their views on this topic of discussion. Politely she waits until everyone is finished to chime back in.

"Ragnarok you are correct and I think that is a majority of the issue. I know people expect too much and if it doesn't help their pockets out in any manner then there is no purpose to it. Which is how a lot of people think. Then you got others who just don't care enough to get out there. They would rather and very routinely knock over a post office, run some drugs or murder a poor gangster just to add another notch on the side of their gun just as Ascanius pointed out."

"If you ask me though it is sad how the social interaction with people in the streets and down in the business districts has declined. Almost to the point it is a sacred task anymore. It should be a way of life around here. I remember hearing of times when in order to get your made button you actually had to make a presence in the public eye. It was an actual part of the way things were and if you didn't participate then you never became part of the family."

Arizona paused for a moment glancing over at ChristianGato

"Now don't get me wrong, I know there are still a select few that strive to get out there and make a name for themselves in the streets and businesses quite like yourself Mr. Gato and a few select others. It's nice to see that to some it is still worth their while. All those others that don't give a damn are basically robots, just doing the necessary things to get by. It's sad... truly sad."

So, we can bitch and moan about this problem... or call people to action to try to change it. This isn't the first time this sort of topic has been bridged, but no single change has occurred. There have really been no new arguments about it. They're all just as effective as the last. Only through grand action can out near barren business districts and streets be fixed.