Dusty had been looking around the streets of the community. She shook her head at some of them and smiled at the ones that drew her attention. She couldn't help herself as she listened to each and everything she came across. Some touched on her thoughts more than others, and some she just enjoyed passing the time with it.

As she circled the streets she sat down and thought about her thoughts. She had always loved to see a diverse society. It bored her to see when everyone acted and thought the same. The more she dug into her thoughts around the streets the more she wanted to ask people about it. Jumping up from the seat she had taken with a new found energy she hurried to find a crowd somewhere that wasn't busy. Spotting one she quickly hurried over.

"Guys.. Hey guys!"

She pushed her way to a nearby step and stood on it. Whistling loudly to get the attention of the people around her.

"Hi. Afternoon. How are you doing?"

Without pausing she headed straight into her thoughts before anyone could stop her.

"So I was just thinking and I was wondering what inspires you to the streets. What brings you down here? What will help inspire you to use your own voice in discussions? Do you enjoy the stories people share with each other? The statements of new crew leaders? The controversial subjects? What inspires you? Is it the leader that  you work for being present in them? What about their hands? Regular members? Do you feel comfortable with your voice?

Sorry I realize I ask a lot of questions and of course not all of them need to be answered but I do want to know what it is that inspires you when it comes to these streets. Maybe it is something that is missing and you would love to see a great deal more of it. "

Dusty looked around at the crowd around her. She began whistling a little tune as she stepped off the step and into the crowd to see if anyone would speak up. She'd hang around for a bit just in case someone wanted to have a chat.

George's attention is drawn in the direction of a family members voice he recognizes while enjoying his Sunday stroll through the streets. Making his way around the corner he notices a familiar face in Dusty, she had gathered the attention of those around her as they had began to gather. Ifollowed them in and tried to blend into the crowd not drawing attention from the speaker.

Once she had finished her speech I made my way to the front of the crowd showing my support and letting her know she had a friend in the crowd. 

Good day to you Dusty, it is nice to see you and I appreciate what you had just asked of so many people. Look at them all just walking away after you take the, time to silently motivate them. I am normally one that keeps quiet personally and lurks through crowds gathering Intel and keeping up to date in current matters. Not normally do I get involved in in depth arguments or finger pointing, but I still wanna make sure I show you family they are respected in the streets.

My ancestors have been involved in the streets for many different reasons, but never has there been consistency in street speaking. The motivation our leader brings to us is strong and even on a Sunday morning I can find new motivations to come out and give an opinion instead of just getting a feel for others perspectives.

You being here taking the time out of your busy schedule to find out what motivates others to be involved in this community is appreciated. I look forward to continuing the conversation back at headquarters sometime. 

George shook hands with Dusty, lit his cigarette and disappeared back into the crowd.

Dusty had listened to BostonGeorge and smiled. Just as he was turning to leave she caught his attention for just a moment longer.

"Thank you for speaking up and sharing your own thoughts. I do enjoy seeing familiar faces and hearing what they have to say."

She managed to get out the last bit before he disappeared back in the crowd. She took up waiting a little bit longer as faces passed her but none others had yet to speak up. She was still hopeful that others would.

Lucio Otiag steps out of the crowd and approaches Dusty.

"If I may, I feel a lot of people interact when the opportunity is left for them to interact. If you look at most of the stories here, the story tellers tend to not leave good openings for others to join in and tell the story with them. The other times we see lots of interaction is when a leader chooses to come out here and announce something and on a rare occasion when a discussion is put to the community."

Lucio tips his hat to Dusty and awaits her response.

Dusty smiles over at Otiag.

Thank you for coming out. I still personally enjoy the stories, I may not get to participate in the telling and that is okay. But its the discussions alone that really bring me out of my box and into a vocal spot. Is it the same for you? Or are you more comfortable attending a little celebration for someone you may or may not know whose donned a suit?

Dusty turned her attention to Karen.

It is a good policy to know how to speak. I think if more people knew that then the arguments would not get so heated, people would understand that there are always multiple sides to anything. I find that giving an opinion is fine, but you don't always have to respond to everyone else if they feel like they are just trolling about with comments here or there.

I am always glad to get insight into other people's thoughts.

Lucio Otiag smiles at Dusty.

"I like them all, for different reasons of course. It is important to rub elbow when people are given the keys to a HQ. By communicating with each other, there is less reason to be worried or scared of a sudden attack. Discussions are great to grow both my own and potential other players knowledge. This only happens of course when people wish to discuss things rather then just say their side over and over again until you get tired of talking with them. And the stories, I do love to read and sometimes partake in them. Nothing like living a bit of action we had in our past."

As Bjorn was walking back from a meeting he had with Roboakheart still lost in his thoughts he recognized a few of his associates standing in a crowded square. Drawn by his ever present curiosity he decide to check it out. He heard a few bits of speeches but he understood the gist of what this discussion was about. He knew he would be happy to let the fine people of NY and elsewhere know what draws him to the streets

"Hello Dusty,

Interesting question you asked. I think for me personally not just 1 reason alone is drawing me to attend but also participate in street based topics. As I now lead my own humble family I believe it is important to not only show your own members that their leader is keeping up to date with what's going outside of the HQ. But it also gives them a better idea on how their leader is able to speak in public. It shows their skills in ways you do not have to show in your own hq where getting everyone's attention is easy. 

Also I have been blessed with a few of my associates and family members that like to share their daily life stories in the streets, or conundrums they would like to get more points of view on then just the family they chose. I greatly encourage them for a family is becoming singular of mind after a while, e.g. to belong to a family and wishing to belong to it needs similar ideas and viewpoints to be compatible in the long term. Hearing voices out of other families or even cities can bring some valuable outside opinions that lead to a better growth of you as a person but also as a mobster making sense of this world.

Thirdly I enjoy share my thoughts with the world to show them more about myself. As often as I enjoy meeting people when conducting business, I appreciate share the ideas with people and find them becoming friends to myself. As an example I would like to shout out to my brotherhec whom I have grown fond off after a very interesting and entertaining conversation on the topic of loyalty. For me the streets give me another chance to build connections and fill my day with more than just administrative tasks for my family and conducting business to keep it safe and prosperous."

Dusty smiles as she listens to Otiag.

You make some very good points. They all do bring something to the table in their own ways that is for sure.

Spotting a new face she listened to Bjorn_Ironside as he spoke.

Thank you for coming Mr. Ironside.

I can appreciate leaders taking the time to share their own thoughts with other people. I find it important because at a time like this where it is okay to speak up, some are still afraid to do so. If leaders showed they were okay with it then more view points would come along in discussions that we could all reflect and possibly grow from ourselves and as a community.

I like knowing what will draw more people out and into our community. I find it is nice to see new faces here and there, so thank you for sharing your thoughts with me and everyone else.

Dusty thanks for talking about this publicly - i will add my $2 worth too...

I have spoken here often to say how pleased I am hear the streets open up once again to be a place for people to chat, debate, display their characters and personalities here...I also still see the people that peer out from behind their doors still fearful that their voice here might lead to serious repercussions - I hope time and tide will reassure people that if you come here respectfully and communicate well there is no down side at all. We can be here and not agree and no guns necessarily need to be drawn - I think it is healthy for people to challenge and be challenged. I have said before here that any leaders too scared to speak or to be challenged appropriately need to step up or step aside in my view.

I do however agree with Otiag that there is a way to talk here and to be heard and respected...there are many tales here that sound like a diary reading of an event or are exclusive conversations between just 2 people....we have bars and coffee shops for exclusive conversations the streets should be in my view be voices we hear where anyone can contribute - respond - agree - disagree - debate - or just have a giggle.

Thanks for asking this question, Dusty. It's something that has puzzled me since forever, not necessarily what inspires me, but what inspires the other, my fellow citizens of this world. I'll admit that I find it hard to start a debate in such a manner that it triggers people to join in. I always have the idea that speeches which are controversial  spark the most intense debates.

But it seems there's a hidden art to bringing controversy, one that I haven't mastered yet sadly. I suspect the key is in naming things for what they are. I've found that a lot of speeches carry truth, but because they play on such an abstract or philosophical level it's not really touching our actual society.

For example, we could have a general discussion about loyalty, which is valuable to discuss. Or we can drag out a real life example for something that inspired the debate to begin with. So to stay with the example, just ask Jezebel what her role was in the recent downfall of thecreaper. We'd hit the same topic of loyalty, but suddenly it would touch a more concrete part of our every day lives.

Now this is just an example and I don't mean to drag that debate in here, because we're doing something else here. But stuff like that... yes, that has my interest. Saying things for what they are allow us to reach a better understanding of what happens and what is the general consensus for certain situations. It gives more obvious reason to change attitude, to explain yourself, to learn about reasoning. Because the abstract truth is often less clear when reality gets involved.

So let's name things.
 

I'll step up here Rob as I know Jez is busy making her HQ cosy right now...She has her own voice and I am sure once the bar is set up she will stubble onto the streets herself to speak.

I love this about the streets right now...you ask a question I am sure all are wondering and PH has a right of response or to choose to remain quiet....PH is happy to be challenged, respectfully but equally we own our own city we make our choices and actions in collaboration and owe no explanation to anyone on how we do things here. I am pleased to say that today in PH our uppers and crew have pulled together ever closer.

Leading a crew involves more that telling people what to do - you also have an obligation to your city to the other leaders. We found in PH we had an issue in this regard that potentially could leave us open to conflict or an interpretation of how we conduct things here that is not inline with our way of things..

We are not rash - we communicate and we tried many times with words to rectify the situation and when those words ran out we collectively, with planning and communication took action to protect what we are building and already doing here in Philli.....difficult conversations happened but rest assured the uppers here are close - they talk - they negotiate and they agree a plan of action and deliver it....

I would re-frame your question Rob with respect to ask where Thecreapers loyalty laid in being absent from his crew, in allowing his RH and LH to do everything and to dither over simple choices that for those of us have family history here are a complete no-brainer and yet leave a city exposed to potential threat.

I stand by Philly's choice today.

Ah Tellurium, are the stories not good for a giggle though? I have heard a few that I got a chuckle out of. I may not have been able to share my views but they were kind of amusing at the time I had passed by.

Thank you RobOakheart for your thoughts. It is nice to hear an example you have brought out has gotten a response. So it would seem that getting more specific does bring more people out and talking.

Is it the specific nature of certain questions that are brought forth that does it? Or perhaps its one persons need to defend what is theirs that gets the ball rolling? Either of you have any thoughts about this?

I am sure that the Jezebel topic would be bring about a lot of discussion as it does add a lot to wonder about. The questions you both raised and possibly onto other subjects just as, would this be considered as ship jumping? Preserving ones self? Those that touch on loyalty but not only onto loyalty but rewards of the aftermath.

You could go on to talk about whether they deserved to be automatically rewarded? And if people felt that this was a disloyal act on her part does it view as rewarding disloyalty? This branches into rewards and hard work, possibly even on the earning branch as well.

Don't get me wrong, there is so many ways to go with this situation alone, and I reckon there are a lot of thoughts that would interest people. The question at stake here is whether the more specific questions for specific situations create more debate. And I think they just might from what I have seen  here.

Unless we are kidding ourselves, we all know that the things that interest people the most are what I like to call "dynamic events". i.e. things that happen in, around, or, invariably to us. Typically these are deaths, arguments, differences of opinion, demotions, city rules, country rules, councils yada, yada, yada; you get the drift. 

But, as shown by the two Philly responses here, it isn't enough to just talk about these things in broad terms because that isn't any more interesting than hearing about Dean Winchester's soul. Why? Because I could deduce pretty much everything they've said from the obituaries other than being told that they have the same generic values as pretty much every other leader who has ever stepped out onto the streets.

Ok, well that's great and everything, but you haven't added anything that we didn't already know or could work out for ourselves. You've said there were problems, but you haven't told us what they were. You've said there were attempts made to rectify the situation, but not what you did. You have told us that Thecreaper dithered over easy-to-make decisions...such as? Exposed you a potential threat...such as? And so on.

If you want to make things more entertaining and get people involved, my suggestion is to stop brushing over the actual interesting things that have a chance of doing it and address them head on.  

Hi green I don't believe we have met...

Philly feels no need despite the goading to air it's laundry in public. Rob made a specific reference and we have answered as we feel is appropriate. I hear you want the gossip the details...the who said what to who - that is not going to happen. PH dealt today with a PH issue and resolved it - end of. To be frank the details are none of your business - there was no impact on you, your crew, your city, your morals or opinions.

Goading is certain one way to try and get people to shout louder...it won't work with our people I am afraid...

I supposed that that at least partially answered the question for some people. What do people want to see? Dirty laundry. Something less edited and more real, like the raw emotion after a war.

Perhaps another partial answer would be something that they haven't seen before.

As for me? I love these streets. I don't see a point to living this sort of life if all you're going to do is lock yourself inside the walls of your own headquarters. I love people coming out here and taking actions on their own, working with others, starting debates... anything. Just do something. Life is too short to do anything else.

Omerta and gossip are 2 very different things and don't even get me started on laundry stuff!

I agree with you Malcolm haven't the streets been more interesting lately? About bloody time in my view! .....to suggest that PH shares all it's dealings, issues or debates in detail and in public is very different. We heard a direct reference we responded and there will be no more detail added. Maybe people will discover in time the way PH works...and thrives and is just brilliant! 

Takes in all the lovely dried and cleaned laundry...

chestbrah nods and listens, waiting for an opportune moment to throw his hat into the ring. 

As someone who has been in and around journalism/interviewing for a while now, there is usually one of two reasons for a person not wanting to divulge the information you seek nor answer the questions you pose green. Naturally it's probably "none of my business" too so I wouldn't like to divulge as to which it is.

Reason 1: There isn't a reason. Noncommittal response or a "need to know" type attitude suggests there genuinely isn't a reason. Or it's such a minor reason that to say it would make the perpetrator look in a bad light, so they exaggerate and leave it up to the reader to imply something worse than it actually was. 

Reason 2: You don't have enough power or pull to be asking those questions so you aren't getting the answers you want. I'm my own experience people usually respond well to two areas, respect and fear. If they don't fear you and they don't respect you, they won't give a shit about your questions. 

chestbrah turns to Dusty

As far as what inspires me? I vaguely remember having a drunken ramble on a similar topic at a similar street corner not so long ago, I think I was rudely moved on by some jobsworth street cleaners though for my intoxication. I vaguely remember saying something along these lines though on the topic at hand:

5) The controversial subjects?

Winner winner chicken dinner, this is by far the best kind of street chatter for me. It's not always available though, for obvious reasons, but it really highlights the necessity and importance of any and all take down speeches to community life. They need to be shared, whether fabricated or otherwise because that exact event is one of kind and hasn't been discussed before from that perspective and with that outcome. I'd like to see more topics of a similar nature, perhaps around rogue explanations or other interesting topics that people might want to explain to those of us who are nosey. Why did Chucky step down as a crew leader? Why have those Pasadena Biotech kids moved their business to Philadelphia? And what is Rose doing that is so "out-of-the-ordinary"? 

Perhaps the second to last question might be answered now, considering very recent events. 

chestbrah smiles

I'm not goading you, I'm explaining why we aren't falling over ourselves with interesting discussions, which is namely because the interesting things that are going on are being watered down or glossed over all together. That isn't conducive to interaction, which is what makes our world thrive at it's most enjoyable times. 

All this is by the by anyway, as you aren't obligated to tell me shit, probably for one or both of the reasons chestbrah has eloquently explained already. Regardless, I'm not sure the omerta card is the right one to play when you've just come out into the street to "explain" the reasons behind your clipping of a fellow mob boss. 

Bozeman pats his right hand man, chestbrah, on the back then takes a swig from a flask located in the inner pocket of his jacket.

What brings me to the streets? There are a great many things that bring me, and I'm sure many others to come to these very street corners that we so often populate. The love of a good debate? Check. To find questions to burning questions? Of course. To make speeches about the goings on of the beautiful Los Angeles? Why not! 

But, much like chestbrah here, one of the largest things that draws me to the streets is controversial subjects. You know the ones! Personally, I look forward to seeing, and participating in, some lively debates in the near future.

Bozeman smiles and slides chestbrah a slip of paper, before stepping away.