Sal's Questionnaire

Town? City? Why would I choose to make my home in a cage? You settle down into a home when you are already rich, not when you are climbing!

I got everything I need in my home. Covered top, all my possessions, and the ability to move where I want when I want. Free and safe from disgruntled customers, and a clear view of the night sky every night. Sure, it’s a bit worn down, and Martha doesn’t always smell great, but it’s free living on the open road.

one day I’ll be as rich as folks were in the old times then I’ll settle down into a place with nice safe walls, and a community just as rich and successful as myself. But till then, I got the freedom of the open road.

Trading!

Sometimes people want something. They have things that are worth more than they think. Then there are other people who have the things the first group wants. I find both of these groups, and I buy from one, sell to the other, and get a little bit of extra for my hard work of finding them, and the danger of my travels. 

Sometimes that's a dangerous business. There are bandits and worse on the road. But I keep my gun close, and I make friends where I travel, and I've been lucky so far. And when I'm not... Well, the new west is a place for new beginnings. 

I take the money I get from this, and I invest it back in my business. Now I got a bunch of valuables, but I started moving cans of food and bottles of water to disaster zones. Now I'm doing quite a bit better, and one day I'll be as rich as folks were in the old days. I keep doing that, and other folks keep doing that, and some day society will be back in full.

Wealth! Wealth for me, and wealth for everyone!

Let me be clear, that's not just money. Money is a tool folks use to say that they did a service for someone else sometime in the past. It's a reference to some real work that someone did, or some product they made. In the great blackout, not all the money burned up, or was lost. But people lost their wealth! Money's just paper. The real wealth is people having the skills and tools they need to make things of value. I'm contributing to that. 

Of course, It's only fair that if I'm making the world richer that a good amount of that flows my way. I'll own bigger and better things, bring them to folks who can use them well, then with what I get from them, go on to give more folks what they want.

I've risked my life already moving towards that goal. What's a life without an ambition worth risking it for?

Heh.

Well, one day, when I was a kid with all the other little ones running about, I found something valuable. A stash of marbles. I think a kid died or something, details are a bit fuzzy, but regardless, I was able to get it!

Then I traded for some the marbles for toys, a few more for a blanket. Then I traded a few more things. About 2 years later, I had more food, blankets, toys and clothes than any of the other kids. I think that's what made Sylvester take an interest in and adopt me. 

Then, all these years later, here I am! Doing way better than all the other kids at the orphanage, and continuing my inevitable rise towards riches!

Sylvester - My old mentor, and I suppose adopted father of sorts. Wasn't big on the lovey dovey stuff, but he taught me to work people, and taught me how to survive in this world. He is a tall man, and has an immaculately maintained beard, and wears fantastically sharp outfit. If I had smaller ambitions, I would strive to be like him. As is, I strive to be better than him. Much better. Sylvester is shrewd, smart, and well off, but he hasn't changed anything with that. I am grateful for what he did for me, but the man was satisfied with his little kingdom. 

Sarah - An old flame back home. Had to run before I could see her last, but once I'm fully back on my feet and doing well, I'll have to see about having her come west with me. She's a beautiful woman with a whip sharp wit.

Martha - She my mule. She's a good mule. Got me through some hard times. I hope at some point to have a van, or other vehicle to carry all my things around faster, but before that happens, I gotta make sure Martha finds a good home. She's added a lot of value to my life, and a lot of money to my pocket. Only fair that I make sure she get's an enjoyable life in exchange.

I was one of many. Orphaned by something I can't remember. My family died in chaos and left me. I was one of many, scrambling for too little resources.

I scraped by, made deals, scavenged. Then Sylvester found me. He took me under his wing. I followed him on his travels, doing some small labor, drumming up business, and always watching him.

I learned the tricks of the trade, I learned to get my money's worth, and learned to smooth over issues. I learned to lie. Probably to lie too much.

I didn't have many around my age, but I grew up fast and learned to make connections with those older than me. 

Not enough kids in this world for me to have the kind of childhood Sylvester would talk about sometimes. Seems miraculous. Classrooms full of kids, computers, books, nobody going hungry.... We'll get back there some day. Just need to make everyone rich again.