Direct Rail Services Class 57 No. 57008 'Telford International Railfreight Park June 2009' gets to grips with a 'Floodex' shuttle to Maryport on 21st May 2010. Class 47 No. 47712 'Pride of Carlisle' is positioned at the rear of the train.It has just crossed the River Derwent, with the parapet of the bridge visible in the background. This railway bridge withstood the onslaught of flooding during late 2009 which eventually destroyed the two main bridges spanning the river, in the centre of Workington. This calamitous event divided the town and resulted in a 30 mile diversion. To mitigate this disaster, and allow time to rebuild the bridges, a shuttle railway service was organised between Maryport and Workington, with Network Rail providing a new, temporary station just north of this location, which avoided the need for many to use the long road diversion to get from one side of Workington to the other. St. Michael's Church, Workington, and the floodlights of Workington RFL provide the backdrop. Copyright Photograph John Whitehouse - all rights reserved

I heard the crows making an unholy commotion before I saw why. Crows have it in for cats. A pair were harassing this fellow verbally as he made his way down the sidewalk. "CAT! CAT! CAT! ", cawed they. I don't blame him for ducking out of sight under the nearest vehicle.

Case Study 113 : Warning, these are the raw, bare unusual occurrences as originally chronicled. Some names, times, places and some facts have been, of course, altered.

Name: Angelica D circa 192__

Subject: an unscrupulous light-fingered body thief

Event: Posh Wedding Reception

Place: Upstate New York

Time: Warm early Autumn Saturday

 

Angie Being Receptive

Story line:

 

Angie had heard about the affair, a wedding, from a list of prospective functions provided by a discreetly paid contact. It was being given for the only daughter of a wealthy politician (as if there were any non-wealthy ones!) Angie had happily invited herself to the affair, carefully dressing up in her best for the special occasion!

 

**

Wedding receptions were by far Angie’s favorite hunting grounds. During the season there could be anywhere from upwards of 20 high end affaires every weekend in the bigger cities, and always 2 or 3 in even the smallest of towns.

Wedding s were usually easy pickings: free food, drink and entertainment, and seldom worn jewelry made for a ready-made mix for Angie to ply her trade. For Angelica D. was a uniquely skilled pickpocket, specializing in the removal for profit of the expensive jewelry worn by the (usually be -gowned) women and young ladies’ who hauntingly dwelt in societies upper crust!

So Weddings, by their nature, were the desirable choice for Angie. One only had to avoid the Bride, her Bridesmaids, and their court, which were usually the major focus of any security present. However, there were plenty of opportunities to be had by employing her special bag of tricks on the outlaying fringe.

Angie had arrived early at the mammoth facility, to scout out the establishment and to scope out who was wearing what. Used to these affairs either being feast or famine, she could quickly tell that in this one there was cooking up a devouring banquet.

**

After Angie had entered the mammoth reception room it did not take her long to spy her first plump prospect, nicely loaded with possibilities. It was a lady, bearing a haughty look, who had been making a b-line through the crowd as way was parted for her. She was wearing a luxuriously long rusty coloured sable fur coat that hid most of her long crimson -red satin gown. What Jewels were visible, ears, fingers and wrist, were all flashing with pricy fire. In tow she held the hand of a young girl, obviously her daughter, wearing actual makeup, which, along with her fetching gown and brite jewelry, made her appear far older than she was. A handsome man , looking like the actor William Powell in a tux, followed behind the pair, husband and father, Angie presumed. She shadowed the little family as they swished their way to a corner table, conveniently located by a rear exit, for a better look over. Her fingers had started with an all too familiar tingle as she took it all in.

**

The husband helped his wife out of the sable, laying it carefully along a bench against the wall. Angie was not disappointed. A silver necklace of large matched diamonds gracefully encircled her throat. A dazzling blood ruby and diamond brooch held up the center of her gown, positioned just below the bust line. Brooches, like this one, were worth a lot once fenced, but its placement required a little more dexterity and skill than she was willing to risk. In actuality, Angie had only attempted twice before to take a brooch pinned to a gown in this fashion. She had only been successful one of those times, only to find out it was a pretty piece of paste.( Years later, as Angie’s talents became more polished, relieving ladies of their dangling brooches, like this blood ruby, became her specialty.. the Eds.) Angie’s eyes moved on. The rest of the snooty lady’s jewels matched her necklace. Long earrings, free clipped, dangling brightly from her earlobe s. A pair of wide ruby bracelets clasped tightly home around elegant red elbow length satin gloves, sparkled devastatingly, matching her brooch. Her long fingers were home to a pair of ruby and diamond rings and a third ring set with a gold band and a vulgarly large solitaire diamond.

**

Angie’s attention turned to the daughter, whom had been helped by her Father , squirming, from the chocolate coloured satin cape that she had been wearing. The youngster, all of about 10, was wearing a cream coloured long puffy sleeved dress with a brown satin sash encircling her waist that matched her Cape. The young lady possessed impossible large bright eyes. The only thing that held more shine than those doe like eyes had been the antique rhinestone diamond necklace that fell dripping ever so invitingly down the front of the precious little imp’s rich glossy gown. The rest of her matching rhinestones (obviously belonging to the child’s mother) consisted of an engaging display of a bracelet, pair of dangling, screwed on clasp earrings, and matching rings encircling a chubby finger one on each hand. It all gleamed brightly, invitingly from her svelte girlish figure. A large round pin held her sash up in place; it sparkled with what looked like a ring consisting of one caret diamonds, as unlikely as it was they could be real.

**

The two females of the family presented a pretty package indeed. Not one to pass up an invite that alluring, Angie walked by , with the pretext of heading to a back exit behind the table the little family had staked, just so she could get a closer peek.

**

Angie’s practiced eye took in a wealth of information during the few seconds it took her to walk up and pass the group, so involved with themselves they never even looked her way. Her attention focused upon the young mother first scoping head to toe.

**

Angie scrutinized the brooch; it was definitely worth the effort. In her mind’s eye, Angie envisioned the mother as a stumbling drunk “bumping into” Angie. Fingers whisking along the slippery lustrously softness of the gown, as the lady was steadied. Angie would accept the women apologies and the pair would part their ways, Angie from the young mother, and the magnificent brooch from the rich satiny red gown. But then the mother raised her head, looking up past Angie, towards a commotion being made behind her. Typical Angie thought, she doesn’t recognize me, so I don’t exist, like some sort of servant. But it was as she caught the young mother in full profile that she realized this lady looked strikingly similar to another woman who had been wearing an expensive dress of teal charmeuse that Angie had had been having a long conversation with, while relieving the woman’s finger of a costly diamond sapphire ring. It had happened only just last weekend at a formal function, and Angie figured she may have not recognized her in passing, but may if Angie were to use one of her approaches again with the intent of taking some of her jewelry, he memory may be jarred, and she may remember her missing ring. This was why Angie only allowed herself to ply her trade for no more than a month in any given place per year. This was from a lesson she had learned early on in her career. And so, for that reason alone, Angie decided to, at least temporarily, abandon any designs she had on the young mother’s brooch, allowing her devious intentions to evaporate from her mind like smoke on the wind. There were plenty more fish in the sea she told herself.

**

Angie still allowed herself a quick appraisal of the squirming 10 year old. She admired the glossy dress of slippery satin that her mother had conveniently dressed her daughter up in, as it fell spilling down to her black open toed shoes. Angie’s fingers started to tingle; this was a perfect tickling gown. Angie liked to think of any long dress or gown that swept down to a females heels as a” tickling gown”. All it took was a strategically placed foot timed with a well place nudge to send the chosen victim tumbling. During the ensuing diversion, Angie would use her long subtle fingers to swiftly probe along the gowned figure, tickling she like to call it due to the tingling sensation of the usually rich material of the victim’s attire. In this fashion, a pre-targeted piece of valuable jewelry could then be easily acquired, no matter what its placement had been on the unfortunate female. If only the chatty youngster had something on better than rhinestones. It was a crying shame to have a child that young dolled up like an adult, but not wearing adult jewels.

**

Angie continued to walk past, unseen, and went out the door. She found herself in a large serenity garden of roses and shrubs, surrounded by a 10 foot high well-trimmed hedge. The sort of garden one usually found in those days around upscale Churches. The only exit was a gate leading onto the parking lot on the side of the church. Here was positioned a solitary, lonely guard in a neat little guard hut. In the opposite, far corner was a statue of Cupid, arrow drawn, standing above a display of blooming moss roses at the end opposite to the gate. There was always potential in places like these.

**

Angie had started to walk over to the Cupid statue when she heard the exit door open. Turning, she saw the young girl, whose mother’s brooch Angie had been scoping out, looking out the door. She snuck through, running out alone, silky tickling gown swishing out behind her. Her heart leapt to her throat as she watched the girls rhinestones sparkle radiantly. She actually turned to head towards the path the unsuspecting child was running up, flexing her fingers as she contemplating a little warm up practice. Angie watched as the dolled up imps necklace flashed with pinpricks of coloure as it bounced to and fro as she ran happily up the path .Angie turned her back to the girl, waiting to hear the telltale click of her heels come up just behind her. She would then move, bumping into the girl as she passed, tripping her to the ground. After which Angie would help her up, removing the girl’s fancy necklace in the process. Come to Mama Angie whispered under her breath, waiting to make her move as the skipping heels grew ever louder.

**

But then Angie froze, hearing the clicking of the exit door again opening behind her. She checked her stride letting the daughter slither past without a glance. She headed again towards the statue, watching her prize move on ahead. Then she heard the father in the background calling out to his little princess. The youngster turned, and ran back, beaming at Angie as she passed. Angie smiled back, her eyes again traveling to the girls neckline, and the sparkling jewelry the outlined her throat. It had been a silly thought she chided herself, as the girl passed from view. If only the necklace had been real, and the father about ten minutes later in discovering his daughter absence. It would have been an unbelievably easy pluck and she could be out the gate before anyone was the wiser. And the best part was that they would probably believe the scampering girl had just lost it in the garden. And, while the parents were looking about, Angie would have been free to renter to ply her trade again. As it was, it was silly of Angie, risking her opportunity on a child’s bauble worth a mere pittance compared to some of the other offerings so readily being flaunted this evening by her adult counterparts.

**

Angie continued her casual stroll through the Garden, happily playing over in her mind some of the jewels that she would like to see adorning the female guests inside, and the scenarios she may be using to acquire them

**

Finding herself approaching the guard hut, she allowed herself a glance back. Jealously she watched the father, who had caught and was carrying his slippery attired daughter, heading back inside. How Angie wished she had been the one carrying the squirming little imp, it would have been like a smorgasbord, with jewels instead of food. Pity her mother had not put the good stuff on the daughter, she sighed to herself. Tonight she would have to work for her butter. She walked past the bored guard, nodding at him, receiving a rather lecherous look in return. A smile was forming across her cunning face, for now it was time to get down to the real business at hand.

**

The affair turned out to be quite a showcase for the very rich. Who were indiscreetly flaunting their riches, trying to outdo one another, probably for the benefit of the politicians’ attention? Certainly not for the attention of the designer satin gowned and flashy diamonded daughter, whom most of the guests hardly knew, or had ever met.

**

Angie always felt like a little kid in a candy shoppe at these lavish affairs.

She spent the first part of the reception mingling and thoroughly enjoying the show her the reception’s guests were u wittingly putting on. Angie, wearing no jewels herself, was something of an anomaly compared to her fellow guests.

**

There were over a thousand luxuriously coloured, squawking female birds and their young chicks pompously displaying valuable finery, oblivious of the cat amongst them waiting to pounce. Angie patently mingled, watching as the adult guests had their fill of food and drink.

Once their guard began to relax, Angie raised hers’, her probingly skillful fingers now more than prepared to begin and ply her trade. For the more they imbibed, the less guarded they were, both about themselves and their female offspring. Angie would start with the adults, 2 or 3 of the right pieces of jewelry, once acquired, and would mean she could call it a night and have enough to support her for a solid month. If she came up empty in that department, her back up would then center on the female off-spring, daughters and nieces.

Most of said offspring would be by then scattered about, aware that their parents were no longer paying them any heed, exploring and playing, sporting their fancy satin gowns, silken dresses, and their dainty jewelry, ripe for the picking. Giving pickpockets like Angie endless opportunity to ply their trade on them, once they had finished working through the adults. Or if the thieves were beginners, plenty of easy practice while “learning the ropes!”

**

Now, when Angie herself was just starting out as a young pickpocket, she stumbled across a treatise written by a man using the pseudonym “Gaston Monescu”. Written around 1826, entitled the Cutpurse: skilles, artes and Secretes of the Dip, it covered the various tactics and moves used by master pickpockets.

 

Angie had studied it religiously, especially a ploy called the “Necklace Flimp.” This tactic was primarily used for body thieves working alone. Angie had been surprised to learn that a pickpocket could raise his/her skill level above just acquiring wallets. Having the ability to lift a woman’s necklace amazed her, not to mention the profit that could be realized. With practice, Angie had found that not only was it a good technique for acquiring necklaces, but it worked for other pieces of worn jewelry as well.

 

It was relatively simple process, but took a long time to master.

First part was to employ psychology and watch the potential victim for the unique movements and quirks in their personality and actions that could provide an opportunity for her skills. Then observe the selected piece the victim wore, for value, type of clasp, make, and accessibility. The second part was to employ a bump, slip, or grasp, and in one motion, flick open the studied clasp and send the piece away from the body by either pulling and palming, or dropping it to the floor or ground for retrieval later. If she was noticed, it was “sorry, miss, very clumsy of me” “here let me get if for you, no harm done?” Then walk away and let the waters settle before trying yet again (sometimes even on the same person!)

 

Angie had practiced the jewelry flimp until she had the technique totally mastered. Starting out first on specially dressed up mannequins in her apartment, than trying it on small pieces of cheap baubles worn by real women in crowded streets and stores. Then on younger, less guarded, better jewelry wearing young girls attending proms and social dances. Young looking for her age at the time, Angie had fit right in amongst them. Then, finally, she graduated to lifting the better jewels of the older, wealthy women attending society’s finer parties and receptions. And it was this path that led her here today, and would also lead several unlucky females to report missing jewelry to their respective insurance companies.

**

See Album “Angie having a Ball” for additional background on our master thief with the light fingers.

**

Angie now eagerly employed those useful talents learned from monsieur Monescu’s little pamphlet at the wedding reception. She mingled freely, carrying around a drink that never touched her lips. She watched and learned, her trained eyes missing very little. Soon, like that hypothetical kid in a candy shoppe, Angie’s head was spinning from so much to choose from that she really could not make any easy choice. So, she waited and watched patiently, knowing opportunity would knock.

 

**

 

Then, like it usually happened with Angie, the first genuine opportunity unexpectedly presented herself. Angie literally was run into a rather awkward, spindly lady in thick glasses clad in a fetchingly expensive costume consisting of a thick silver satin blouse with hanging ruffles down its front, combined with a long rustling tiered skirt that swept down to the top of her open toed silver high heels. Her diamond jewelry shone with exuberant flames as they caught the light from the many chandeliers that hung from the vaulted ceiling. The lady expressed frantically her apologies, placing a hand with well ringed fingers on Angie’s shoulder, where they sparkled merrily. No worries Angie said smiling, her eyes taking it all in without appearing to move. She let the frazzled lady leave, allowing her a head start, it was only sporting to do so.

**

Angie shadowed her quarry for a while, seemingly rewarded for her efforts when the lady managed to spill a bit of her drink down on her skirt. In a show of flashing silvery satin and diamonds ,she retreated and disappeared into a nearby powder room, with Angie following eagerly, opportunity knocking.

**

As Angie grabbed onto the closing powder room door, a mid- twenty something girl in a deep green velvet gown came out. Her only jewelry was a wide diamond bracelet wrapped around a wrist of the matching long green gloves she wore. Angie caught it out of the corner of her eye, realizing that it was as expensive as it was bright. But it was her friend, a willowy short haired pretty young thing in a glamorous Chocolate Satin gown that made Angie’s jaw drop. Her jewels, like her friends, were also sparse, but enormously pricy. The long white satin gloves that graced her hands and arms also held matching bracelets, thin, but each one worth the effort. But her real eye catcher was the row of authentic, one caret white diamonds that were rippling exquisite fire along her throat. Angie held the door for them, nodding to as they passed. Noses in the air, they did not appear to notice Angie. Then, with the ladies backs to her, Angie abandoned Miss silver satin and turned to follow. Angie got in behind the two with the intention of getting a closure examination of the clasp of the fiery diamond necklace Miss Chocolate satin was wearing.

**

However, Angie never got her closer look. For at that moment the tossing of the bride’s boutique was announced and Angie was overwhelmed by a mad dash of single ladies heading for the bride. On a lark she allowed herself to be swept along, losing sight of Miss Chocolate satin, but found herself right smack behind Miss Green velvet and her cheerfully sparkling diamond bracelet, a beautifully expensive piece that would have cost someone a king’s ransom. Angie’s fingers began their all too familiar tingling, eager for a chance to acquire jewelry that valuable, but not for any king, just for herself!

**

Though the night was still relatively early, and Angie still had visions of those exquisite rippling diamonds of the pretty Miss in chocolate satin on her mind, she simply could not pass up this opportunity. Angie wedged herself close behind her chosen victim as the multitude of hopeful young women pressed forward to try their luck. As the Bride teased her guests before getting ready to toss her bouquet of white and red roses, Angie expertly scrutinized the bracelet as it dangled from the green velvet glove. When the bride finally turned her back and raised her arms every one of the richly clad single women’s eyes was focused on the bride’s bouquet, Angie’s eyes were fixated on the bracelet. With the music playing loud, the crowd giggling and laughing, and all eyes focused on the gorgeously outfitted young long haired bride, Angie again felt opportunity knocking. Her pulse beating in rhythm with the music, she made ready to seize the chance when it presented itself. The roses flew through the air and all the women raised their hands high, looking all for the world like being involved in a stick-up. Angie timed it perfectly, snapping the clasp, and snatching the bracelet easily away from the gloved wrist of its owner as she raised her arms high to grab at the boutique. In her excitement, shared by everyone, Miss Green velvet ( who did not catch the bouget of roses) never felt a thing. Angie had smirked as she left the giggling group, stowing securely the purloined diamonds, as she imagined what it would have been like to watch that group robbed in a mass stick-up. The money that some enterprising soul could have made from that haul would have been astronomical.

**

She went to the open bar, lighting her first cigarette; she ordered her first real drink of the night. She could feel the coolness of the weighty bracelet in its hiding spot, and Angie, pleased with herself, calmly sipped her drink as she relished in the moment. The toss of the Brides Boutique was, in Angie’s experienced opinion, one of the three common events occurring during a wedding reception that were fertilely prime times for pickpocketing. (Editor’s note.. Miss D. mysteriously never divulged what she considered the other two prime events to be….)

**

She looked about without a worry in the world, coolly watching the antics of some of the younger women on the dance floor. She spied the young miss in the green velvet gown over in a corner talking in an animated fashion with several other women. Green velvet gown’s now bare velvet glove, apparently not noticed by anyone but Angie. One of her group was displaying some bright emeralds peeking through the long silver fur she was wearing, obviously she was leaving, and she was talking excitedly about something to the group formed around her! Nowhere in sight was Miss chocolate satin, too bad, Angie would have loved another peek before leaving.

Angie watched around the room causally, as the cold bracelet pressed expensively against her figure from its hiding spot. She eventually lost track of green velvet and her friends while finishing her drink. Setting down the empty glass, she decided it was time to call it a night. The bracelet now in her possession was easily worth as much as the 2 or 3 separate pieces she usually acquired at functions like these, added together! And, she needed her rest, Angie had a couple of plans the next day, one revolving around the female guests who would be attending an upscale afternoon prom fashion show a, the other, an evening opera performance (invited guests only, and her contact had managed to supply a ticket, at a hefty price!) No rest for the wicked, Angie told herself.

**

On her way out of the main lobby, she found herself leaving behind the very lady in green velvet whose bracelet was now in Angie’s possession. She was with the same gaggle of her similarly dressed friends, including the one exhibiting the emeralds. However, miss chocolate satin was still not visible. They were laughing and joking as they collected their assorted pretty wraps, obviously heading for a nightclub. If she had not already relieved one of them of a bauble, Angie might have invited herself along, if only to have a go at some emeralds. Angie hesitated about leaving withy them, then shrugged, followed the group out the door past the pair of bored rent a cops.

**

She remembered thinking, as she followed the elegant young princesses ,their fluid gowns peeking from under their various furs and wraps, how shallow the very rich could be. She wondered if Miss Green velvets friends had even noticed that she had had diamonds around the wrist of her glove, let alone that they were now missing. She wondered how long it would be before the bracelets loss was discovered. She figured it would be several hours, long enough for its owner not to be sure what place they had been lost. As young Miss Green velvet fancy gown and her friends turned right outside the exit, Angie turned left, heading towards the guard hut at the entrance to the garden.

She decided not to follow them but rather circle around the outside of the garden to give her victim time to leave.

**

That simple decision to make a left turn proved to be a major turning point in Angie’s fortunes that evening.

**

As Angie passed the hut guarding the entrance to the serenity garden, she noticed it was deserted.

It was as she was looking it over, that she heard the sounds of clicking heels moving fast, followed by the sounds of a young girl giggling. On the alert she stole to the backside of the hut, soon spying a splash of something blue and silky between the gaps of a couple of large bushes. Her senses on their highest peak, she began to move cautiously in, hoping the female making the noise would be in need of aid and comfort perhaps.

**

She soon spotted a young lady of about 14 bending over, hands on her knees as she panted heavily. Her back was to Angie, and what pretty back it was. She was nicely attired in a long gown of shiny material dyed deep blue like an afternoon, cloudless summer sky. The gown cascaded down along her petite figure, spilling out on the ground around her feet. Her hair was pulled back, easily displaying a pair of small diamond and sapphire earrings, not rhinestones for this one, but the real McCoy. Around one finger was a gold ring with sapphires, and from her left wrist dangled a thin silver bracelet with a row of diamond chips, both pretty, both valuably real. But it was her last piece of visible jewelry that stole the show. It hung, swinging to and from her neck on a thick braided chain of solid silver. On its end, like a hypnotists prism, was a silver pendent in the shape of a flower, with 1 inch long, pear shaped real diamonds as petals and a fully 2 inch in circumference center stone of deep sea blue. Angie watched it, her eyes following it for a full minute, its expensive fire sealing its own fate as Angie began flexing her fingers. Angie took her eyes off of it and looked around to see why the princess had been running. But all was still as the girl continued to peek through the branches towards the back door leading into the hall. Angie silently approached, and walking up to the pretty miss she bent down and in a friendly tone, asked who she was running from.

**

I played a joke on my sister, and now I’m hiding from her, piped the girl breathlessly, as Angie placed a hand upon the girls shoulder in a conspiratorial fashion, said shoulder made silky soft by the gowns half sleeve.

**

I know a better place where you can hide from her, Angie whispered in the girl’s ear, the dangling earring ever so close to her lips. The girl looked up, smiling, and Angie pointed towards the guard hut, and as the girl looked, Angie’s fingers glided up along the silky shoulder and lifted the thick silver chain up from the back of the gowns’ scooped collar. Come Angie said, and as the girl rose Angie’s fingers nimbly flicked open the chains’ lobster clasp, holding onto the clasp as the other end of the chain slipped down, allowing the pendent to slide free and fall onto the grass at the girls feet, where it lay shimmering. Angie moved her hand to the girls shoulder, squeezing it, while slipping off the braided silver chain with her other hand, whisking it back and away from the guileless young girl. Angie led her princess away from the spot and walked with her to the guard’s hut, still empty, where she had her hide neath the counter.

**

Angie turned and went back to claim the pendent, there still was no sign of any sister. She secured the pendent, joining it with the chain and bracelet, and headed deeper into garden. Her plan was to watch the hut and see which way the girl went after getting bored waiting. But as she skirted the perimeter her plans were changed when, upon rounding a corner of the path at the far end, she saw yet another back belonging to a solitary lady in her late thirties, clad in a long slinky yellow coloured gown of expensively shiny taffeta, bending over to smell the yellow roses on a bush. Instinctively Angie knew two things about her. One was that whatever jewels this lady would be wearing, they would be expensive, and the other was that with an expensive gown like that; the lady would undoubtedly be wearing her jewels. Angie suddenly became aware that her fingers were tingling, as an all too familiar whelming feeling again delightfully washed over her.

**

Angie found herself automatically turning back onto the garden path. She headed around the women and went down to the cupid’s statue, where now out of sight, she carefully hid the purloined bracelet, and still warm fiery pendent and its ‘fancy silvery braided chain..

**

She then headed towards the unsuspecting flower admirer. The ladies’ long brunette hair had fallen, flowing down the backside of her shiny taffeta gown. Angie could see rings and a bracelet gleaming as she was holding up the rose to her face. A long double rope of pearls hung swaying deliciously from her throat. Coming up behind her Angie stood watching; calculating until the lady rose and with a start realized she was not alone.

**

Pretty Angie said, her eyes on the pearls now draping down the front of her marks yellow gown. They are lovely, are they not? The damsel responded thinking Angie was referring to the roses. Just like the ones in the park, my husband and I walked through on our way to catch a cab today. Actually, I meant your dress Angie said complimentary. Thank you the lady practically squealed, I love the way it flows, and she swirled it about to show Angie, who got an eyeful of sparkly jewelry for her efforts. As she continued engaging the women in conversation, Angie decided upon attempting for the woman’s necklace of pearl. Seeing opportunity knocking when Yellow Taffeta pulled her long hair forward so it hang down the front of her gorgeous gown, laying silkily over one shoulder, nicely exposing the pricy necklaces clasp. Angie looked around, they were alone, out of site of the opposite end of the garden where the inside door was, and the guards hut with it’s pretty occupant.

**

Angie, using the marks interest in roses to her advantage, managed to steer the capricious damsel in shiny yellow over to the cupid’s statue. There, she placed a hand upon a silky taffeta covered shoulder, and pointed down to the shrub of moss roses growing at the foot of the statue . When she stooped down to get a closer look, Angie’s fingers whisked from her marks shoulder to the clasp, in a single effort with two fingers, lifted it by the clasp, and snapped it open. At that moment the mark cried “spider” and jumped up, backing into Angie, who watched helplessly as the pearls fell down from the damsel’s throat and slipped along the front of the yellow taffeta gown. They fell with a soft plop unto the ground at their mistress’s feet. Angie tried to lead her away, hoping to come back and reclaim the necklace. But as Angie pointed to another rose bush some distance away, the lady took a step forward, instead of back, planting her feet right onto the pearl necklace. Hey she exclaiming, what’s that, looking down to her high heeled foot? Oh, my pearls the lady squealed again, a glittering hand shooting to feel around her throat. Angie reached down, and reluctantly retrieved them from the base of the rose bush for the squealing lady in yellow . My husband would not have been pleased if I had lost these, she said as Angie held them, feeling their pricey smoothness.

**

She asked if Angie could help her put them on, my maid usually does this sort of thing, you know. Angie reluctantly complied, re- hanging the pearls as the pretty damsel held up her hair, and reluctantly redid the clasp. The Damsel thanked Angie by embracing her in a full hug, her diamond and pearl earring hitting Angie’s cheek. But Angie’s arms were being held by the hugging woman, so Angie was able to only watch the tantalizingly close earring sway free. Angie left yellow-gowned damsel in the garden, getting nothing for her efforts other than the feel of an expensive gown of the likes she could probably never afford to own.

**

With the pretty damsel hovering around the cupid statue, Angie decided to go back into the reception hall until the coast was clear. She carefully looked towards the Guards hut, and seeing that the guard had returned, figured the girl, so fetchingly clad in blue, had been rousted out, so that loose end was probably tied up. She just had to keep a careful eye out. The quite valuable bracelet and pricy necklace with its pendent were well hidden; there was absolutely no danger of someone stumbling over it.

**

Truth was, Angie had found her appetite wetted and once again visions of a lady in chocolate brown satin exhibiting a row of flashy diamonds, teased her thoughts. An accomplished pickpocket like herself had a couple of well-practiced ploys she could utilize to obtain a tight fitting necklace from its mistress. In addition, Angie was now determined to find her and to risk a try. She had really nothing to lose.

**

It took almost an hour of hunting amongst the now well liquored, gaily mingling crowd before Angie could admit to herself that there was absolutely no sign of the willowy lady in the stunning chocolate satin gown. Damn she thought to herself, those diamonds were something special. She shrugged it off, reciting in her mind a wicked little mantra of hers, “Another one who got away, a chance to lose her jewels to Angie on another day!” She strolled about pondering on what her next course of action could be. There had been no sign of the pretty girl in blue whose necklace Angie now had hidden away, and Miss Green Velvet was definitely out of the picture, so she felt that it was still safe to try to pluck one last bird or chick. In her hunt for the brown, Angie had seen several inviting prospects; one lady(purple satin, diamonds), two girls( ivory silk, pearled pin; red satin, gold necklace set with chips of precious stones), and now was weighing the risks.

 

It was at that point she once again espied the thickly bespectacled awkwardly introverted young lady invitingly wearing the thick silver satin ruffled blouse, which she had been tailing much earlier. And as Angie watched here, she again accepted the invitation. Her prey had appeared on the dance floor, being led around by a rather charming young man. That would make a dandy consolation prize Angie drooled to herself happily as she took in the sparkling show put on by the dancers jewels.

**

Angie looked her over, reacquainting herself with the jewels she so nicely was displaying. A pair of long earrings cascaded down from her earlobes where they precariously held on by antique silver claps. Angie relished the opportunity to “flimp” pairs of earrings like these. Heavily jeweled, each one was worth a tidy sum. Angie mulled this as she continued to study the jewels of her appealingly dressed new target.

**

The girl’s only ring was a solitaire diamond of at least 3 carets on a thick solid gold band worn vulnerably loose on her un-gloved, bare ring finger. A wide silver cuff bracelet with what appeared to be at least seven rows of matching, shimmering diamonds was dangling around her left wrist (she was right handed Angie observed) . The bracelet had a habit of lying over her sleeve, and Angie could see that it was a costly tiffany piece, whose clasp was exceptionally easy to flick open. A diamond pendent hung swinging from her satiny ruffles, held by an extravagantly thick silver chain with a simple , small eye in hook clasp. The Diamonds in the pendent were as shimmery as stars plucked from the night’s sky.

Angie remembered reading that in a poem from a book she had picked up years earlier in a library, while stalking a young mother in a satin dress, wearing an authentic Gruen Watch on one wrist, and a bracelet of diamonds on the other, that had gone into the library in pursuit of her young son running inside. Like that young mother, It was obvious that this lady in silver satin was not accustomed to wearing jewels, and that set probably spent most of their days lying in a safe. Angie licked her lips as she imagined what the other contents of that safe might look like

**

Angie moved in to allow herself a much closer appraisal of her potential victim’s jewels.

The young lady was totally oblivious to anything but the rather surprisingly strikingly handsome man who to all appearances was her Fiancée, who was holding her ever so close. But Angie was able to see enough of what she wanted to. The young Ladies’ thick satin blouse shone richly in the lights, moving like glistening wet liquid silver, while from her waist spilled the long black skirt with satiny tiers that swished and swayed nicely along her figure as she uneasily danced. Her jewels were bursting with colour as they played hide and seek with Angie’s watchful eyes. From all appearances, they were a mismatched couple. He seemed to know everyone and moved with a confident air, she was just the opposite. It made an enticingly intriguing package indeed for someone with Angie’s skills.

**

Silver Satin was the perfect “Gaston Monescu” type of mark, a perfect combination of classic mannerisms, clothing and Jewels worth anyone’s efforts to take. This was the only fly in the ointment that Angie observed. For by the bar she could see that two other sets of eyes were watching the same young lady in shiny satin and blazing diamonds. Angie intuitively knew they were drooling over acquiring jewels she was wearing.

**

She had noticed the pair of young men in loose fitting suits when they had entered a little earlier about the same time as Angie’s reappearance. They were obviously casing the jewels of any woman, young, or old, who walked past them. Angie knew their type, simple thieves, with no real skills outside of holding a knife in a dark alley to the throat of their victim while they unceremoniously searched and stripped them of their treasures. Angie saw that they were whispering amongst themselves and instinctively knew they were watching and waiting for the fetchingly clumsy silver clad lady clad loaded with diamonds, to leave the “establishment”.

**

She is mine Angie whispered, possessively snarling the words under her breath. She looked around as she thought about how best to handle the situation. Her eyes opened wide as she saw a familiar woman waiting by the coat checkroom. Perfect she purred, placing an unlit a cigarette in her mouth and heading over the bar.

**

She sauntered up next to them and ordered a drink, catching their eyes she asked for a light. As they obliged she took a pull and puffed out smoke, asking in a casual tone, “how about my jewels? Boys!” They could see perfectly well that she was not wearing any, and one snarled, “What’s your game, sister?” Angie snarled back in her best cop like manner, “We know what you boys are up to, and we suggest you both call it a night!” “Yer no cop sister”, they challenged, calling her bluff,” what’s your angle!” Angie calmly looked towards the entrance, perfect she mused as she saw their eyes follow hers, “Maybe not” she stated, “but see that lady being helped into the black mink?” “The shiny yellow dame?” one of em asked? “ “yes”, Angie replied taking a puff on her cigarette before going on, “ well that man’s she’s with used to be mine .” “ Now, I aint one to hold a grudge, but, those pearls she’s waltzing around with are worth plenty. And her rings, they are an easy two grand alone.”

**

Angie could tell she had captured their interest, and that they were now paying rapt attention to the lady in the thick yellow taffeta gown whose necklace Angie had almost acquired in the serenity garden. One of them looked at Angie, a suspicious look crossing his mug, “What’s innit for you sister?!” He demanded. Angie looked at him, dripping with sarcastic innocence. “Nothing brother, other than to make sure the jewels of the dame who stole my husband get home safely .” “I just worry,’ Angie went on, “there is a park in front of their residence and that dame in yellow likes to stroll through it to smell the roses after their cab drops them off.” They watched the couple leave, her expensive yellow gown sweeping provocatively at her gold high- heeled shoed feet. Angie looked them in the eyes and said smoothly, “ Gentlemen such as yourselves may want to do a good deed and follow them home to make sure some miscreant doesn’t spot her in those valuable jewels and mink. Not to mention her man’s gold watch and three hundred sawbucks in his wallet!” Angie winked at the pair, “If you catch my drift.” She added.

**

Still not totally convinced about what Angie was selling them, but equally unsure over who Angie was, both men got up and quickly headed towards the main exit as the last slip of an expensive yellow taffeta gown disappeared through the door. Smugly, Angie puffed on her cigarette as she watched them leave.

**

It was then that a hand was placed on Angie’s shoulder from behind.

**

She froze for a split second, before becoming aware of the soft mummer of satin, and of a slender finger was home to a sparkling sapphire ring. Angie smiled and turned around, facing the girl. Pardon me ma’am, she says politely, but do you remember me? Of course dear, Angie gushes while beaming at the forlorn looking miss in the fetching blue gown; I met you in the garden. Yes she confirms, but I lost my necklace somewhere and I was wondering if you remember if I had it on when we met? Angie’s heart leapt, bless this babe in the woods, thinking her necklace had merely been lost, never suspecting that someone like, say, Angie could have been the cause. She absolutely adored the trusting nature of rich girls this age. For that aspect of their purity had allowed Angie, far too easily sometimes, to lift many a jewel from well attired unsuspecting young princesses like this one. Who was now standing before her, miserable, her desirable diamond and sapphire earrings dangling ever so beckoningly, her sad puppy eyes pleading ever so sweetly, and her missing necklace closer than she could ever imagine.

**

No dear, I did not see you with a necklace, Angie lied coolly, as she reached out and stroked the girl tenderly alongside her face, her fingers touching one of the earrings. Angie was looking her fully in the eye, you didn’t lose anything else, and did you dear she asked with a concerned tone. The girl checked her earrings, bracelet and ring (Angie smiled to herself, silently thinking thanks for the info kid!) But when she spoke, it was with hopeful words laced with honey, If you want, I can help you look, my dear. The girl’s eyes lit up for a second, thank you ma’am, I wanted to, but papa said to wait until tomorrow when the light is better.

Angie smiled winningly, don’t worry dear, I’m sure its somewhere in the garden. Someone will find it, she promised, thinking to herself maliciously, and keep it for their own profit!

**

Thank you Ma’am she chirped, at the encouraging words that had been spoken, luckily she could not hear the ones Angie was thinking to herself, and turning moved off, her scrumptious gown swishing pleasantly around her silver heels. Angie watched, as the girl disappeared in the crowd Angie marked her direction.

**

Angie Imagined if the girl had accepted her offer, and she had left with the vulnerable, unguarded princess to search in the garden, and in the process help relieve her of her remaining jewels. There would be enough light with the gas lamps that lined the paths in the garden. Enough light, so that as Angie helped the princess look, her fingers could slip ever so delicately slip in and search along her shiny sky blue gown.

**

Angie licked her lips slowly as she fantasied about the search. The girl bending down to look under a bush, Angie placing her knee sharply in a certain spot below the girl’s armpit, temporarily numbing her upper body. Allowing Angie enough time to pull off both her earrings without feeling it,( this also worked well on working off broaches placed in upper parts of gowns and dresses, not to mention necklaces!) The bracelet would be no problem; it would be the easiest and probably the first, snatched off while the rich girl’s attention was easily diverted away. Since she was not wearing silky gloves, her ring would be the trickiest, but manageable, by either having her walk too close to a water fountain and hopefully having her get her fingers wet, or by simple holding onto her hand and tripping her by stepping on her gowns hem. And just like that, Angie would become that much richer, the rich girl that much poorer. And it all would be done without giving the girl any additional stress, like say she had run into the two muggers Angie had chased off. They may not have been content with just the jewels of a girl dressed as she was that they had found wandering alone in the gardens at night.

**

As Angie excitedly thought about these things, she had trained her focus back upon her original meal ticket, whom for the second time that evening had almost been allowed to slip through Angie’s light fingers. Watching with half lidded eyes, the still dancing couple not unlike a wolf watches lambs, waiting for one to make an ill-fated move away from the flock. The lamb’s fate was sealed, when a vivacious blonde in a long wispy silken dress cut in on the dancing couple. Asking miss silver satin’s fiancé for a dance. He obliged, leaving his shimmering fiancée unaccompanied, nakedly exposed to the wolf that was Angie.

**

More than one way to skin a cat Angie thought, tingling from the thrill of the hunt her prey, now in a reachable situation. She happily headed towards the spot where Miss silver satin had moved off to. A small table, located conveniently by a powder room. One the way she grabbed a half full glass of red wine off a table. Angie circled around young miss silver satin, taking a position up about two table lengths behind her. She casually scoured the area; most of the nearby tables were deserted.

Knowing the band would stop playing soon for the evening; most of the couples were out on the dance floor. All in all, the situation presented the perfect opportunity for some one of Angie’s persuasion.

**

Angie watched as the young lady picked up a glittery silver clutch and opening it, started to search inside. Angie moved swiftly, catching up behind her , tripping intentionally into her, splashing some wine onto the front of the silver satin blouse as the unfortunate lady dropped her purse in surprise. Oh my gosh, I did not see you, miss silver satin pleaded apologetically to Angie, more concerned over Angie’s feelings than her soiled satin blouse. Angie accepted her apology and, producing a lacey silk handkerchief, began to wipe themselves both down.

Angie’s practiced eyes swiftly took it all in. Miss silver satin’s pretty earrings swaying out vulnerably from her long straggly hair as it fell into her face. The clasp of her necklace was also exposed and within easy grasp. A s she reached out for the floor to steady herself, Angie’s eyes took in the sparkling ring on her now wetted finger and then watched the wide bracelet with its’ easily open able clasp slip up glitteringly over her sleeve.

The girl, now thoroughly flustered, started to rise, tripping over her slippery long skirt( with no help from Angie) Angie caught her, taking advantage of the split second opening she had been waiting for and Angie took it, making her selection as she steadied the poor thing with one hand, as the other caressed along a slick silver satin back. Angie’s long supple fingers darted in and deftly did their trick, this time with no spiders interfering. She quickly removed her chosen glittery prize from the distracted lady, who never noticed so much as a prick as Angie removed the expensive piece from her person in the confusion.

**

Angie secreted he shiny jewel as she helped miss silver satin collect herself. Than they rose, and Angie happily accepted miss silver satin profuse and obviously well used, apology. Then, as she fumbled nervously with her thick glasses, Angie laid a calming hand upon her shoulder, her fingers relishing in the richness of her victims sleek ruffled blouse. Miss silver satin was by now so distracted and embarrassed that Angie was all but assured of a clean get away.

However, as an extra measure of caution Angie intentionally jarred silver satin’s elbow of the hand steadying her eye glasses. Thus sending her glasses falling from her face to the floor with a small clatter, then Angie kicked them under a table before the startled lady could react. Angie offered to help, but the lady implored that she was okay, just needed to find her glasses. Angie left as Miss silver satin started to frantically grope around for her glasses, her silver blouse and remaining jewels shimmering brightly along their miserable mistress..

Angie took her leave, knowing that once she found her glasses, Miss silver satin would flee for sanctuary into the ladies powder room, buying her more than enough time for Angie to make her escape. Taking one last look over the dance floor, she blithely saw that miss silver satins fiancé was still in the clutches of the vivacious blonde-haired girl, still safely out of the picture. Angie made her way with purpose to the rear exit leading to the garden that she had used earlier, intending to head out into the serenity garden to collect the hidden bracelet and pendent, adding them to her purloined plunder.

**

As she walked amongst the mostly deserted tables, her mind went to the woman in yellow taffeta and imagined that right about now she would be standing with raised arms and a forlorn look. Ruefully wincing as the man who was holding her mink busily stripped those luscious pearls from the neckline of her tight gown, as the shiny yellow material gleamed in the moonlight! Serves her right for being afraid of spiders, Angie thought unforgivingly.

***

Angie’s mind also went to the poor young princess in blue with the missing necklace. She looked towards the area she had headed, opposite of the back exit to the garden. She reluctantly decided not to push her luck, there was a sister and parents to contend with, and she really had no time left. So she decided to call it a day, a rather successful day, and made her way to retrieve her loot.

**

Angie had now reached the now deserted table by the back exit where the lady in the crimson gown and blood red rubies had been earlier, along with her rhinestone encumbered 10 year old daughter and handsome husband.

**

She paused between the table and the bench, something was not quite right, She eyed the area around the dance floor for any signs of trouble that may be centered on the quite valuable jewels now in her possession. All was quiet, except for a little murmur behind her. Turning she looked at the bench and was shocked to discover the soundly asleep ten year old, using the long rusty sable fur as a blanket. What have we here, Angie thought, licking her lips wickedly?

**

Angie pursed her lips, checking the coast; spotting the young girl’s parents, still on the dance floor, a safe distance away the other side of the room. No sign of miss silver satin. No one else was nearby. Perfect. She went over, bending down so the table hid her. The child looked so vulnerably innocent, sound asleep as she lay on her side, facing Angie. She was clutching an arm of the sable like a warm fuzzy teddy bear, her ring sparkling. Angie gently tugged the mink from the girl’s clasp, and gradually pulled until the fur swished away from along the inert silken figure on the bench, where it fell into a pile on the floor. The child looked very innocent, very vulnerable, like a sleeping princess. An earring lay exposed over one shoulder, her necklace dangled down slightly askew from her slender throat, the pin holding her sash, all of which shone brightly now that it was exposed to the low lights of the ballroom, still called out. Too bad, Angie thought to herself, too bad the mother had not dressed her little doll in real diamonds.

**

 

Angie again looked to the dance floor; she could see the mother’s jewelry twinkling brightly as the child’s parents danced close, very unaware of anything else but themselves. She looked back over the girl, contemplating. But the song was winding down, Angie stooped to pick up the sable, bird in hand she thought, and placing the rich fur over her arm, stood just as the song ended. Looking at the exit door, so near and yet so far, she started to hasten to it, but checked herself as the band immediately started another, rather slow song that Angie knew quite well.

**

She hesitated, incredibly, everyone was staying on the floor for the final dance, she looked back at the bench, and the sleeping imps exposed jewels still shined, tempting her to come for them. Angie knew that she would only have about four minutes. Always open to new challenges, Angie chose to answer that sweet little invite that the necklace was extending out to her. Checking once again to make sure the parents was still obliviously dancing; she laid the mink down by the door and eased back to the bench. Kneeling down, Angie began to perform the delicate operation.

**

Lifting up the necklace she gently tugged it loose from around the sleeping child’s neck until the clasp appeared. She subtly flicked open the clasp, then shamelessly slipped the necklace from around its perch on the little whelp’s throat. It flickered like some slithering shiny snake, glittering as it came away. Like taking candy from a baby, Angie drooled happily, as she let the necklace run along her fingertips while watching the sleeping princess for a few seconds.

**

Her fitted cream coloured dress shimmered with expensive richness in the shadowy light. The poor thing was so soundly asleep after her long exhausting day that Angie figured she could have peeled the dress off her without causing a stir. This for a pickpocket would be the ultimate test, the pinnacle of her criminal class. But, Angie thought; if she ever had the opportunity to do so, it would have to be worth her while, like a shiny gown, an appealing sky blue gown with half sleeves and scooped collar. And the jewels would be sapphire drop earrings, bracelet and ring, not plain rhinestones. She licked her lips at the enticing thought of such a perfect “coup fera”, than told herself to get back to work, time was money.

**

She slipped her hand along the satin cape being used as a pillow and felt under the girls head until she felt the cold earring she was laying upon. Deftly undoing the screw she pulled it free, watching with delight as it came out from underneath.

**

Angie than, gently lifted, and nimbly stroked back the girl’s ultra-soft hair, exposing her long silvery earring. She pulled the jewel out and laid it out upon the child’s shoulder, where it lay, shimmering vibrantly. Then she reached in with her fingers and began unscrewed its clasp. Pulling it free she added it to her growing collection. She next lifted the hand that had held the warm sable, gently prying open her clenched fingers. The sleeping child never stirred. Angie gently slipped off the glittering ring. She then peeled back a silky sleeve, checking for the bracelet, finding her wrist was bare. The rest of the jewels were hiding securely on the side she was laying upon. Smiling wickedly to herself, an idea popped into Angie’s head.

**

The music was now almost to the halfway point, and Angie thought for a brief second that she should leave . Another quick scan assured her the coast was still clear, and Angie decided to press her luck, eagerly going back to work, putting her idea into motion.

Angie fingers felt along the sleeping child’s waist until she located the brooch. Quickly unfastening the brooch from the chocolate satin sash, she pulled it out. Watching as the diamonds caught fire and burst into vibrant life, unusually vivid for plain rhinestones she thought contemplatively. Angie plopping it in with the growing pile of the sleeping girls purloined baubles. Again reaching in along the warm waist, Angie gradually tugged at the now undone sash. The sleeping girl, unconsciously obliged by turning over on her other side, as the sash was pulled away.

**

Her arm with the ring and bracelet was now exposed. Lifting the arm , and peeling back the puffy sleeve, Angie found and unclasped the bracelet, slipping it away, then allowing it to dangle in triumph before letting it join its purloined mates. Then lifting the child’s hand she pulled at the ring, it was a little tight. Angie licked her fingers, and moistened the girls finger, than began slipping the ring off ever so gently from the along her finger. Almost there, Angie thought, as the ring joined its abducted companions in her pocket.

 

**

As Angie finished pocketing the last of the girls jewels, her victim whimpers something discernible in her sleep, her small hand feeling to pull up the missing warm sable she had been using as a blanket. Angie quickly looked around, spying a cheap linen coat hanging on a nearby hook, she grasped it and laid it over the stirring girl, stroking her for a precious few seconds. Then rising, calmly Angie snatched a shiny purse from the table, and moved off, unbelieving of her luck. She reclaimed the sable fur, and strolled out the door without looking back.

**

As Angie closed the door she heard the last notes of the song waning from inside. She licked her lip, that was close, but her luck had held. Now all that remained was to visit the Cupid Statue In the garden to reclaim her other prizes. As she reached the statue, Angie realized that she still had the child’s satin sash in her hand.

She smiled as she tied it, blindfolding the cupid statues eyes. Retrieving and pocketing the now stone cold diamond bracelet, and the young Princess in blue’s necklace with its shimmering pendent, she slowly looked around, the cost was clear. Angie coolly made her way to the gate, the bored guard offering to help her with the mink she was carrying. , Angie stopped, and handed it to him. Then turning, allowed him to help her on with it. He puffed out his chest as Angie gave him a sweet smile; she thanked him, then turned and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

**

Angie disappeared from view into the foggy evening, relishing the warmth of the sensuous sable. Happily contemplating the small fortune in jewels it had been in contact with earlier that evening, and also the small fortune she had walked out of the reception with in her possession.

**

The guard watched the spot for some time where the pretty lady in the expensive fur had vanished in the mists. He fantasized for a good few minutes, wondered what had been behind the enchantingly secret smile she had given to him.

Excuse me, sir?, a female voice coming from the garden startles him, he had never heard anyone coming.

He turns, catching an eyeful of a long glamourous, brown satin gown, worn fetchingly by a willowy short haired pretty young thing. Diamonds blazed from around her throat, caught by the gas lights, and from around her white satin gloved wrists as she raised her hands in a pleading fashion.

She continues, pointing to a young girl in a smashing blue satin gown, bending over looking for something in the bushes. My sister lost her necklace and pendent while playing around here earlier, did you or anyone find it? She asked in a rather seductive tone of voice9 not a common, it was her regular voice)

No lady, no one turned in a necklace. Thank you sir, and she turns away, her gown flowing out behind her.

He watches for a minute as she and her sister both move elegantly down the path, continuing their search.

He sighed, and turns away, babysitting rich dames he mutters under his breath, what a dismal way to make a living. Why won’t this affair ever end he asked himself, as he reached for his silver pocket watch to check the time. Damnations he said, not finding it nor its chain and fob, must have dropped it in the alley earlier where I had gone for a nipper from his flask. He sauntered off quickly to the alley located in the direction Angie had disappeared, abandoning his post.

Soon after, a pair of dark figures who had been walking on the opposite side of the street, and had stopped to loiter when they spied the guard talking to some posh broad in a shiny brown dress, saw the guard leaving his post. They quickly stole with sinister intent across the road and entered into the gardens, disappearing into the darkness.

*********************************************************************************

This ended up being Angie’s first big score, She got more for the rhinestone set then she had imagined, the small brooch taken off the brown satin sash had proved to have real diamonds in its center! Also the princess in silky sky blue’s pendent and chain had fetched a nice tidy sum. The jewels lifted from the ladies in Green and Silver also realized quite a handsome profit, as did the sable and purse.

if one includes the real diamond ring slipped off the finger of a silky dressed debutante from the prom show and her rather nice haul of a slim pearl necklace and diamond pin from the Opera, the whole weekend was unimaginably successful.

**

From the profit realized, she had been able to spend a pleasant month away in Monte Carlo, even indulging in the purchase of a rich red wine coloured taffeta gown to wear.

Which she pleasantly found that, when paired with her deftly acquired collection of dripping rhinestone diamond jewelry, she attracted wealthy young males with expensive gold watches and fat wallets like honey bee drones to a bright moss rose.

**

She also enticed a long raven haired, Miss, richly clad in emerald silk, to enter into her snare.

But Angie did not make an entirely clean get away. For the last jewel to be taken was the girl’s brooch , and before Angie could hide it with the rest, the girl spotted its’ glitter in Angie’s hand, and with a gasp had looked down on her dress at the now vacant spot where it had been dangling ever so provocatively for Angie all evening.. Angie smiled at the girl as she had looked up in confusion. The girl had placed a hand to her throat, startled when feeling it bare of her necklace. She looked at Angie in hurt confusion, her eyes wide with fright. Angie placed a finger to the girl’s lips, hushing any fuss she may have been thinking of making over her missing jewelry, and turning her back to the forlorn miss, Angie left, not looking back….

**

But that was a story for another day, so we were promised by Angie, giving us an all too familiar look of devious satisfaction at making us wait.

.************************************************************************************

Editor’s Notes:

Our Thanks to Mr. J. Gardner for pointing out the existence of Mr. Monescu’s 1826 guide

If you enjoyed our little story, please like and leave a comment.

And if you wish, describe what intrigued you the most about it…

Thank You

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These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

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We accept no responsibility

LNER class 800 Azuma no. 800102 heads south towards Holgate Junction on the York avoiding line on 29th December 2022 with 1E11, an Aberdeen to Kings Cross service. Due to extensive engineering works taking place during the Christmas/New Year period, trains were unable to enter the station from the north. Passengers for York were detrained at Northallerton for a bus service onwards.

To avoid confusion with two buses heading through the City with the same number, buses going in the same direction out of the City ran from the same stops, services like the 12, 13 and 37 from Friar Lane serving Beeston whilst Processional Way hosted most of the Clifton and West Bridgford services.

 

402 enjoys a breather on Processional Way with a 12 to Wolds Estate via Trent Bridge and West Bridgford.

Down near Fairwood Jct a rather clean Thunderer with black roof, a particular favourite, heads for Paddington from the South West, 6th August 1985.

When we go out someplace crowded, like shopping at the mall, we have to disguise ourselves or the paparazzi will be all over us ! LOL

 

A crowd of summer escapees at Oneonta Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. I thought I would avoid this by going out on a Thursday and for a few brief minutes I did, but then the crowds rolled in. Despite its relative seclusion, this falls actually gets a lot of traffic, maybe because it tends to be 20 degrees cooler in the gorge by the falls than out on the road. Normally I do not mind the crowds so much, sort of comes with the territory. I used to be of the opinion that I couldn't stand a person in one of my landscape shots, but that was pretty early on. I eventually discovered that, often the interaction of people with their environment can produce some unique photographs. Depending on the frame of mind I am in, or the result I am going for, I will purposely wait for people to wander out of the frame...or into it. But I always find it ... amusing when people show no hesitation in walking or standing in front of an obviously set up tripod with a camera on it, even when the photographer (me in this case) is clearly in the middle of taking a photo. I do not let it bother me much though, as I figure if they want to stand in front of my tripod then they must want their picture taken. ;-) So naturally, I took pictures of the crowd. I actually like this shot too. Bonus.

 

Now for a bit of a shocker, at least to those who follow my stream. This is a digital image. Shot with a borrowed Nikon D1X, mainly because I was lent a Tiffen 87 Infrared filter and I wanted to experiment with some digital infrared. I have been eager to do that for some time, just had not gotten the appropriate filter. As I have said before though, cameras are cameras. Different ways of making pictures. There I things I like and dislike about this method. In particular the camera is not all that great. Shooting in RAW and the largest acceptable print I could make without upsizing is an 8x12?! Yikes. Poor battery life, big and clunky. Guess I am spoiled by my Nikon FM2 and wooden pinhole(both of which together cost less than half of what this D1X did just a few years ago). ;-) Not to mention the noise and other artifacts, though in this case I actually like them, they are most noticeable in the water, and give the image an interesting look I think. I am not of the opinion that every photo needs to be perfect in every way, from sharpness to lack of noticeable grain/noise, etc to be a good photo. Sometimes in fact it is a picture's imperfections that make it a great photo. A great example of this is the famous shot of D-Day that Robert Capa took. Though the blurring of that picture was not really his fault or intention. I think if it hadn't been "ruined" in the darkroom it would have been a less impressive photo. But that is just my opinion.

 

30 second exposure by the way.

BSRFC Vs Sedgley Park RFC

The Wager..

 

…..

Prologue

“Sigh, Here goes it then, “he probably is still at that bar” …… I said with a slight hesitation, but with no whine in me voice ( for the record). I then promptly turned away and moved off , wading my way back inside…

……

The tale

Ten minutes later …

 

I finally was able to make an approach up to the long scarred oaken bar, after weaving my way amongst the countless numbers of mingling guests, all dolled up for the evening. So I guess that is why I was not quite successfully keeping my focus on the task at hand that was inadvertently before to me..

 

Finally reaching me destination, I Ordered an old fashion (with rye ) and sat down next to him and said pleasantly.” how is it going Mate?”

 

He had been studying the dance floor, but at my greeting sighed and pulled himself away to look me up an down with a rather suspicious eye.

 

I met his gaze squarely, still smiling, avoiding the impulse to stare at the lit cigarette dangling from his lip. Being a pipe man meself ,I was a wee bit opinioned when it came to sloppy cigarettes smokers, especially those who left the bloody things cheekily in their mouths at all times.

 

“Wotcher” he said, a bit snidely I thought, since I was just trying to be friendly.

“Do I know you Guv?” He quizzically added.

 

“ Sorry.” I admitted, “ Thought you looked like a bloke I knew up Manchester way.”

 

“Not from there am I , guv !” He stated rather dismissively.

 

I ploughed on… “Well, one can’t always be right, can one?”

 

“Just getting a drink” I continued,” I see yours is out, whatcha be having ?”

 

“Highball” he said smartly, and turned back away. For some reason I was not surprised at the blokes drink of choice.

 

He certainly was most interested in the goings on the ballroom dance floor! I caught the Keeps eye and indicated a refill was in order for my new found ‘mate’.

  

By then I had mine and I took a long, gloriously settling, sip. “That’s better” I sighed, a bit too deeply probably, but my new acquaintance, with full attention back on the ballroom dance floor, paid my comments no heed.

  

He hadn’t asked me name, which was fine by me, kept me from having to remember the one I would have had to ‘ave made up. Nor did I care to know this blokes name either, though I was harboring a pretty good guess that it would be a rather recognizable one, either mentopned from the telly or tomorrow’s fish and chip wrappers.

  

But I could see I had lost the chaps attention….

  

“Pretty” I said following his gaze.

  

“What ‘s pretty ?!” he stated sharply, not diverting his watchful eyes.

  

I noticed that they were a bit shifty, his eyes, like a sly, watchful fox, and that they moved with a rapid constancy. Think a young Trevor Howard with Peter Lorre’s eyes, and you have the chap to a T!

  

“The dancers, mate” I said, “this lot is dressed rather elegantly tonight!.”

  

He peeled his eyes off the dancers twirling and swishing about, and turned slowly to me, a bit scornfully , “what did you expect guv, its full dress tonight, that’s why you and I have these monkey suits on, taint it?”

  

“Indeed sir” , I said agreeably with what I hoped was a winningly sincere voice, though down deep, to meself, I felt this prig deserved anything but politeness. Still I carried on, trying to be friendly.

  

“That lass in the green is pretty” I remarked, nodding in a direction by the far corner of the floor to where a rather petite lady with black hair, prettily clad in a shiny bit of a green gown, black glasses owlishly perched on her nose, and displaying a rather nice little set of shimmering emeralds, was dancing with a bird like bloke wearin ,of all things, a scarlet red vest.

  

“Personally, I like the way her emerald jewelry sets off against her gown!”, I added whilst pointed her out…

  

He had gotten his drink, and I noticed he had half drained it in one gulp, and set it down without a kind word, like say, thank you..! He was on his way to a real bender if he kept up with that pace I thought, eyeing the two other, empty glasses, collected at his elbow on the bar top!

  

He had gone back to his eyeing of the ballroom’s inhabitants, I could see his eyes flitting about.

  

“Whasat” he finally said, “The gangly bird dancing with cock robin? Yah,I suppose so.” He snorted at his own remark.

  

Then looking at me for a long second, he continued on.. “Like her jewels do ya than mate?” he said not bothering to hide the snideness in his comment .. “ Meself, Guv, I notice more than a sweetie’s bloody jewels !” He again chuckled dryly at his presumed wit, I did not choose to join in..

  

“Occupational hazard I guess, noticing jewelery .” ,I admitted, choosing not to expound on my drinking partner’s opinion, “I own a small jewelry shoppe on the village green.” “Nothing much, but it pays one’s rent.”

  

That opened him up a bit….

“I guess than a gent like you would prattle on about jewels” “Is that what brings you alone here these evening?” “I aint seen you out dancing with anyone.” There was definitely insinuation behind his words, but, therin, laid a delicate path I dared not explore, lest my incipient plan blew up in my face.

  

I gave no reply, and after the observation was spoken, let him continue on in his dry, sniping tone that I was beginning to realize was his normal manner of speech!

  

“So you just want a bit of a peek at what you sell guv?” “ Me, I just like lookin at the whole bleedin package, iffin you get my drift !!”

  

And giving me a weaselly little grin, he nudged me with his elbow with a mirthless cackling laugh , then turned his attention raptly back onto the thronging occupants of the dance floor..

  

Spotting a possible opening, I delved into the breach. Sink or swim time.

  

“So what do you do when you are not attending these rather posh affairs?” I asked, trying to keep a wedge in our conversation. Even though the answer was pretty obvious from the blighters manner of dress, and baby smooth manicured fingers!

  

“Nuttin” he said through gritted teeth, never diverting his gaze to me, “Don’t hafta work like a regular Git, gets a small allowance from me father don’t I! Not much though, old parental gents are too cheap by half if you ask me, livin in the stone age where moneys concerned!!” He literally spat out the last few words.

  

“Shame” I sympathetically pretended to agree , “but still”, and raisin my glass, said “cheers to being able to keep a roof over one’s head.”

  

We both drained our glasses in salute and I ordered another round.

  

After we were served, my new ‘friend’ , out of the side of his mouth since his eyes were glued back on the ballroom dancers stated wryly, “You like’n them emeralds? Guv ” , and I could see his eyes were again stuck on watching the lady elegantly wearing,( in me own humble opinion), the green satin offset with her brite glittering emeralds. “A bit too mousey for my taste”, He continued, “ole 4 eyes there, still, I wouldn’t say no to admire’in what she has under that shiny dress!” And he let out another little snort at his crude witticism.

  

Crude apparently being a trademark of all this Bloke’s remarks!

  

I choose to ignore his rather rude comment, and went on, trying to remain unruffled by my new friends rather blunt outlook on the fairer sex !

  

“I admire any gemstones that I can sell my dear sir.” I said causally, delicately, “ but there are other things that I will also allow to command my interest.”

  

“ Wjats you on about then?” He asked, reluctantly taking his eyes from the dance floor and placing his attention fully back onto me, as he looked me over like he had just now noticed I was there!.

  

I remembered thinking, yeah ya bleedin prig, two free drinks and not a thank you in sight. Picked a winner here, I did! But when I spoke, my words and manner of speech did not betray any of me thoughts.

  

“Well”, I admitted rather sheepishly, “In my line of work I come across many alerts from the constabulary about ladies who have had jewels come up missing, and asked to keep an open eye out.”

  

He looked suspiciously at me.. “The bobbies ask YOU about it?” he questioned.

  

“No” I admitted, “all jewelers receive the same circulars.” “But you see, the thing that peaks my curiosity at these events is to try and catch one in action!”

  

“Catch one what guv ?” he asked quizzically.

  

“Thief !“ I announced in a ‘everyone one knows’ tone of voice’,..

  

“You see lad, a good many circulars describe how ladies lose a bit of their jewelry at functions like these from time to time. It is assumed that the expensive pieces just had bad clasps, but me, I am not so sure that is the case, for it appears to happen far too frequently in these parts!”

  

“What else would it be guv?” He asked, his sluggish curiosity, finally, peaking !

  

“Well” I said, leaning in to him rather conspiratorially, “ I have come to a conclusion that there is a fraction of thieves out there that are able to lift jewels being worn by ladies, like these being worn here tonight, without being caught in the act! And I attend functions like these on the off chance to see if my thesis is correct.”

  

“Thesis?” my rather cheeky friend asked, not getting the drift. “

  

I sighed inwardly, thinkin entirely to me self that we will be here all evening if I have to explain everything to this most likely privately schooled, but still uneducated Git! I decided to go easy on the verbage with him from now on !

  

“Theory lad, a belief that, say, our lady yonder in the green frock could possibly be parted from her emeralds by one of her dance partners, if the bloke was of the mindset to acquire them in that manner.”

“And since she wouldn’t be suspecting it, said dance partner may have an eye for her necklace, and slip the emeralds away from around her very throat without her even noticing, until he was either long gone, or the emeralds returned to her !” I explained calmly.

  

“ You sayin guv?” “ that that swarmy cock robin bloke dancin with that skrawny 4 eyed bird, may be after her necklace?”

“Rot!” he smirked , taking his eyes off of the couple and onto me , “nigh impossible to do such a thing!”

“Besides”, he continued on, “ If someone was that interested in her jewels, why not just follow her out and do a complete job of it !?”

  

“A lot more risk involved being caught doin it that way Mate, not to mention it being rather obvious that she is being robbed! No, to do it this way a thief could come away scot free with the goods without any suspicions falling upon himself.” I stated in a quite logical tone of voice.

  

“But, a bloke would have to be a rather quick fingered one, like a pickpocket wouldn’t he now?” He questioned, his eyes back on the dancing couple.

  

And have someone to practice on, I thought to meself before answering…

 

“Nay my good sir,” I assured, “I think it could be done by the most common of thieves, I bet even non-thieves like you or I could do it with some success!”

  

“Blimey mate, your still half cracked barmy for even thinking that way!”

  

He sneered, but I saw him take a long, speculative look at the green satin clad lady, being waltzed merrily along the dance floor, completely unawares that she and her nicely shimmering emeralds had become such a rather unscrupulous topic line of speculation!

  

“Ten quid lad!” I said quietly under my breath.

  

“Whots that then mate?” He perked up while addressing me quizzically, “Tenner for what?”

  

“Ten quid Says I could lift that particular lady’s pretty necklace straight away, and not be caught out in the process?”

  

He thought about it for one long minute, finishing his drink in the meantime. “Don’t know guv, Bobbies may frown upon that!”

  

I countered, trying to set the hook in deep, figuring a bit of creative lying would be in good order to ease away his concerns.

  

“Not if I don’t get caught lad, and that necklace is only a cheap imitation. She probably got it out of a cracker jack box ,and being chintzy, she wouldn’t be surprised at the clasp breaking away an it falling as she danced, if sayin she would happen to noticed my amateur attempt, would she now?”

  

I could see he was mulling something over as I spoke, as his limp cigarette was bobbing up and down still clamped in his pursed lips. It was certainly a long time coming together, this blokes imaginary skills!

  

He finally nodded towards the lady in green, happily being swished around the dance floor in all of her innocence bliss, her emeralds making a nice show of it, sparkling on like they were , just crying out to be noticed and admired, which they were, and perhaps soon that sparkling cry would be hushed by an admirer !

  

“Suppose that gangly 4 eyed bird looks gullible enough to try it out on. Probably too shy, so won’t make too much fuss when she catches you trying!” He looked at me. “ And make no mistake bloke , you will be caught… and then I wouldn’t know you from Adam ! Make it two for one guv, and you are on a bet!” He snarked..

  

And like that, the hook was set ! Though, blimey, I had seen carp from the ‘Myths’ finally taking bait with less subtly!!

  

“Capital!” I acknowledged, “I like a good challenge!”

  

I arose, straightening my jacket and tie, and looking at the lady wearing the green gown, I commented, half encouraging to meself, “You are on lad!” And marched myself off to the dance floor.

  

The current song was ending and I caught up with my quarry as she began nicely swishing her way off the dance floor.

  

I had observed she had been dancing with several different partners , making that note after she had first attracted my interest, and saw she was now, once again, alone.

  

Laying fingers gently upon a green satin clad shoulder, I gently touched her from behind. She turned and with a rather fetching demure look ,caste me a pair of questioning hazel coloured eyes. Said eyes were rather enticingly enlarged by being behind the thick lensed black glasses she was wearing.

  

“Care to dance?” I asked, with some earnest, after all ten quid is ten quid!

  

She smiled, laying upon me an aire of innocence that rather took me aback for an instance…,then said sweetly “I am a bit worn out just now sir”

  

My heart dropped down to my feet at that!

  

Seeing my disappointment, then she continued with a perked smile, placing a gloved hand to her throat and playing with the very necklace, one which decidedly, despite my earlier comments, would not have come from a crackerjack box!

  

“I be guess ‘in that I can’t see what harm one more dance could do, would it then ?”

  

She spoke with a rather soft sort of Irish brogue, that was second generation at best, but had me hooked with its lyrical lilt! “Brilliant!” I said with heartfelt meaning, and led her back to the wooden dance floor as the orchestra was getting ready to start playing again.

  

A slow dance started up and I took her in my arms, keeping a discreet, friendly distance between us.

  

We made small talk, though I avoided talking anything about jewelry. Trying to think like a thief, I was figuring in me mind that if the plan was to be carried out with success, I, and my victim, needed to stay well away off the subject of the jewels she was wearing!.

  

I did, however, manage to steal several discreet glances at her necklace, a pretty thing, thin gold chain, set with a single row of emeralds divided by small sparkly chips of diamonds. It had a loose lay around her neck, bouncing easily along their perch, which was just nicely above the girl’s tightly satin clad chest. By the manner in which the necklace was moving about, It should slip off rather easily, if I was to now be judge of such matters!

  

After a few random comments concerning the evening’s doings, I complimented her on her pretty hair.

  

Which it was, pretty I mean, strikingly black, falling softly down to her shoulders where its curled ends swayed with a most delighting motion, not to mention the long emerald earrings that kept peeking in and out as they swung merrily from her hair.

  

I removed my hand from round her waist and lifted a lock with my left hand in emphasis, taking the opened opportunity to study her necklaces clasp, and to re-set my hand upon her rather sensuous feeling back side, gently laying it nonchalantly just below her shoulder. She appeared not to notice the change.

  

She ate it up, giggling with pleasure, flicking her hair back, sending the pair of those lovely ,longish earrings sparkling alongside her enchanting face, the whole effect made even more lively with those eyeglass magnified, doe like wide eyes!

   

She was quite a vexing, most charming thing, my dance partner, and the conversation flowed easily between us. She appeared to be an absolutely sweetly trusting soul, and I, with some slight reservation, made the most of it!

  

My hand twas still rested upon her back, and I slowly allowed it to travel upwards, watching for any sign of skittishness from my dance partner.

  

But she continued on chatting away, accepting smiles from me as silent answers , which was just as well, for my mind was set on other things, and any conversation requiring me too think out an answer would have intruded on my concentration, hampering me on the way of acquiring her necklace, and winning the ten quid wager!

  

Her long satin gown felt like heaven under my fingertips, and I was beginning to become pleasantly mesmerized by the manner in which it fluidly swished and fluttered around us as we danced. I had been waiting for an opening, when I realized that the dance music was in its final chords..

  

I decided I had go for it now! So I forced out a comment about one of the blokes sitting at the bar ( far from my fellow conspirator!), her eyes sought and found the gent out, then she fetchingly giggled in agreement to my observation.

  

Meanwhile my fingers had deftly reached up to the end of the gold chain hanging down from her necklaces clasp.

  

Ever so slowly I had been pulling it down, like one would a lampshade chain, and the whole affair obligingly slithered quite willingly descended on the slick backside of the smooth surface of its’ mistresses conveniently chosen gown, soon placing the clasp in my grasping fingers.

  

At the same time I was watching the necklace with its flickering emeralds and diamonds, from the front, as her head had been turned towards the bar. I noticed how the necklace was moving up, smoothly slithering along the sleek material of her pretty gown, praying it would not catch and draw her attention! The sparkling little beauty behaved, and gave its’ unawares mistress no fair warning!!

  

We twirled around and I led her to a far corner where a group of fake trees were clustered, giving me a bit of haven from the possibility of being seen making my final move!

  

My earlier peek had showed me that I knew the type of her necklaces’ clasp, now wedged in my fingertips, and having worked on many like it, believed this one presented no problem.

  

So it twas, with surprising ease given me nervousness, the out of sight clasp nicely popped opened, leaving one end of the expensive necklace laying over her shoulder, resting like a shimmery snake in the green grass, as it laid out upon her shiny green gown.

  

Then, in quick fashion, timing it perfectly as the song ended, I bought her willingly into a friendly hug thanking her, whilst at the same moment whisked away her necklace from around the high neckline of her satin gown, smooth as sliding a melting ice cube across the surface of a piping hot griddle! It easily slipped off, then fell safely away and was securely stowed away into a tux pocket before we had fully broke apart.

  

Shamelessly I smiled into her eyes. “Thank you luv, that was rather nice of you !” I told her in all sincerity. Removing my left hand from me pocket, and delicately took her green gloved one up to shake!

  

She looked down at our hands for one brief second, and I eyed the quite glaringly empty spot where her rather fine necklace of emeralds and diamonds had until so very recently had been dangling. Could it really be that easy I thought curiously to meself over it , briefly wondering also what would be in a real thief’s mind at successfully reaching this point!

  

She looked back up and smiled winningly at me as I innocently looked into her eyes. I could a bit guiltily tell she was truly clueless as to what had just transpired. She chirped back with her rich Irish brogue…” Pleasure was all mine, to be sure, kind sir, thank ye for the quite lovely dance, but now its time for a restin of weary feet ya know.” She slipped her hand, hesitantly I thought, from mine.

  

And with that she turned and I watched for a rather few elongated seconds as she swished her way off, almost wishing to meself that at the last minute she would notice the necklaces’ absence.

  

And in me mind I imagined be given a second dance as a reward for finding her lost necklace, or perhaps something even better may come of it …!

  

But she didn’t notice and was gone, soon melting in with the crowd on the opposite fringe of the wooden dance floor. And all my imaginings evaporated with her…

  

I found me heart was pounding, and I forced meself to turn away, and head back before any undue attention was given to me, THERE standing there like a loon with the lady’s still warm necklace in me jackets’ pocket! Some thief! We hadn’t even exchanged names, which would have been a quite natural thing to do if one was trying not to appear doing anything out of the ordinary! It’s a wonder she hadn’t noticed and start to wonder… Maybe she was? And I pictured how she had played with the necklace as I had asked her to dance. Blimey, I wasn’t out of the woods yet, was I!.

  

I made me way quickly to my newly made mate at the bar , intending to collect me winnings.

  

“That was easy!” I lied as I regained my seat and took a long sip of me drink, trying to appear calm..

  

“Codswallop” He said unhappily, not bothering to reach for his billfold! “ Knew the twit was gullible, but not that stupid, she never cought on , did she now?”

  

“Apparently not.” I admitted. “ But it does prove true what I was saying earlier, and if a rank armature like me could pull it off, then just think about what a regular thief could do, rather proved me point, don’t it now!”

  

“Its not Cricket guv.” Was his response, and he drained his glass and set it down sharply

  

He singled to the Barkeep by fidgeting with his empty glass, ordering another. Just for himself, apparently buying others a drink was not in this Blokes mindset, as well as paying off his depts.!

  

“Bye the bye, what do you do now with her necklace guv?” He asked accusingly, looking down at his fresh drink. “Or are you one of them thieves…!?”

  

“Not hardly sir, I’ll turn it over to security at the door, found it just laying here on the floor don’tcha know sir…” I mimicked.

  

Then ,with a co-conspirator’s smile, I lied again.. “Like I said me lad, it’s a cheap bit of rhinestones! Otherwise I probably would have been too nervous to accomplish it!”

  

He hesitated, I could see he was stalling about something, and I rather guessed it was over paying out , on the wager he had lost, which I had hinted at!

  

Not surprisingly, he avoided my hint, by asking one of his own..“ You think anyone can do what you just did guv?”

  

“Certainly mate” I said, “Look, she hasn’t even caught on!”

  

We both looked over at the lady in green. She had reappeared, joining a group at the far end, and no one being actually aware of anything amiss, let alone her own innocent self! Though I had to admit that I found the necklace’s absence from around her throat quite a glaring concern… But I remained calm about it ! The longer she took to notice, the less likely she would connect its loss with our dance, I reasoned with meself, almost feeling into the part of a suave jewel thief one see’s acting out on the telly…!

  

Turning to my co-conspirator, I said, half to convince me self, “I tell you lad, women think their jewels are safe whilst being worn. The last thought any of em would suspect is that someone can lift their jewels off and be away..! That’s my theory on how thieves with light fingers could operate on in my humble, uneducated opinion, and manage to get away jewels for keeps, not just to win ten quid on a bet!”.

  

I could tell that something was churning about in my now, quite liquored, friend’s narrow mind.

  

He turned his eyes away from the lady in shiny green gown, .. “Okay guv, You got away with it, but would youn be willing to double your winnings that It could be done again by you, say what?”

  

“Tell you what lad” I said turning the heat up on the situation. “ Lets make it more interesting, raise the ante to fifty on you trying it yourself next, victim of your choosing, and I will double it if you come clean away?!”

  

He picked up his drink, taking thoughtful sips, still studying my face, as his mind continued churning things about… “Actually guv, 100, two to one , that how sure you are I could do it? “

  

I whistled softly under me breath for emphasis, ”That’s about all I have !” I replied, appearing a bit hesitant.

  

“Com’on Guv, a rich jeweler like yourself!” He nudged me again, and let out a snide cackle, the cigarette still dangling from a sneering lip.

  

“Anyting but rich mate, but you are on!” I pulled out my notecase and counted out £ 100 in a pile, letting him see the thick wad of notes remaining ! “ Yours I said, if you dare try and are successful!”

  

And I shook is hand, watching a rather foxy grin spread all over his weasley face ,he openly drooled over the healthy pile of pound notes, his sodden cigarette bouncing up and down quite vigorously in his pursed lips.

  

Not a good poker player, are ye lad I thought to meself, keeping my face in an easy grin that no way betrayed what I was thinking !

  

I continued on..

“Whom do you have in mind?” I asked looking around with a conspirator’s aire?”

  

Soon I spied a rather easy mark of a gangly young lass, admirably wearin a tawny coloured taffeta gown, her tightly worn frock appearing as slick an easy a material to slip away jewelry off of as the green gown my victim was wearing so winningly! And this lass was wearing a simple, longish string of polished pearls, fastened with an uncomplicated hook –in-eye clasp!

  

I nodded his attention over in her direction, drawing his eyes from the money pile! “That fetchin lass over there in brown, one with them pearls, looks to be an easy enough one, dontcha think?”

  

He shook his head no, “ Nah, I think that blokes ‘er husband , and he looks a rather nasty git!” As he said this, his now drooping eyes had sought out and been staring at someone else.

  

“There, that lass in blue near to her!” he smirked, “the one dancing with the prat in white!”

  

I looked over, and acted as if I had just noticed her, though it had been pretty obvious that she was the one my ‘friend’ had had his watchful eye on all evening. I had just wrote it down to a rather jealous infatuation of a stranger .

  

She was a diminutive lass, rather provocatively wearin a short sky brite blue dress of sleeky silk, tightly outlining her not too un eye pleasing figure.

  

She was also openly sporting a nice collection of diamonds!

  

Authentic diamonds consisting, of a rather eye catching bib like, 3 tiered blazingly rippling necklace with matching earrings and bracelet, all glittering and sparkling with priceless prickles of colourful fire as she moved about. She also was wearing a vulgarly large diamond on her pinky, but all her other fingers were bare.

  

I kept mum about her jewels being risky real, and I wished him good luck, whilst appearing somewhat doubtful he could pull it off.

  

Because, for one, mine at least obligingly had her necklace laid entirely along the collar of her gown, but this one in blue had a ruffled scooped collar, her necklace laid out above totally on the bare skin of her throat!

  

Granted the skin glistened with a bit of sweat, which may make it a bit more doable, but mine had been entirely resting upon her green gown, never touching her warm flesh with it’s cooler gems!

  

This one, I wouldn’t have picked her for a first attempt! Not even a second or third attempt. It would take a master thief ( if they actually existed) to lift away that necklace off from a girl dressed as such! And in spite of all my assurances to my drinking mate, he was no master at anything, even sober, the caddish prig..!

  

That money may be as good as mine, if I could pry his hands from it!!

  

But, in the seconds that me mind played this out, he had quickly gotten up and beelined to her, cutting in abruptly and sending her dance partner wearing the unfortunate white tux, scuttling off.

  

Subtly , not! I thought, bull in a china shop that one!

  

I watched with wonder as they danced, the smoke from his limp dangling cigarette blowing hazy smoke into her face, and she scrunched her nose unhappily each time he did so.

  

He made her dance close, and had wrapped one hand, snake like, up and around her bare shoulder, his lips whispering close in her ears. She looked rather like a skittish colt, but surprisingly appeared accepting of her unfortunate fate of a dance partner.

  

But, by Jove, despite all his cheekiness , lack of sophistication and his victims unease, the twit actually started to pull it off!

  

His hand travelled up along her backside until it reached flesh and gruffly trying to pry open her necklaces jeweled clasp.

  

I really don’t know how she never felt it.

  

But, apparently, she didn’t and before one could blink (or wince), he had the jeweled clasp worked opened and had pulled the glittering necklace of diamonds up and over her shoulder!

  

His backside was now to me, and I watched the necklace, like a shimmering waterfall, drip dangling down from his fist behind her, its glittering diamonds back-dropped nicely by the blue coloured slick material of her dress.. Surprisingly, no one else saw it in the seconds before he managed to stow it roughly away in a side jacket pocket !

  

I watched him turn her around in his arms until he was able to make eye contact with me, and I saw him give me quite the ‘thumbs up’ look of triumph.

  

He then abruptly left her ,not even botherin to finish the song even, the twit was that much in haste!

  

And in that haste to make it back to the money pile, pretty much plowed over the green gowned lass, whose purloined necklace was now residing in my pocket! I reached into that pocket and reassuringly felt that necklace with me fingers as I watched.

  

Now, so abrupt was the encounter on the dance floor, that the poor lass’s glasses were knocked off, and she stumbled against him as she bent down to retrieve them.. He pushed her unsteady figure aside, as she looked up to him for unoffered assistance, causing her to fall onto her knees. As others came to her rescue, he walked away without a backwards glance, and came over to me, smirking widely with a pouncy, self-satisfied look upon his ( rather punch able at that point ) smug face.

  

Pay it up lad he said with a rather churlish grin… and I uneasily picked up the thick pile of notes and handed it to him. Than pulling out my notecase, extracted another £ 100 and handed it over also.

  

Apparently, he had all but forgotten the tenner he owed me for my venturous efforts earlier, but I let that sleeping dog lay quiet like.

  

“Nicely done.” old chap I freely lied , “Don’t forget to turn it in, im sure the lady will eventually be a missing that pretty piece.”

  

“No worries guv, she’ll get it back in due course!” and he slapped me on the backside as he gleefully counted my £ 200 worth of pound notes, looking all the world like a crafty cat who had eaten the gilded canary!

  

He was so sure of imself during the whole endeavor that I suppose warning bells should have been going off like gangbusters , but I gave no outward sign, my demeanor remaining icy calm, not an easy trick I will say at that place and time!.

  

I Just causally rose, and shaking his greasy, sweaty palm ( the one not tightly holding me money), lied again by sayin “ Smartly played”, and in turning, Saw that the diminutive lass in blue was gone from the scene, and so also missing appeared to be my lass in green with the thick glasses.

  

“Pity.” , I said to meself, would have liked to have ad a final look over at her, and her fine green clad figure , lit under those dance floor lights one last time…!

  

So, I just continued slinking on me way, walked dispassionately off to the far side of the enormous chamber, losing me self in quick fashion back amongst the throngs of gaily dressed, well liquored, unkowin partiers!

  

I was meaning to leave the premises via a back exit with its patio that led into the hedges surrounding the gardens.

  

As I went , I passed a non-caring security type on me way.

  

I did not bother to shatter his bliss him by stopping to hand over a lady’s emerald necklace and taking the time trying to explain how It happened to be in my possession. So with a nod, I just walked casually by, a bloke with nothing to hide by all outward appearances. That was me..

  

As I went outside, I felt the fresh breeze hit me face, and I breathed it deeply in, finally feeling free of all worries.

  

The end

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Epilogue ( For clarity ) ….

  

I headed directly through the gated opening in the hedges, my final objective was reaching to the far side exit of the lengthy garden that led off to the place where my red touring auto was parked.

  

A bit of a walk, but amongst other things, I always liked my bit of exercise.

  

I made my way, slowing down a tad and admiring the flowers and rather ornate fountains that made up this hedged in, proper little English garden.

  

I had one at home behind the cottage, but nothing on this scale, just a brick path amongst some moss rose and lilies, with a rather ancient wrought iron bench overlooking a small stone built pond in its centre.

  

I found meself automatically reaching for me pipe and pouch, figuring to contemplate with a long smoke as I walked. But immediately though the better of it, time was, after all, still decidedly of the essence.

  

Soon after I reached my objective, an turned to look behind me, no one else was about! I breathed a sigh of relief, it really was over !

  

I turned and exited through the back gate,

  

Suddenly, I was made aware of the sound of a quick swish of something silky, and before I could turn about, a very feminine set of fingers gently grasped my arm. For the briefest parts of a second my mind pictures the young lass in sky blue.

  

“Ta, my love, I’m here!” a soft voice with a lilting accent whispered cheerily behind me.

  

I turned and looked again into those rapturing hazel eyes, prettily magnified by her heavy black glasses.

  

“Ta, here you are indeed !” I enthusiastically agreed, and pulled her up against me, hugging again into her sweet figure, my hands , openly this time, relishing in the splendid feel of her luxuriously soft, shimmery green satin gown, and the warm cuddling figure it encased!!

  

“Apparently, some turd stole me necklace !” she whispered playfully in my ear, “ ‘ere now! By chance would ya know who the jester is laddie?!”

  

We broke apart, and as she stood there facing me with a rather smugly coy look about her, one hand on her chest, the other playing along her gowns barren neckline. I gave her ravishing figure a quick once over before my eyes finally coming to rest once again on the empty neckline of her shiny green coloured gown.

  

“Indeed, I do “ I admitted, patting me tux outer pocket!

  

She gazed at me as I admitted my sin, a rather lusting look I knew, and melted for over oh so many times past.

  

Nice to know that feelings were still strong between us after a five year partnership before being married, and now a full 10 years strongly lost in a wedded bliss. And what a lovely bride she had been… and still is for all that matters….!

  

I think her thoughts were going on about the same lines as mine, and may have led to us being rather a bit naughty right there an then…. But!

  

But, shaking our heads clear, we both peeked back at the empty gardens, then we looked each other directly in the eyes, and chuckling out loud together , proclaimed in unison, “Let’s get going!”

  

We forthwith went to the auto, and I helped her in being seated inside our small red coloured touring convertible.

  

Once she had slithered down, pulled in the loose ends of her long green gown, and nestled into the warm black leather of the seat, I closed her door. I than promptly got in on the right, and fired up the engine into life , and pulled off, leaving the place agreeably, as they say in the olde movies, in our dust..

  

About a mile down the road I looked up in the rear mirror, no one was following, but then, really why should they?

  

“Luv, we may actually have gotten away with this one!” I said cheekily.

  

I turned to my wife and she pulled herself from deep thoughts and smiled winningly, not breaking her gaze from the curving road ahead.

  

Hush lad, don’t go an spoil this luck.” She tenderly chided.

  

Her green gloved hands, which had been clasped upon her gown’s shiny lap , opened a little and I peaked at the wild glistening of the 3 tiered bibbed necklace of quite genuine diamonds that lay nestled in her gloved palms.

  

Whistling, I asked…“I assume that these are from the gents tux pocket ?”

  

“ Quite she said, and a rather easy pick it twas !”, “ Rather a rude ‘un wasn’t he!” She added, straightening her glasses in remembrance..

  

“ Yes, most certaintly, the self-centered wealthy young twit ! I said, then added “Absolutely agree on that subject !!”

  

“It was a good plan!” I continued, “Played out just as you said it would, dearest !”

  

“Happy out!” My wife agreed, “ when you pointed out her diamonds, I knew that the spoiled missey’s necklace was the best take there by far of the jewels stinglingly being worn by any of the other ladies! And Bob’s me uncle if those weren’t her maters anyways!“

  

“ Umm I said , possibly a bit too modern a setting for her mother, maybe a filthy rich admirer behind the curtains, so to speak..?”

  

“Could be luv” she answered studying the brite necklace as it lay piled in her palm, “ but moer’in ah disgustingly rich one than filthy he would be at that !”

  

Me pretty wife went on… “But, of course the fly in the ointment, was missey’s shadowing brother watching her like a hawk from that barstool! The poor thing couldn’t enjoy herself properly, let alone wander off anywhere alone where a person like m’self could be expected to acquire a bit of them jewels in a proper fashion!!”

  

Yes I agreed, and she wasn’t drinking, and didn’t appear to be needin to use a powder room, I sighed, so it was all up to me!”

  

She looked at me, rather meekly.. “So, what better way than to have her brother take them, and obligingly deliver them to us?”

  

“ I know luv…” I replied … “ at first I was against the idea, especially since it placed me in the spot light!” . I gave her a brief glance…”You, after all my lovely one, are the actress in the family !”

  

My wife laid a hand upon my shoulder, with a gentle squeeze… “ I was knowin you could do it luv, and the gambit was well worth its outcome if successful, which so far, it has!” She said, basically apologizing for placing me in such unfamiliar waters…

  

“And it only cost did a mere 200 quid I added triumphantly, for we both knew what the value of those diamonds would mean to the year’s family income!” Letting her also know at the same time there were no hard feelings over anything.. For, as I was to admit to her later in the sanctity of our lovers tryst, it had been rather a fresh spot of thrilling fun!!

  

My wife squeezed my shoulder quite in happy fashion.. “I think we are done for the weekend my luv, perhaps we should head on towards for home now ?“

  

“What about the black tie tomorrow night at the regents’castle then Luv?” I asked half curious, referring to the rest of our plans for the outing. “Could do with a few gems other than diamonds to work with.?

“And I thought you still were a wanting the opportunity to play out the ‘Damsel in Distress’ routine we’ve been working on ?”

 

I stole over a glance as I said this, half hoping I could change her mind and be game for it.

  

She slipped her arm in mine and drawing her sweet self close to me murmuring, purposefully deepening her rich Irish brogue, purrngly said ..”I think we have done a rather good bit of business for this trip laddie!”

 

“Not often we have a big score this early! And its more’in enough laddy of mine, that we can afford to skip over the other things for now? New routines can wait, Dontcha agree wit me now m’ lad?” She ended with a hopeful beckoning sorta look , a winning weapon that most wives are quite adept at using from their wily arsenal of emotional tugs….

  

As me wife looked up into my eyes before continuing , I automatically smiled, never being one to resist that type of bait….

  

“That’s it than, I can see you agree, Darling, On Home to Badger’s Drift it is now!”

“And If you be wanint any more jewels stolen, you can continue to practice on me!” she had leaned up and over, as she whispered cheekily, her lustily breath tickling my ear as a long jeweled earring intentionally was allowed to hit me alongside a cheek.…!!!

  

“ OK, Let’s not press our luck on , correct me fine lass!” I stated in agreement…and , feeling a familiar tingling start down between me legs, responded by letting my foot push the accelerator, causing the purring old engine to rev it up and add a bit of speed to our journey!

  

I stole a glance upon the glistening gems piled up in her lap, as they rested majestically upon thier sleek bed of green. The taunting little darlings !

  

“Some nice dimonded set rings and earrings coming out of that lot, and that’s pure silver they’re setting in if I’m guessin right, when all has been said and done, we should find a right nice little nest egg ,my sweet!” I appraisingly observed.

  

“And a wee diamond bracelet for me efforts, luv?” Asked meekly the sole apple of my eye with a pleasingly euphoric grin… “ I can use it as part of the Damsel in Distress act you are so eager to get on with!” She promised eagerly to seal the deal.

 

I happily nodded my acquiesce.

 

I then heard me wife beside me exhale a long , deep breath while reaching up and pulling down the visor and glanced at herself into the mirror.

 

I than heard her say..” Have a watch for passer byes willa luv?”

 

From the corner of me eye I saw her gently lift up the diamonded necklace and fasten it around her throat, letting it dangle down whilst admiring the rather dazzling, quite eye catching results.

 

In a far off, wistful voice she said, “I guess I do now feel it’s a bit of a waste to have bothered being this dressed up for an evening and not stopping anywhere else?”

  

I felt a sudden rise as I anticipated where her thoughts may be leading upon at the moment “

  

“ Ya know mw love, we are going to be passing that muggy little bar on the wharf, the one we had a stop in on our last excursion, and…” She let her voice trail off, and I knew it was for me to continue.

  

“Care to stop in again for a final drink an our way home ?” I asked hoping I was right on the subject. “ And you can minx the natives with your finery..? Sounds like a plan me dearest!” I added, with a wholehearted voice of agreement

  

“Indeed sir, stop in for a bit of sup, a nip , then you can have a pull at your pipe and tell me how pretty I look!” She said all this whilst still watching the reflection of the diamonds in the newly acquired necklace screaming out their flickering brilliance in the mirror....

  

“A Jewel in the rough indeed you will be in there amongst the rather dicey patrons at the Poet and the Peasant Pub.” I said.

  

Brilliant she said, leaning into me, giving me an eyeful down the front of her rather perked features, now again tightly outlined the green satin gown as she grasped me arm!

  

My eyes also took in the emblazoned diamonds dripping down from her throat , my eyes winced at the brilliant fiery sparkles of the magnificent necklace! From a distance they had stood out exquisitely from around the lass in blue’s throat, but up this close they were almost too bloody dazzling !

  

I knew full well along what lines my wife was half fancifully conniving about deep in her desires… And wearing that squinty necklace out was at the center of them !!

  

I chuckled , knowing we both knew it would be a folly on, oh so many levels, to flaunt about any jewels my wife and I had managed ‘acquiring’ in such devious ways whilst out and about on our occasional jaunts we made into the publics realm for such related purposes..!”

  

But I decided to make sure by saying… “But you know my sweet , best not wear those diamonds…

  

“Righto party pooper!” she teased, “I really wasn’t planning on bragging them about….You recall why dontcha now.!”

  

Breaking away she slipped back into her seat, with a deep sigh of rememberance, before contemplating somberly with a shiver..

  

“But then, ending an evening in me pretty dress by being lured out and waylaid in a back alleyway by those thievin ruffians once in me life was enough, a second time may spoil the currant mood a bit anyhow, not to mention the loss of these pretties you worked so hard for, husband of mine!!”

  

Out of the corner of an eye I had watched her unhappily undo the fiery necklace and place it back into her smooth lap, and then, as she spoke, opening the cars glove case.

  

My wife reached in and popped open a small secret panel in the back. Pulling out a small black velvet pouch, she carefully poured the sparkling necklace inside, then placed the plump pouch back inside the hidden niche, and securely closed the secret panel. I heard her sigh unhappily as she did so….. and knew her mind was heading into a darker corner of past experiences…

  

“Tell you what me luv, how bouts I make a close copy in emerald rhinestone of that necklace and matching earrings, if you wish, and we can add it to your Damsel In Distress props, along with your new bracelet?”

  

“Oh My Good Lord Luv, would you!” she practically shrieked grasping my arm in delight. “ Then once you have ready I will show you some new ideas to the damsel routine I thought off during tonight’s adventure !!”

  

“Capital!” I said grinning , knowing I had made some rather nice pointers with me lass , and it was always a lark working the bugs out of our routines together!

  

Finally Letting go of me arm, she sighed with deep heart felt enjoyment , and nestled blithely back in the leather seat, her gown rustling its song sweetly into my ears. She turned her head smiling mischievously at me, as, reaching down beside her, she brought up her emerald necklace that I had originally held hidden in me pocket.

  

“These will do the trick just as well anyways. “ she said, looking into the mirror with a smirk as she put them back on in the position they had started out the day place there by me.. “ Shouldn’t have married a pickpocket luv, let it be a lesson to ya, she smirked as she adjusted and admired the effect glittering emeralds draped around her neck.

 

Then my wife flipped back up the vanity mirror and turned happily to face me.

  

“So tis agreed all around then! Stopping at the Poet and the Peasant pub for supper and a nipper, than its off home to the Drift we go !“ She exclaimed this merrily, and with that she happily pulled off from their perch, the owlish glasses she had been disguisedly wearing and carelessly flipped them into the back jump seat.

  

Then,reaching up into her hair , undid her matching twin emerald clips (placing them with a smirk into my now empty tux jackets pocket),and pulled off her shoulder length black wig, allowing her longish hair, the natural colour of sunset cerise, to freely cascade down from its long held ,tight bindings of a bun… The wig soon joined in with the discarded glasses.

  

Again exhaling a proper sigh of satisfaction, I heard her promise , while watching the road ahead, “Once home We can then have a proper dance in celebration!”

  

“In the garden I asked hopefully?”

  

“ Yes you turd, in the garden…then ! But I stay fully dressed in me gown, this time right lad!? It’ll still possibly be twilight and passing neighbors may well see me prancing about in nuthin but a slinky whisp of a slip if you had your way !”

  

“Not daylight forever my sweet I said with conviction, and I feel a long dance… and snifter of brandy are in order.…!”

  

“And a bit more practice lifting me necklace, after your rather amateurish attempt tonight You could use it!” she sweetly chided, her hand reaching up and squeezing my arm. “But no worries, with my training I will make a proper thief of you yet luv! Just think of the possibilities…. !”

 

I could tell her mind was going somewhere with and I just waited for it…..

 

She turned towards the passenger’s window, looking out at the passing countryside….

“Remember Luv, later that same frightful night, the blonde tart in the green and black with the randy boyfriend? I sweetly lifted her pretty bracelet, but I still remember how close I twas to that rather decadent pendent she was flaunting about in everyone’s mug that night. What I would have given to ave had the opportunity to take it away with us! But what if you could have ad a dance wit her, with my skills. That necklace would have been peeled off that sully miss’s shiny blouse with no bother atoll!”

  

“I don’t know about that, my lover, after all being a plain shoppe jeweler is quite exciting in itself, wouldn’t you agree!” I wryly retorted, teasingly…..

Than added an afterthought….

“But than again , why should you always be the one havin all the fun my lass!”

“Always the spotter and never the Grooms man probably could make one a bit of a bore “

 

I stole a grinning glance at her, and she turned to face me while playfully sticking out her tongue at me …. “

Words well-spoken my kind, thievin sir !” she then brightly teased, subtly poking me in the ribs, while giving me the most wicked of instigative winks!!

 

“We’ll have you slippin off me necklaces, bracelet , brooches and such in no time, won’t we now.!” She said britley into the mirror . She had retrieved an old camels hair brush from the autos compartment and was working on her longish red hair, bathed as it was caught the sunlight, making things ready.

  

I steadfastly put my eyes fully back on the road. “ I assume you don’t mean just slipping ‘em off while dancing?” I said mysteriously, not bothering at that time to explain the rather interestingly enticing paths of thoughts her statement had thrust in me imagination.”

 

A long ,knowingly enduring sigh, was all I received in form of an answer from my pretty lass , blissfully squirming about in the seat beside me, her long gown whispering its silken murmer!

  

We sped off, soon putting many miles between us and the soon to be quite surprised, rather mangy cigarette slobbering, empty pocketed blighter !

 

The snarky brother to the now strikingly bare necked lass in the blue silk dress , whose extravagant necklace would soon appear on a flyer announcing yet another mysterious vanishing of a ladies jewels!!! ….

  

Good riddance to ‘em, I said under me breath and turning off the main road, drove on down towards the harbor front.

 

Fini….

For now

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Always looking for fresh plots to place my characters in. If an idea comes to mind using this husband and wife team, by all means , drop a line. Or better yet, every permission given to steal them for a story and photo op of your own!

All that is asked is that any efforts be placed in our group to receive proper acknowledgements !

 

Self.

Film.

The Doncaster avoiding line to Bentley Junction veers off to the left as the 2 x 2 car dmu heads direct for Doncaster.

Photo by John Spencer Gilks.

Taking selfies in the shadows

25322 stands on the Up Goods avoiding line at Derby waiting for the road with a southbound freight sometime in 1974.

 

Locomotive History

25322 was built at Derby works as D7672 and entered traffic (in corporate blue livery) on the 25th February 1967, allocated to the Nottingham Division (Toton). During July 1967 D7672 - D7677 were transferred from Toton to Carlisle to assist in the final removal of steam from the north west. This was followed by spells allocated to the Liverpool Division (1970), Birmingham Division (1972), Carlisle (1973) and Crewe (1976). In 1979 it survived a visit to Derby works for collision damage repairs. In January 1984 25322 was withdrawn with fire damage, however in May 1984 it was repaired and reinstated and as part of this repair it received a repaint at Tyseley with full yellow cabs and the painted name Tamworth Castle. In the Autumn of 1985 twelve class 25/3’s were given E exams and were restricted to 60mph to minimise traction motor problems and classified class 25/9. 25322 was one of these locomotives and became 25912. The specific duties planned for the class 25/9's did not reach the expected levels so the sub class soon migrated back to normal duties, losing their special mechanical attention. 25912 was withdrawn at Crewe on the 23rd March 1987. Later that day 25912, 25059 and 25904 moved from Crewe Depot to Basford Hall yard for storage, where by the 1st April 1987, twenty six class 25 locomotives had congregated. Two weeks later 25322 was selected to become a training locomotive for Eastern Region fitters and moved to Holbeck, being allocated the number ADB968027 in the departmental fleet, although this was never carried. During this period it was returned to operation and painted two tone green and made a number of main line outings and open day visits in 1990/91. In 1991 25322 entered preservation with the North Staffordshire Railway which is the present day Churnet Valley Railway.

 

Hanimex Compact, Ilford FP4

 

'The Mask' 800321 speeds down the Frome Avoiding Line at Styles Hill.This set usually spends its time travelling to Bristol and Cheltenham out of the Capital.So to see it here on '1C74' the 09:02 from Paddington to Penzance was a bit of a bonus!

---11 july 2020---

More photos @ www.wildblanket.com

Artist: Avoid work in progress

I usually try and avoid posting a raft of samey photos of the same scene but I'm making an exception for Loch Treig because, with no road along it, just the railway, it's seen by relatively few people compared with other lochs and the weather conditions were rather exceptional.

peacock's eye

 

A doll's MUST HAVE!

 

In SL, some animations bring both feet together: they're cute, but the feet clip.To avoid the clip, you can spread the legs with your shape, but then you end up with a huge thigh gap.

 

The feet spreader spreads feet apart (not too much, to avoid deforming legs), so they don't clip when you bring legs together!

 

Feet Spreader is an enhancer / deformer: no scripts, no anims, just add!

 

At [Oh!] store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Joie%20de%20Vivre/36/138/21

 

This is an original mesh item

 

[Oh!] store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Joie%20de%20Vivre/36/138/21

[Oh!] Marketplace: marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/136439

Group FLICKR - www.flickr.com/groups/14742691@N21/

[oh!] Flickr - www.flickr.com/photos/189604132@N04/

moms

 

Nikon Coolpix A.

Got it at last !

 

This beast has been doing its best to avoid me, and annoying me by appearing on the opposite of the M6 to me in my car, or being blocked in by other vehicles on the move, or indeed by arriving at Belle Vue stock car meetings before any other vehicle, well before I got there. Anyway, I had an idea that it might be out yesterday, as there was a meeting in the afternoon in Birmingham, so I decided to do a stake-out, and it appeared after about 20 minutes, well before I was expecting it !

 

This stunning-looking vehicle is barely recognisable now as a Volvo B10M / Plaxton 4000 RS twin-deck, although there can't be a lot left on it that is original. New to Flights of Birmingham as F707 COA, it had a succession of operators up to 2008, at which point it vanished off the scene, so the project to convert it may have started as long ago as that. It is now with Salford-based F1 driver Ben Riley, so will probably become a commonplace sight after a while, but it was still good to get it now.

 

avoiding sunlight and reading in the cool shadow

To avoid confusion with some group invitations, all of my images are created from blank. Any image from a photo is clearly marked as such

Awards:

2001 WV Press Association Sports Photo of the Year

Artists: Avoid & KymoOne

Nikon D7200 + Tokina 100mm f/2.8 FX Macro Lens (AT-X M100 AF PRO D AF 100mm f/2.8)

+ Neewer 750II Speedlite Flash + mini soft-box

 

f/22 @ 1/320 @ iso 200

 

(tweaked in Smart Photo Editor)

20220912_0850_7D2-600 Avoiding the flap

 

Travis Wetlands

 

#14252

  

artist: Avoid

 

via Instagram instagr.am/p/CQNgs1UFTma/

While every other rail fan in Chicago was chasing some steam engine that was in town, I decided to head to Franklin Park, where I caught CBFX SD60M #6027 trailing on a westbound. She was built in March 1990 as BN #9239.