View allAll Photos Tagged Causal
This outing was fairly typical for my band of misfits. We some how, started out intending to come to this spot. Then we vierd off coarse trying to get to another destination that was utterly hopeless to get to. After some climbing, sliding down muddy trails with drop offs of like 20ft to one side of us, standing on a rocky shelf and trying to figure out how to get back across a 6 foot wide ravine full of the water from the incoming tides that would be all of 12-14 feet deep on our way out when the tide started to come in a little more; all without getting all of our gear wet; we desided against the risk and to return to our original idea. We got thoroughly wet and muddy at our previous destination only to end up back here where we kind of roamed the rocky beach side for quite some time. We parking about a mile away, walking almost all the way to the bottom of the lighthouse looking for comps and then ended up back tracking to this spot in order to get some nice open comps with the lighthouse in view. All and all a super fun time, and we came away with some descant shots. But I've got to think that there was a much more efficient way to go about this expedition. But then what would I write about?
Well I'll tell you what I would write about. I'd probably write a long winded description of how after our photographic adventures, the three of us when to the neighboring town of Half Moon Bay for diner, where we found what looked like a causal spot to get a bite. We quickly found a table as we looked like we had be wrestling in the mud or sleeping in the pig pen. But after sitting down and looking at the menu, realize that even though it was causal, it was not cheap. Being starving and tired, we opted to just stay and pay a hansom price for Shrimp and Scallop diners, which were really quite excellent. But the fun part was when the check came and we all put down our credit cards to pay, the waiter said, "Sorry, cash or check only". Does anyone actually carry checks around with them ??? So, lucky I had a reserve $100 bill in my wallet for emergencies. And with some loose change from my comrades pockets, we got out of doing dishes for the night and all ended well for the evening. Will full tummies and empty wallets, we set off for home and some badly needed showers. Good times indeed. :-)
Flickrites in attendance
And myself :-)
Enjoy :-)
Canon 5D Mark II
Exposure: 2sec
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 19 mm
ISO Speed: 50 (to get as even an exposure as possible)
Lens: Canon EF16-35mm f2.8L II
Tripod Gitzo 2531
Head Arca Swiss B1
Filters:
1)Standard B+W UV that never leave my lens
2) Hi-Tech 1.2 Solid ND
3) Lee .6 & .9 soft edge ND grads (slightly staggered)
Thank you to all who stopped by to look at my other photos and comment and favorite them. It is much appreciated.
NEW Maple hitting Anthem this month! Causal and feminine, this set is a must-have staple for your personal AO and photo line up. Comes with and without eye focus for a more intense look. Visit our booth and check Maple out at Anthem for yourself!
*Full set preview in comments*
Anthem Taxi
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A nice causal look for the weekend consisting of my nirvana tee, denim mom style shots and sparkly flip flops. Really like this xx ❤️❤️
Vaudeville Games
A villainous study in 2 actes.
Acte 2
Soon the “Grandmother came walking out from the corridor (sans mink), rubbing her finger along her nose, the “granddaughter” noticed the sign rose from her chair, leaving her dejeweled friend playing happily with the boa, while she slinked cunningly off. The two met inconspicuously in front of the back corner and began whispering together in a conspirator like manner as they looked around, something in the corridor must have given the devious “Grandmother” and idea for some sort of fresh opportunity and they were looking for someone to try it out on! I think I spotted it before they did, but not by much, as I saw them both start looking in the same direction that I had been.
The grandmother went first, heading over to the bar and asked for a glass of wine, which I noticed she no more than sipped at as she watched the “Granddaughters” Progress. The “granddaughter “ then slowly moved out on her own course, zeroing in on a small group of 10 mid- teenagers, playing a game of hopscotch on the floor tiles in a far corner between my table and the restrooms.
Four of the group were suit clad boys, nothing they possessed would be of interest to her. However, the other six would fit her objective, being that they, all girls dressed in glossy attire, were wearing the “good stuff”. Four were exhibiting jewelry of glittering rhinestones, number 5 was adorned with a rather pricey display of gold glistening from her shiny green taffeta clad figure, and the 6th…. Ahh, but the 6th one was quite the exception, and the one I knew was in the granddaughter’s” devious sight. She was pretty, a doe eyed ginger haired doll faced lass, a bit older (an immature 17?) than her playmates, resplendent in a expensively long gown of pleated purple silk, with a seed pearled pattern sewn into the gown’s bodice. She was wearing long satin gloves dyes perfectly to match her gown, and holding in her slippery grasp a small fat satin clutch purse of the same hue. She was adorned with a fine matching display of costly white pearls that went well with her gown and darker completion. Her attractive jewelry dangled ever so invitingly with a pure white gleam; a double rope necklace, matching earrings, and bracelet. Her long plait of soft blonde hair was intertwined with a rope of pearled silver. She also was in possession of a single, remarkably fancy ring, an adult’s pinky cocktail ring that fit snugly along her index finger, it was set with a single large oval Japanese sea pearl surrounded by a row sparkling diamond chips.
The “Granddaughter” quite understandably zeroed in on young Miss purple silk, quickly attaining her friendship. I noticed that both girls were about the same height and physique, an observation that would hit home to me later on. The “Granddaughter” started chatting up her new friend up royally as they watched the others play, each one admiring the others glittering trinkets. I had been wondering what the “Granddaughter” had up her shiny satin sleeve; as I saw her and her friend in the appealingly fluttering purple silk gown, start to walk a little way off, unnoticed by all but one of her playmates, the green taffeta clad girl who was watching with interest.
I had lost track of the “Grandmother” so it was with a start that I noticed her coming out of the Ladies room, and when she spied the “Granddaughter” and her friend, and she causally waltzed over. I could tell that the “Granddaughter” was putting on the act that she the “Grandmother” was just as much a stranger to her, as the older lady was to her new friend, or should I now more appropriately be calling her next victim instead of a new friend!
The “Grandmother” chatted with the two young girls, asking them questions, making them feel comfortable around her. She admired their clothing, and Miss purple silk happily showed of the gown she was wearing with it’s fancy seed pearl decoration. I saw that the “Granddaughter” had been watching the girl in green taffeta, and as soon as the youngster’s attention was focused elsewhere, the “Granddaughter” did a most peculiar thing, she reached up, and undoing her own necklace, slipped it off out of sight in a pocket of her skirt. As she did, I saw the “Grandmother” who had been apparently waiting for the sign, made an excuse like she had to be somewhere, and left the pretty pair of young ladies.
I watched, with some curiosity I will freely admit; as the “Grandmother” walked briskly back up along the wall towards the hidden corridor. She had almost reached the corridors entrance when I happened to look back to the “Granddaughter” just as she began to feel her throat, putting on an act about her now missing necklace. . Miss purple silk had begun to look around on the floor, when the “Granddaughter” grabbed her arm and pointed towards” The Grandmother”! I could tell that she was telling Miss purple silk that the older lady had somehow taken it, and was getting away. This was just as “Grandmother “disappeared around the corner, it had been timed perfectly, giving me an odd impression that this wasn’t a new trick they were pulling . The “Granddaughter” quickly scurried off after her. Following right behind the “Granddaughter”, in a flurry of shimmering jewels, purple silk and satin, the 17 year old followed her new friend, concern spreading across her pretty face.
The pair made it to the end, disappeared down the corridor, unnoticed by anyone but me. I decided to wait this latest bit of skullduggery by the two female con artists out. I reckoned that the worst thing that could physically happen to miss purple silk was her hands being pinned behind her back as the “Grandmother” nimbly run her fingers up and down the teen’s slippery gown locating and stripping the young lady of her pricey pearls, or minute prickling’s as her ring and earrings were removed! I was positively sure that the light-fingered pair was after nothing more from their victim, otherwise I would have had to intervene at once!
The methods the two female thieves had been employing were not by any means close to my way of doing things by any measure, and deucedly to steal from any female under twenty was not my cup of tea atoll! So, the situation now being what it was, I decided to wait and watch, trying to time it just right before rescuing Miss purple satin, deducing that it may prove more profitable to me in the long run to hold me horses.
I had, by my timepiece, been waiting almost 15 minutes when, strangely enough, a figure looked around from the corner. It was the “Granddaughter”! What was she up to now ,I thought, as I saw her inch back along the wall, looking back to the group still happily playing off in their corner. I saw her eyes following the girl in green taffeta with the dangling, shiny gold jewelry. She couldn’t be contemplating what I thought she was, not with the bird the pair already had in hand, it absolutely made no sense!
But just then it was announced that the cake cutting would be commencing, and the children playing hop scotch all scampered off to join the moving crowd that was gathering at the far end of the cavernous room. The “Granddaughter “watched as whatever opportunity she had in mind, slipped out of reach from her ringed fingers,
The “Granddaughter”, a clear look of displeasure creeping into her eyes, walked back to the spot where she had first encountered the group of children. As she watched the festivities, I could tell her eyes her checking out the now deserted tables. She spied the boa still on its chair, and slowly made her way towards it.
The “Grandmother” then appeared from around the corner and looking for the “Granddaughter” spied her and questioningly caught her eye. The “granddaughter”, looked at the “Grandmother” as her hand laid upon the feathery boa, looked around and shrugged. The “Grandmother” nodded back, signaling that it was time to shove off then. The “Granddaughter” picked up the Boa, (probably with the idea to make the same use of it at some other function) and started to move her way out. I started to rise, time to get into action, but at that moment I saw the “Grandmother’s” head snap up, looking over at the crowd where the cake was being cut. The “Granddaughter” looked over also, as I followed suit.
A lady in a swishing long black gown had been bent over talking to the young girl wearing the emerald green taffeta gown and glistening gold chains. The girl had pointed towards the play area, then spotting the “granddaughter” had pointed her out. She had now straightened and departed away from the flocking crowd of cake watchers, heading our way, alone and obviously looking for someone.
She was a rather a quite attractive wealthy lady of not more than 20 years of age. She was clad in a long black A-line gown of shiny liquid satin, that literally appeared to be poured down over her rather nicely endowed figure, shimmering quite appealingly from all points of interest as she gracefully moved , her long gown swirling around in step. The gown fell swishing down to her green satin spiked heeled feet, fluttering in motion around them as she walked ever closer to unrealized peril. A real corker, this lassie was. But it was not her slinky satin gown that had caught the thieves’ attention, but the quite copious display of dazzling white diamond jewelry flickering along her slickly shiny black satin clad figure that warranted the drooling, desirous looks.
The Siren, a green eyed beauty with flowing locks of naturally red hair, made her way towards the back area, looking about her in earnest. I saw the pair of mischievous watchers pass a sign, and as the “Grandmother” disappeared in wait back down the passage, the “Granddaughter” moved off, and standing by the lady’s powder room, watched and waited like a cat will a mouse scurrying about, diligently waiting to pounce! Her prey made it to the area where the hopscotch game had been played, and it was then that the “granddaughter” approached her. If she hadn’t, I probably would have.
As she had walked over I took the opportunity to scrutinize her abundant display of jewels. A long silver necklace shimmered with diamonds set in a grape leaf pattern that fell to a v hanging down just over her gown’s top, that covered her fine “clivage”. Long sparkling earrings, patterned after her necklace, flickered fire as they swung to and fro. Hanging from the wide strip of rippled sash like material around her waist area of her black gown, swayed a leaf shaped silver brooch set with diamond chips. She wore long black satin gloves, around each wrist were twin wide fiery diamond bracelets, while from 3 fingers, 2 on the right, one on the left, were glistening cocktail rings of diamond and emeralds, not a sign of an engagement ring or wedding band. She was wearing a short button less jacket of midnight black satin, with ¾ sleeves over her bare shoulders. On the left side of the jacket was pinned a clip in the shape of a pouncing cat. With green emeralds for its feline slanted eyes, and its entire figure encrusted with glittery diamond stones and chips, it was an incredibly beautiful piece of work, probably Tiffanies, definitely valuable!
All in all it was a very heathy display of what a few hundred thousand grand of loose change ( to one of her ilk) can buy. The” Grandmother” and her blonde “Granddaughter” had hit the jackpot with this one, if they were able to lure her off. I took a quick look around, ladies like her usually always travelled in pairs, especially if they were wandering off somewhere, but this young darling apparently had missed that memo. Being alone, and wearing jewelry of that caliber, made her just that much more vulnerable to pickpockets, thieves and such, even at wedding receptions!
I could now overhear wisps of conversation. Apparently the siren was looking for her kid sister, and from the description, it appeared to be non-other than the pearl wearing miss purple silk, who had fallen ever so rudely into the thieves’ clutches and had been lured away to some hidden corner to fates unknown.
The “Granddaughter” her large blue eyes wide with concern, pointed in the direction of the corridor. The young miss in black satin put a hand to her chest, jewels flashing, falling for it, hook, line and soon to be diamond-less figure. I watched with some self-centered interest as the pair made their way off, soon disappearing around the corner with a silent disappearing swish of her gown, unnoticed by anyone but me, and the girl in emerald green taffeta who I also had seen watching the activity. I kept my eye on her, feeling some anxiety that she would be the fly in the ointment, but she soon turned her shiny young back to it, losing interest, in order to join the line for cake. I breathed a sigh of relief, the game was still afoot for me. I decided to wait now that the coast was clear, wait to give the pair enough time to start in on their new victim. It was imperative that I catch them in the act with no doubts as to their evil intentions if my plan was to work to my ultimate benefit!
Wait about 10 minutes , I figured, before someone should probably investigate, I kenw the pair would not waste any more precious time, their clock was ticking out fast. But as I reached that conclusion, a lady, splendidly clad in a long dress of maroon silken lace, passed by the corridor, heading off to a lady’s powder room as she wiped a bit of cake from her front. Things could wait little longer if necessary I told myself.
I got up and headed over to where the Ladies powder room was located. Beside the powder room was a small alcove with an old phone hanging on the wall for personal calls. I pretended to be on it, watching the doorway. Mere minutes later I heard it open and at the first sign of the silken lace dress, I put up the phone and lumbered out, plowing right into her as she exited. I got a whiff of sweet perfumed as her long hair flew into my face as I grasped her warm figure to keep her from toppling. I successfully scared the living daylights out of her! Her eyes wide with embarrassment as I apologized profusely, slipping my hand along her sensuous figure with the ruse of steadying her as I made sure she was okay, my fingers finding their pretty objective. The entire episode lasted mere seconds before I was off and on my way, leaving behind me in my wake the flustered lass tying to recollect her wits. I smiled to myself, my hand in a pocket, releasing from my grasp the plucked diamond brooch that had taunted me when I first detected it brightly glimmering as it dangled loosely down from its very pick able perch on Miss silken lace’s lovely tightfitting gown as she had strolled by the fateful corridor.
I had spotted it early on, a far too valuable piece to try for under normal circumstances, but then, present circumstances were now anything but normal, now weren’t they? But now I had it now, the easily $75,000 piece was comfortably slumming it with the now cold bracelet (a mere $25,000) also residing in the same pocket. Time to get back to work I now told me self, my mind buzzing with high hopes of success.
I than walked over to where I had two of my security guards located by one of the many exits. I nodded to Pete, one of the men I had handpicked for this job ( all of them selected due to their lack of attentiveness, and lack of common sense) , I whispered something to him, explaining the situation, and he followed me over to the entrance of the corridor., leaving the other one to continue guarding the door, not that it was doing much good, it was the same door that the “Grandmother” and “Granddaughter” had brazenly strolled through unchallenged!
The corridor was long, with a pair of closets on either side., ending in a set of stairs, about 6, leading down to a landing with yet another door; this was not to a closet, but to a workroom with an outside exit. I had made a careful study of the building and its exits the day before. When we reached the workroom door, I slowly turning the handle, then flung it open and we thrusted our way inside, pistols drawn.
The” Grandmother” and the “Granddaughter” were just finishing tying up their second victim, the siren in the black satin gown, to a chair; she had been gagged with dirty rags, her brite green eyes looked at us wide with fear. The sister was also tied to a chair across the room, and blindfolded, neither seemed to have been maltreated., other than the fact the younger sister was clad only in a long purple satin slip. The pair of female thieves also looked up at us startled, frozen in step. I looked them over, then I looked over at the tied up lady, and her sister, there was no sign of any jewelry, which is what I was hoping for. I had timed it perfectly, I smirked to meself.
“So what’s been goin on here then? “ I asked, knowing full well what had been “goin on” just by the looks of things before my eyes.
I identified myself in my official capacity, as head of security for the function, and had the “Grandmother” and her “Granddaughter” line up against the wall, and told Pete to hold his pistol on them.
I went over and removed the gag from Black satin, she was shakin something awful. I told her to be still, and untied her bindings. She rose shakily as I helped her stand, falling onto me, and then huggin me as she wept. I patted her, relishing in the incredible softness of her gown that prettily was draped along her warm figure. It’s all right now my dear, I said soothingly, as I comforted her , making sure at the same time that she wasn’t holding out on anything. She pulled away, “my sister” she said, looking straight at me, blasting me with the gaze of wide green eyes.
Go untie her I suggested, and in a swishing of her gown, she moved swiftly over to the unfortunate lass. We all watched, not a word spoken, as miss purple silk was freed from her bindings, and the blindfold removed. Both sisters than embraced, a quite touching sight, the older sister took off her shiny black jacket, and placed it over the other’s shivering shoulders. I was happy that I had been able interfere before the thieves had taken anymore advantages, but, before things started calming down, and words started to be said from the two victims, I knew that I would have to take command of the situation.
I beckoned to Peter. “Ere Pete, take these ladies outside and have them go to their people, and use the phone by the rest rooms to call the local police in, then report back here.” “I will wait her with these two buggers.” Pete nodded obediently, unquestioningly, which is why I usually call upon him when the situations requires a bit of, how should I say it, delicate maneuvering. As they all left, I backed up to the door and wedged it from the inside, surprised that these two against the wall had not taken the very same precautions.
“All right ladies, I want each of you in turn to approach the table and put the goods on the it” ,I commanded in no uncertain words! “What do you mean?” growled the “Grandmother”? “Come on sister “I responded, “people are talking, seems that some of the youn’uns are missen their jewels!” As the pair of them started to balk and protest, I waved my pistol, “trust me ladies, you don’t want me search ‘in for it.”
The “Granddaughter” approached the table first, and tossed down upon it the small purple silk purse, it landed with a quite satisfyingly heavy plop, I inwardly smiled. She went back to her position on the wall, and I indicated for the “Grandmother to approach next. She came up, a snarling look upon her face, quite different than the look of simpering kindness she had been given her victims.” Hurry it up now” I said, and watched as she reached twice deep into her skirt, came out holding a pile of shimmery jewels and another of glistening pearls in her cupped hand, and laid it on the table. Then as they both were back at the wall, looking at me, wonderingly. I snapped “Turn around” I said, “I don’t want to see your thieving mugs,” and they did, defiantly.
Without changing my expression, I opened the purse, and dumped out its glittering contents, then carefully, but quickly, studied the gleaming piles . it was all there I reckoned, and most certainly the pieces of it I was interested in. I walked over to the work bench, picked up the high-backed chair the girl had been tied to, and walked it back with one hand, turned it around and sat on it backwards, my pistol, pointing at the backside pair of female thieves, resting my hand on the chairs high backside. Using my left hand I began placing the jewelry back into the purse, or at least my pair of captive thieves’ thought that was what I was doing with it!
When I finished with that business at hand, I looked around, saw the mink, boa, purple silk gown and matching gloves, all piled on the floor by the stairs leading to the outside exit. I was wondering what the function was that the “Granddaughter” had been planning to wear the purloined purple silk gown to, for I harbored no doubts that was why they stripped it off from their victim! I said nothing more, nor did the pair against the wall, though I caught them stealing questioning looks to each other.
Pete returned, knocking on the door, I backed up and removing the wedge, let him in. I told him to watch the pair, and left the room, leaving the purse on the table, I told Pete I was checking to make sure things were calm, to tell my other guards what was going on, and wait for the local police inspector to arrive.
When the coppers did finally arrive, a full about 40 minutes later , tardy as usual, it quelling the frazzled guests considerably. I welcomed them and led them to the workroom. We entered, and there was Pete, all tied up and gagged, with no sign of either the “Grandmother” or “Granddaughter”! The mink, boa, purple silk gown, and the gowns’ matching clutch purse(containing the jewels), had all gone away with the fleeing pair! The miscreants had taken it all, along with Pete’s pistol (which was later found outside, empty), and had scampered to off some hiding hole.
The cops, not the least bit happy with the situation, (but rental cops, in their opinion, are rarely a competent breed anyway), took down our statements, and those of the victims as well. They then left, waiting until then to place out an all-points bulletin on the suspects(which suited me fine, give them even more time to disappear). Everything soon settled down as best as could be under the circumstances. The final 2 hours of the reception went off without a hitch. But, giving the fact that the “flock” was a bit skittish now, it would ave been difficult for anyone to make any further attempts at “shearing” anyhows.
I drove home hours afterwards, my mind abuzz with what had transpired, trying to make it all clear to me how to best approach the opportunities that had quite literally fallen into my hands.
That night, sleep was hardly, me friend.
******
Epilogue, of sorts:
6 weeks later, in a large city about 2 states away, the young lady who had been wearing the emerald green taffeta gown with glimmering gold chains, was now in attendance at a wedding for the daughter of one of her papa’s fellow congressmen. Her mother had encased her daughter in an expensive silk dress of soft ocean blue for the occasion, telling her she needed to be on her best behavior, and not to be under her Father’s foot for the occasion!
While nestled in the receiving line, behind her parents, the young lady had felt the slightest of tugs at the back of her dress. A minute later she discovered that the bib pearl necklace that had been her great aunts, had fallen away from her throat and was missing. A hurried 15 minutes looking around the church for it, had failed to come across it, and she was scolded for being so neglectful in losing such a valuable piece, and also for causing her Father a bit of embarrassment in the process.
Then at the wedding reception, the girl, already on the alert, spotted the very same slinky purple gown with the seed pearled bodice and matching gloves that she had seen the girl wearing a few weeks earlier, the one that had pulled in a back room and had been mugged! She studied the girl wearing it, even with her blonde hair dyed black, she was recognizable as the girl who had been one of the thieves at that reception, the “Granddaughter” The thief was walking with a young lady elegantly attired, whom she recognized as the niece of the congressman! As the girl in blue watched the pair move off, an older lady with silver hair, wearing a pretty top and skirt, approached them, and the 3 moved off. The inquisitive girl in ocean blue silk, followed. The trio had stopped by a window, looking out at something. The girl in ocean blue moved closer to see what it was all about. She could see the 3 ladies reflection in the window. Suddenly she froze; something was not quite right, out of place. It took her only seconds to figure it out, the congressman’s niece, sandwiched in between the thief and the older lady, was missing the necklace of diamonds that she had been wearing when the young girl in ocean blue silk had first seen them, only minutes before!
The girl, in a swirling of her blue silk dress, scurried off as fast as her high heels could carry her, to find her parents. Her parents, reluctantly at first, finally listened after she had pointed out the suspect to them. Her Father took his daughter to the congressman’s security who had her point the “Granddaughter” out. They approached the Niece first, finding her still standing alone by the window. She, with a gasp, confirmed to them that her diamonds had indeed, vanished. They reached the pair as they were making their separate exits out of the reception. “The Grandmother” and “Granddaughter” were caught red handed, pearl bib necklace and the nieces diamond necklace, and plus assorted, mismatched pieces of jewelry being found hidden in secret pockets. All of it had been slipped off the silken figures of young ladies attending the wedding and reception, whom had the misfortune to meet up with the charming “Granddaughter”!
It turned out that neither of the female thieves was what they had appeared to be! The “Grandmother” was an old washed up actress and vaudeville magician named Agnes, in her late 40’s ,who had been forced to find other means to scrape a living, she had dyed her hair gray, and taken on the demeanor of a much older , kinder, lady. The “granddaughter” was not a 16 or 17 year old girl, but a 26 year old midget named Doris, whom Agnes had known from her vaudeville days, when her specialty was to play the part of a young girl. Together they had been working as a team combing the country and lifting jewels at the most posh of events.
The authorities, after searching their rented apartment in a shoddy part of the city, discovered several piles of hot jewels and other goods stashed away, including the purple clutch purse with most of the jewelry from the job they had pulled at the reception my firm had been hired for security. Not included, of course, was the more valuable pieces reported missing from the function (namely the Black gowned Sirens diamonds, a certain diamond bracelet and a rather valuable diamond brooch), which the authorities figure had been broken down and pawned right away by the light fingered pair.
It was after reading all about this in a formal police report and the conclusions that had been reached, that I had finally made some decisions that I had been mulling over.
Now I must admit, being a skilled thief, and also owning my own security business, had certainly turned out to having its benefits… But for the five years I had been in business, I knew that eventually someone might finally catch on, though it was amazing how daft the wealthy can be most of times, not to mention gullible. To which fact I had caught onto early on and worked the “fields” profitably to my benefit.
But I had been thinking over the past year that it may be time to get out of the business, living off the small nest egg I had acquired over the past 5 years. But that nest egg had suddenly, quite unexpectedly hatched into a small treasure trove.
I owned an old stone cottage on the Cornish coast that had been in me family for generations. Retiring to it while still relatively young, living the life of the country gentleman while I was still youthful enough to enjoy it ; fish a little, evening walks with the dogs at my heels, watch a sunset, rise as I so desired, all had always been me pipe dream. . I, until recently, did not possess quite enough funds to make it a reality. And until I knew for certain which way the winds of change would come, I was unable to really make us of what fortunes I now possessed. But, with the pair caught and being blamed for the missing diamonds, everything had fallen quite neatly into place!
So, I finally decided, run the business, with a clean nose, for another year, let things cool down, and then I would sell the business to Pete and his fellow guards. They all had had been showing an interest as of late, and seeing how Pete had been the unwitting part of my plan by letting Agnes and Doris escape, it was the least I could do for him and the rest.
Also, In her last letter to me, the ginger haired lass I had left back home, had broadly hinted that she would like more than anything to see me again, which was surprising, since the last time we had danced I had carried out a light-fingered lift of the emeralds she had been wearing at her formal! But I guess love can be blind. I believe she had let her pretty self-see my nicking her jewels as a loan to get me started, a loan that I was prepared to pay back, with interest, and I had already written her expressing that desire!
.
Back home my late Grandfather, whom I had learned a thing or two from back in the day, had always been fond of saying when certain tricky issues arose ; “lie low for a bit, like a fox in the hedgerow, wait until the dogs had sniffed past and the trail cold before, darting home.”
And that my dear friends, was exactly what I was going to do!
Fini
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Música (abrir en nueva pestaña) / Music (Open link in new tab): La Musgaña - Ofertorio.
En las laderas del cerro sobre el que se asienta la albaceteña villa de Chinchilla de Montearagón existen, desde hace siglos, numerosas viviendas troglodíticas, como las del barrio de las Cuevas del Agujero que muestra la imagen.
La naturaleza del roquedo, compacto, impermeable y muy aislante de la humedad, blando al pico y que se endurece progresivamente ante la acción atmosférica, lo hace ideal para la construcción de cuevas labradas en él.
Si observamos la distribución de este tipo de hábitat por la península (principalmente Córdoba, Granada, Almería, Albacete, Murcia, Valencia, Guadalajara, Zaragoza, Toledo y Navarra), es lógico pensar que sus semejanzas hayan de obedecer a una tradición común, a un parentesco étnico, o a unos similares condicionantes de precariedad geográfica y económica.
Aunque, dada la posibilidad de esos múltiples factores causales, el origen concreto de las casas cueva de Chinchilla, como el de toda la arquitectura rupestre peninsular, es difícil de determinar, su difusión sí que se ha puesto en conexión con la llegada a la villa, a partir de 1570, de moriscos deportados de Granada como consecuencia de la Rebelión de las Alpujarras, pudiendo establecerse una gran similitud, tanto material y formal como topográfica, de las cuevas chinchillanas, con las de Guadix, Granada y su comarca, de donde los moriscos asentados procedían.
Hoy día suponen un pintoresco, histórico y etnográfico atractivo más de cuantos ofrece esta típica y bella localidad albaceteña, además de un recurso turístico más, al hallarse un buen número de estas cuevas habilitadas como alojamientos de turismo rural. Canon EOS 50D con Canon EF 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 USM
-ENGLISH:
On the slope of the hill where the town of Chinchilla de Montearagón (Albacete, Spain) is located, there is for centuries a large number of cave houses, like these of the "Agujero Caves" area.
The compact, waterproof and highly insulating rock properties, soft to the pick and which gradually hardens to weathering, make it ideal for digging caves.
Looking at the distribution of this habitat along Spain (mainly Cordoba, Granada, Almería, Albacete, Murcia, Valencia, Guadalajara, Zaragoza, Toledo and Navarre), it stands to reason that its similarities have to obey to a common tradition, an ethnic kinship, or some similar conditions of geographical and economic precariousness.
Although, given the possibility of such multiple causal factors, it is very difficult to determine the specific origin of Chinchilla's cave houses, just as it is for the entire peninsular rock-cut architecture, its diffusion has been put in connection with the arrival at the village, since 1570, of Moorish people ("moriscos") which were deported from Granada following the "War of Las Alpujarras". This may explain the great similarity, both material as formal and topographic, of the cave houses of Chinchilla, where the deported Moorish people settled down, with those of Guadix, Granada and its surroundings, where they came from.
These cave houses are today one among many historical and ethnographic attractions which this picturesque village offers, and a valuable tourist resource, as a good number of these caves are fitted out as touristic country houses to rent. Canon EOS 50D with Canon EF 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 USM
© Francisco García Ríos 2013 - All Rights Reserved / Reservados todos los derechos.
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Egaña es una estación ferroviaria ubicada en el pueblo homónimo, unos 15 km en línea recta al sur de la capital del partido: la ciudad de Rauch del Partido de Rauch, en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Es una pequeña estación de ferrocarril del ramal perteneciente al Ferrocarril General Roca, que se extiende desde la estación Las Flores, hasta la estación Tandil y que recorre 151 km.
La construcción del ramal Las Flores-Tandil fue otorgado por el gobernador de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, doctor Máximo Paz a la empresa Ferrocarril del Sud, el 27 de julio de 1888.
El contrato fue suscripto en la ciudad de La Plata, el 29 de agosto de ese año, quedando la ejecución de las obras a cargo de la mencionada empresa.
Andrés Egaña, un acaudalado estanciero de la zona, fue quien cedió el terreno en donde se edificó la estación. La familia Egaña-Díaz Vélez fue la propietaria de los campos ubicados en el sur de la primitiva estancia "El Carmen" que perteneciera al general de la Independencia Argentina Eustoquio Díaz Vélez, limítrofes al partido de Tandil.
La estación llegó a tener un importante movimiento comercial hasta mediados del siglo XX. Lindante a ella comenzaba hacia el norte la estancia "El Carmen", propiedad del rico estanciero don Eustoquio Díaz Vélez, hijo del general nombrado.
El primer tren que pasó por la estación Egaña lo hizo el 1 de agosto de 1891.
La estación trajo una verdadera revolución a todo el pago ya que los tiempos se acortaron enormemente y la mayoría de los productos y servicios se comercializaban a través de este medio de transporte.
A partir de la segunda mitad del siglo XX los servicios ferroviarios estatizados comenzaron a ser más deficientes y el ferrocarril empezó un período de paulatina decadencia. Ello fue una de las causales de la disminución de la población y actividades del pueblo de Egaña.
A ello se le sumó, en 1958, la expropiación de la estancia "San Francisco", ubicada en las cercanías de la estación Egaña, de propiedad de María Eugenia Díaz Vélez, con el propósito de fundar una colonia agropecuaria. La expropiación incluyó al casco de la estancia: el castillo San Francisco, uno de los más bellos de la provincia. La aplicación de estas políticas públicas no sirvieron para impulsar y dinamizar las actividades en el pago sino que el mismo entró en un proceso de larga decadencia.
Se encuentra actualmente sin operaciones de pasajeros. Por sus vías transitó el servicio Constitución-Tandil de la empresa Ferrobaires entre 2012 y 2016.1
Sus vías están concesionadas a la empresa privada de cargas Ferrosur Roca.
El Castillo San Francisco
Historia
El castillo San Francisco fue construido por el estanciero y arquitecto Eugenio Díaz Vélez quien fue uno de los nietos que tuvo el general Eustoquio Díaz Vélez, prócer de la Independencia Argentina.
Esta mansión debe su nombre a que fue la casa principal de la "estancia San Francisco". El importante casco fue levantado en los terrenos donde, desde antes de 1890, ya se encontraban las primitivas construcciones de la estancia, que por ese entonces formaba parte de la enorme "estancia El Carmen", de propiedad del hacendado Eustoquio Díaz Vélez (hijo), padre de Eugenio.
Eugenio construyó el castillo utilizando un estilo arquitectónico europeo ecléctico. La obra fue proyectada por su propietario quien inició los trabajos en 1918. Los mismos se prolongaron hasta 1930. Para ello utilizó materiales de primera calidad provenientes tanto desde Buenos Aires como de Europa.
Al fallecimiento de Eugenio, el 20 de mayo de 1930, la propiedad había alcanzado su esplendor. La estancia San Francisco y su castillo eran un importante establecimiento de producción agropecuaria y dador de mano de obra y trabajo en el Partido de Rauch.
El imponente castillo fue heredado por la hija mayor de Eugenio, María Eugenia Díaz Vélez. María Eugenia, prácticamente no habitó la casa que permaneció cerrada durante largas temporadas. Ello inició el comienzo de un período de estancamiento de la estancia y de la edificación, a la que si bien se le sumaron nuevas construcciones, continuó siendo conservada adecuadamente por su propietaria. En 1958, a causa de la reforma agraria impulsada por el gobernador provincial Oscar Alende, que consistía en colonizar con pequeños propietarios rurales, la estancia San Francisco -con el castillo incluido- fue expropiada innecesariamente por el estado provincial. El fino mobiliario fue subastado.
El gobierno no tomó una determinación rápida de qué hacer con tan inmensa propiedad, por lo que el castillo empezó a sufrir el deterioro del paso del tiempo y la falta de mantenimiento.
En 1965, durante la gobernación de Anselmo Marini, la propiedad fue transferida al Consejo Provincial del Menor con intenciones de convertirlo en un hogar granja, aunque acabó siendo un reformatorio que alojó a jóvenes con problemas de conducta.
Hacia mediados de la década de 1970, a causa de un asesinato que comprometió a uno de los internos, todos los menores fueron reubicados y el castillo quedó abandonado hasta el día de hoy.
Actualmente y desde el año 2010 un grupo de vecinos de Rauch y la zona ha creado la "Comisión por la recuperación del Castillo San Francisco" que tiene como actividad principal el mantenimiento básico del edificio y recuperación de su parque, evitando que esta bella e importante edificación rural continúe deteriorándose.
Algunas Historias
"La historia del castillo es extraña y fascinante. Escuche mucho sobre el lugar pero no estoy seguro de cuanto es real y cuanto ya es parte del mito y mística del lugar. Se cuenta que en la primera mitad del siglo un potentado de apellido Díaz Vélez construyo esa mansión como una casa de descanso desde 1918 a 1930 cuando fue terminada. Para celebrar la culminación de la obra organizó una gran celebración invitando al público más selecto de Buenos Aires. Pero algo faltaba en la fiesta, y ese algo fue el mismo Díaz Vélez quien murió de camino al castillo y nunca llegó. Los invitados se fueron, los sirvientes se fueron, y el castillo quedó abandonado."
Música (abrir en nueva pestaña) / Music (Open link in new tab): Nightnoise - Bring me back a song.
(For english text see below)
Una toma desde el lado opuesto al de la fotografía anterior.
En las laderas del cerro sobre el que se asienta la albaceteña villa de Chinchilla de Montearagón existen, desde hace siglos, numerosas viviendas troglodíticas, como las del barrio de las Cuevas del Agujero que muestra la imagen..
La naturaleza del roquedo, compacto, impermeable y muy aislante de la humedad, blando al pico y que se endurece progresivamente ante la acción atmosférica, lo hace ideal para la construcción de cuevas labradas en él.
Si observamos la distribución de este tipo de hábitat por la península (principalmente Córdoba, Granada, Almería, Albacete, Murcia, Valencia, Guadalajara, Zaragoza, Toledo y Navarra), es lógico pensar que sus semejanzas hayan de obedecer a una tradición común, a un parentesco étnico, o a unos similares condicionantes de precariedad geográfica y económica.
Aunque, dada la posibilidad de esos múltiples factores causales, el origen concreto de las casas cueva de Chinchilla, como el de toda la arquitectura rupestre peninsular, es difícil de determinar, su difusión sí que se ha puesto en conexión con la llegada a la villa, a partir de 1570, de moriscos deportados de Granada como consecuencia de la Rebelión de las Alpujarras, pudiendo establecerse una gran similitud, tanto material y formal como topográfica, de las cuevas chinchillanas, con las de Guadix, Granada y su comarca, de donde los moriscos asentados procedían.
Hoy día suponen un pintoresco, histórico y etnográfico atractivo más de cuantos ofrece esta típica y bella localidad albaceteña, además de un recurso turístico más, al hallarse un buen número de estas cuevas habilitadas como alojamientos de turismo rural. Canon EOS 50D con Tamron Adaptall 2 SP 28-80 f/3.5-4.2 27A de enfoque manual.
-ENGLISH:
A view taken from the opposite side of the previous picture.
On the slope of the hill where the town of Chinchilla de Montearagón (Albacete, Spain) is located, there is for centuries a large number of cave dwellings, like these of the "Agujero Caves" area.
The compact, waterproof and highly insulating rock properties, soft to the pick and which gradually hardens to weathering, make it ideal for digging caves.
Looking at the distribution of this habitat along Spain (mainly Cordoba, Granada, Almería, Albacete, Murcia, Valencia, Guadalajara, Zaragoza, Toledo and Navarre), it stands to reason that its similarities have to obey to a common tradition, an ethnic kinship, or some similar conditions of geographical and economic precariousness.
Although, given the possibility of such multiple causal factors, it is very difficult to determine the specific origin of Chinchilla's cave houses, just as it is for the entire peninsular rock-cut architecture, its diffusion has been put in connection with the arrival at the village, since 1570, of Moorish people ("moriscos") which were deported from Granada following the "War of Las Alpujarras". This may explain the great similarity, both material as formal and topographic, of the cave houses of Chinchilla, where the deported Moorish people settled down, with those of Guadix, Granada and its surroundings, where they came from.
These cave houses are today one among many historical and ethnographic attractions which this picturesque village offers, and a valuable tourist resource, as a good number of these caves are fitted out as touristic country houses to rent. Canon EOS 50D with Tamron Adaptall 2 SP 28-80 f/3.5-4.2 27A manual focus lens.
© Francisco García Ríos 2015- All Rights Reserved / Reservados todos los derechos.
El contenido de estas imágenes no puede ser copiado, distribuido ni publicado por ningún medio, bien sea electrónico o de cualquier otra naturaleza.
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Cualquiera que quiera usar mis fotografías debe ponerse en contacto conmigo primero para acordar los términos de uso; así pues, para informarse acerca de copias, licencias, utlilización en blogs o cualquier otro uso, por favor, envíe un mensaje o correo electrónico (Recesvintus(at)yahoo.es).
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The content of these images cannot be copied,distributed or published for any media, electronic or otherwise.
The utilization in other web pages without the express written consent of the author is PROHIBITED and punishable by law.
Anyone wanting to use my photographs should contact me first to discuss the terms; so to enquire about prints, licensing, blogging and so on, please send an e-mail or message (Recesvintus(at)yahoo.es).
Thank you.
Jasper found an agave leaf on our hike which naturally give him the zoomies. He shredded the thing and zoomed all over the mountaintop. Don't they make tequila from agave? I'm just sayin', maybe there's a causal effect here ;-)
As many already know this September, Disney will release it's Signature Collection edition of "Beauty and the Beast" on behalf of it's 25th anniversary.
Because of this Disney is releasing some new BATB merchandise. A Doll set and mini doll set along w/ the possible rumor of a 17 in Belle doll.
I'm especially excited for the 12 in doll set (love the extra accessories especially Phillipe the horse, The magic rose in the glass case, and the magic mirror) and I love the fact that Belle is going to come with her pink dress and winter cloak (one of my favorite Disney princess outfits) and that we're going to get the Beast in his causal outfit. I can't wait to see this set in person
Pictures©Disney
After a long weekend in the office great to be in causal clothing top and cropped jeans . Would love to go for a walk but the weather put paid to that xx ❤️❤️
Our first outing was a causal drive up Mount Lemmon, stopping at many if not most of the scenic overlooks. Enjoy the trip up and down the mountian.
Vaudeville Games
A villainous study in 2 actes.
Acte 2
Soon the “Grandmother came walking out from the corridor (sans mink), rubbing her finger along her nose, the “granddaughter” noticed the sign rose from her chair, leaving her dejeweled friend playing happily with the boa, while she slinked cunningly off. The two met inconspicuously in front of the back corner and began whispering together in a conspirator like manner as they looked around, something in the corridor must have given the devious “Grandmother” and idea for some sort of fresh opportunity and they were looking for someone to try it out on! I think I spotted it before they did, but not by much, as I saw them both start looking in the same direction that I had been.
The grandmother went first, heading over to the bar and asked for a glass of wine, which I noticed she no more than sipped at as she watched the “Granddaughters” Progress. The “granddaughter “ then slowly moved out on her own course, zeroing in on a small group of 10 mid- teenagers, playing a game of hopscotch on the floor tiles in a far corner between my table and the restrooms.
Four of the group were suit clad boys, nothing they possessed would be of interest to her. However, the other six would fit her objective, being that they, all girls dressed in glossy attire, were wearing the “good stuff”. Four were exhibiting jewelry of glittering rhinestones, number 5 was adorned with a rather pricey display of gold glistening from her shiny green taffeta clad figure, and the 6th…. Ahh, but the 6th one was quite the exception, and the one I knew was in the granddaughter’s” devious sight. She was pretty, a doe eyed ginger haired doll faced lass, a bit older (an immature 17?) than her playmates, resplendent in a expensively long gown of pleated purple silk, with a seed pearled pattern sewn into the gown’s bodice. She was wearing long satin gloves dyes perfectly to match her gown, and holding in her slippery grasp a small fat satin clutch purse of the same hue. She was adorned with a fine matching display of costly white pearls that went well with her gown and darker completion. Her attractive jewelry dangled ever so invitingly with a pure white gleam; a double rope necklace, matching earrings, and bracelet. Her long plait of soft blonde hair was intertwined with a rope of pearled silver. She also was in possession of a single, remarkably fancy ring, an adult’s pinky cocktail ring that fit snugly along her index finger, it was set with a single large oval Japanese sea pearl surrounded by a row sparkling diamond chips.
The “Granddaughter” quite understandably zeroed in on young Miss purple silk, quickly attaining her friendship. I noticed that both girls were about the same height and physique, an observation that would hit home to me later on. The “Granddaughter” started chatting up her new friend up royally as they watched the others play, each one admiring the others glittering trinkets. I had been wondering what the “Granddaughter” had up her shiny satin sleeve; as I saw her and her friend in the appealingly fluttering purple silk gown, start to walk a little way off, unnoticed by all but one of her playmates, the green taffeta clad girl who was watching with interest.
I had lost track of the “Grandmother” so it was with a start that I noticed her coming out of the Ladies room, and when she spied the “Granddaughter” and her friend, and she causally waltzed over. I could tell that the “Granddaughter” was putting on the act that she the “Grandmother” was just as much a stranger to her, as the older lady was to her new friend, or should I now more appropriately be calling her next victim instead of a new friend!
The “Grandmother” chatted with the two young girls, asking them questions, making them feel comfortable around her. She admired their clothing, and Miss purple silk happily showed of the gown she was wearing with it’s fancy seed pearl decoration. I saw that the “Granddaughter” had been watching the girl in green taffeta, and as soon as the youngster’s attention was focused elsewhere, the “Granddaughter” did a most peculiar thing, she reached up, and undoing her own necklace, slipped it off out of sight in a pocket of her skirt. As she did, I saw the “Grandmother” who had been apparently waiting for the sign, made an excuse like she had to be somewhere, and left the pretty pair of young ladies.
I watched, with some curiosity I will freely admit; as the “Grandmother” walked briskly back up along the wall towards the hidden corridor. She had almost reached the corridors entrance when I happened to look back to the “Granddaughter” just as she began to feel her throat, putting on an act about her now missing necklace. . Miss purple silk had begun to look around on the floor, when the “Granddaughter” grabbed her arm and pointed towards” The Grandmother”! I could tell that she was telling Miss purple silk that the older lady had somehow taken it, and was getting away. This was just as “Grandmother “disappeared around the corner, it had been timed perfectly, giving me an odd impression that this wasn’t a new trick they were pulling . The “Granddaughter” quickly scurried off after her. Following right behind the “Granddaughter”, in a flurry of shimmering jewels, purple silk and satin, the 17 year old followed her new friend, concern spreading across her pretty face.
The pair made it to the end, disappeared down the corridor, unnoticed by anyone but me. I decided to wait this latest bit of skullduggery by the two female con artists out. I reckoned that the worst thing that could physically happen to miss purple silk was her hands being pinned behind her back as the “Grandmother” nimbly run her fingers up and down the teen’s slippery gown locating and stripping the young lady of her pricey pearls, or minute prickling’s as her ring and earrings were removed! I was positively sure that the light-fingered pair was after nothing more from their victim, otherwise I would have had to intervene at once!
The methods the two female thieves had been employing were not by any means close to my way of doing things by any measure, and deucedly to steal from any female under twenty was not my cup of tea atoll! So, the situation now being what it was, I decided to wait and watch, trying to time it just right before rescuing Miss purple satin, deducing that it may prove more profitable to me in the long run to hold me horses.
I had, by my timepiece, been waiting almost 15 minutes when, strangely enough, a figure looked around from the corner. It was the “Granddaughter”! What was she up to now ,I thought, as I saw her inch back along the wall, looking back to the group still happily playing off in their corner. I saw her eyes following the girl in green taffeta with the dangling, shiny gold jewelry. She couldn’t be contemplating what I thought she was, not with the bird the pair already had in hand, it absolutely made no sense!
But just then it was announced that the cake cutting would be commencing, and the children playing hop scotch all scampered off to join the moving crowd that was gathering at the far end of the cavernous room. The “Granddaughter “watched as whatever opportunity she had in mind, slipped out of reach from her ringed fingers,
The “Granddaughter”, a clear look of displeasure creeping into her eyes, walked back to the spot where she had first encountered the group of children. As she watched the festivities, I could tell her eyes her checking out the now deserted tables. She spied the boa still on its chair, and slowly made her way towards it.
The “Grandmother” then appeared from around the corner and looking for the “Granddaughter” spied her and questioningly caught her eye. The “granddaughter”, looked at the “Grandmother” as her hand laid upon the feathery boa, looked around and shrugged. The “Grandmother” nodded back, signaling that it was time to shove off then. The “Granddaughter” picked up the Boa, (probably with the idea to make the same use of it at some other function) and started to move her way out. I started to rise, time to get into action, but at that moment I saw the “Grandmother’s” head snap up, looking over at the crowd where the cake was being cut. The “Granddaughter” looked over also, as I followed suit.
A lady in a swishing long black gown had been bent over talking to the young girl wearing the emerald green taffeta gown and glistening gold chains. The girl had pointed towards the play area, then spotting the “granddaughter” had pointed her out. She had now straightened and departed away from the flocking crowd of cake watchers, heading our way, alone and obviously looking for someone.
She was a rather a quite attractive wealthy lady of not more than 20 years of age. She was clad in a long black A-line gown of shiny liquid satin, that literally appeared to be poured down over her rather nicely endowed figure, shimmering quite appealingly from all points of interest as she gracefully moved , her long gown swirling around in step. The gown fell swishing down to her green satin spiked heeled feet, fluttering in motion around them as she walked ever closer to unrealized peril. A real corker, this lassie was. But it was not her slinky satin gown that had caught the thieves’ attention, but the quite copious display of dazzling white diamond jewelry flickering along her slickly shiny black satin clad figure that warranted the drooling, desirous looks.
The Siren, a green eyed beauty with flowing locks of naturally red hair, made her way towards the back area, looking about her in earnest. I saw the pair of mischievous watchers pass a sign, and as the “Grandmother” disappeared in wait back down the passage, the “Granddaughter” moved off, and standing by the lady’s powder room, watched and waited like a cat will a mouse scurrying about, diligently waiting to pounce! Her prey made it to the area where the hopscotch game had been played, and it was then that the “granddaughter” approached her. If she hadn’t, I probably would have.
As she had walked over I took the opportunity to scrutinize her abundant display of jewels. A long silver necklace shimmered with diamonds set in a grape leaf pattern that fell to a v hanging down just over her gown’s top, that covered her fine “clivage”. Long sparkling earrings, patterned after her necklace, flickered fire as they swung to and fro. Hanging from the wide strip of rippled sash like material around her waist area of her black gown, swayed a leaf shaped silver brooch set with diamond chips. She wore long black satin gloves, around each wrist were twin wide fiery diamond bracelets, while from 3 fingers, 2 on the right, one on the left, were glistening cocktail rings of diamond and emeralds, not a sign of an engagement ring or wedding band. She was wearing a short button less jacket of midnight black satin, with ¾ sleeves over her bare shoulders. On the left side of the jacket was pinned a clip in the shape of a pouncing cat. With green emeralds for its feline slanted eyes, and its entire figure encrusted with glittery diamond stones and chips, it was an incredibly beautiful piece of work, probably Tiffanies, definitely valuable!
All in all it was a very heathy display of what a few hundred thousand grand of loose change ( to one of her ilk) can buy. The” Grandmother” and her blonde “Granddaughter” had hit the jackpot with this one, if they were able to lure her off. I took a quick look around, ladies like her usually always travelled in pairs, especially if they were wandering off somewhere, but this young darling apparently had missed that memo. Being alone, and wearing jewelry of that caliber, made her just that much more vulnerable to pickpockets, thieves and such, even at wedding receptions!
I could now overhear wisps of conversation. Apparently the siren was looking for her kid sister, and from the description, it appeared to be non-other than the pearl wearing miss purple silk, who had fallen ever so rudely into the thieves’ clutches and had been lured away to some hidden corner to fates unknown.
The “Granddaughter” her large blue eyes wide with concern, pointed in the direction of the corridor. The young miss in black satin put a hand to her chest, jewels flashing, falling for it, hook, line and soon to be diamond-less figure. I watched with some self-centered interest as the pair made their way off, soon disappearing around the corner with a silent disappearing swish of her gown, unnoticed by anyone but me, and the girl in emerald green taffeta who I also had seen watching the activity. I kept my eye on her, feeling some anxiety that she would be the fly in the ointment, but she soon turned her shiny young back to it, losing interest, in order to join the line for cake. I breathed a sigh of relief, the game was still afoot for me. I decided to wait now that the coast was clear, wait to give the pair enough time to start in on their new victim. It was imperative that I catch them in the act with no doubts as to their evil intentions if my plan was to work to my ultimate benefit!
Wait about 10 minutes , I figured, before someone should probably investigate, I kenw the pair would not waste any more precious time, their clock was ticking out fast. But as I reached that conclusion, a lady, splendidly clad in a long dress of maroon silken lace, passed by the corridor, heading off to a lady’s powder room as she wiped a bit of cake from her front. Things could wait little longer if necessary I told myself.
I got up and headed over to where the Ladies powder room was located. Beside the powder room was a small alcove with an old phone hanging on the wall for personal calls. I pretended to be on it, watching the doorway. Mere minutes later I heard it open and at the first sign of the silken lace dress, I put up the phone and lumbered out, plowing right into her as she exited. I got a whiff of sweet perfumed as her long hair flew into my face as I grasped her warm figure to keep her from toppling. I successfully scared the living daylights out of her! Her eyes wide with embarrassment as I apologized profusely, slipping my hand along her sensuous figure with the ruse of steadying her as I made sure she was okay, my fingers finding their pretty objective. The entire episode lasted mere seconds before I was off and on my way, leaving behind me in my wake the flustered lass tying to recollect her wits. I smiled to myself, my hand in a pocket, releasing from my grasp the plucked diamond brooch that had taunted me when I first detected it brightly glimmering as it dangled loosely down from its very pick able perch on Miss silken lace’s lovely tightfitting gown as she had strolled by the fateful corridor.
I had spotted it early on, a far too valuable piece to try for under normal circumstances, but then, present circumstances were now anything but normal, now weren’t they? But now I had it now, the easily $75,000 piece was comfortably slumming it with the now cold bracelet (a mere $25,000) also residing in the same pocket. Time to get back to work I now told me self, my mind buzzing with high hopes of success.
I than walked over to where I had two of my security guards located by one of the many exits. I nodded to Pete, one of the men I had handpicked for this job ( all of them selected due to their lack of attentiveness, and lack of common sense) , I whispered something to him, explaining the situation, and he followed me over to the entrance of the corridor., leaving the other one to continue guarding the door, not that it was doing much good, it was the same door that the “Grandmother” and “Granddaughter” had brazenly strolled through unchallenged!
The corridor was long, with a pair of closets on either side., ending in a set of stairs, about 6, leading down to a landing with yet another door; this was not to a closet, but to a workroom with an outside exit. I had made a careful study of the building and its exits the day before. When we reached the workroom door, I slowly turning the handle, then flung it open and we thrusted our way inside, pistols drawn.
The” Grandmother” and the “Granddaughter” were just finishing tying up their second victim, the siren in the black satin gown, to a chair; she had been gagged with dirty rags, her brite green eyes looked at us wide with fear. The sister was also tied to a chair across the room, and blindfolded, neither seemed to have been maltreated., other than the fact the younger sister was clad only in a long purple satin slip. The pair of female thieves also looked up at us startled, frozen in step. I looked them over, then I looked over at the tied up lady, and her sister, there was no sign of any jewelry, which is what I was hoping for. I had timed it perfectly, I smirked to meself.
“So what’s been goin on here then? “ I asked, knowing full well what had been “goin on” just by the looks of things before my eyes.
I identified myself in my official capacity, as head of security for the function, and had the “Grandmother” and her “Granddaughter” line up against the wall, and told Pete to hold his pistol on them.
I went over and removed the gag from Black satin, she was shakin something awful. I told her to be still, and untied her bindings. She rose shakily as I helped her stand, falling onto me, and then huggin me as she wept. I patted her, relishing in the incredible softness of her gown that prettily was draped along her warm figure. It’s all right now my dear, I said soothingly, as I comforted her , making sure at the same time that she wasn’t holding out on anything. She pulled away, “my sister” she said, looking straight at me, blasting me with the gaze of wide green eyes.
Go untie her I suggested, and in a swishing of her gown, she moved swiftly over to the unfortunate lass. We all watched, not a word spoken, as miss purple silk was freed from her bindings, and the blindfold removed. Both sisters than embraced, a quite touching sight, the older sister took off her shiny black jacket, and placed it over the other’s shivering shoulders. I was happy that I had been able interfere before the thieves had taken anymore advantages, but, before things started calming down, and words started to be said from the two victims, I knew that I would have to take command of the situation.
I beckoned to Peter. “Ere Pete, take these ladies outside and have them go to their people, and use the phone by the rest rooms to call the local police in, then report back here.” “I will wait her with these two buggers.” Pete nodded obediently, unquestioningly, which is why I usually call upon him when the situations requires a bit of, how should I say it, delicate maneuvering. As they all left, I backed up to the door and wedged it from the inside, surprised that these two against the wall had not taken the very same precautions.
“All right ladies, I want each of you in turn to approach the table and put the goods on the it” ,I commanded in no uncertain words! “What do you mean?” growled the “Grandmother”? “Come on sister “I responded, “people are talking, seems that some of the youn’uns are missen their jewels!” As the pair of them started to balk and protest, I waved my pistol, “trust me ladies, you don’t want me search ‘in for it.”
The “Granddaughter” approached the table first, and tossed down upon it the small purple silk purse, it landed with a quite satisfyingly heavy plop, I inwardly smiled. She went back to her position on the wall, and I indicated for the “Grandmother to approach next. She came up, a snarling look upon her face, quite different than the look of simpering kindness she had been given her victims.” Hurry it up now” I said, and watched as she reached twice deep into her skirt, came out holding a pile of shimmery jewels and another of glistening pearls in her cupped hand, and laid it on the table. Then as they both were back at the wall, looking at me, wonderingly. I snapped “Turn around” I said, “I don’t want to see your thieving mugs,” and they did, defiantly.
Without changing my expression, I opened the purse, and dumped out its glittering contents, then carefully, but quickly, studied the gleaming piles . it was all there I reckoned, and most certainly the pieces of it I was interested in. I walked over to the work bench, picked up the high-backed chair the girl had been tied to, and walked it back with one hand, turned it around and sat on it backwards, my pistol, pointing at the backside pair of female thieves, resting my hand on the chairs high backside. Using my left hand I began placing the jewelry back into the purse, or at least my pair of captive thieves’ thought that was what I was doing with it!
When I finished with that business at hand, I looked around, saw the mink, boa, purple silk gown and matching gloves, all piled on the floor by the stairs leading to the outside exit. I was wondering what the function was that the “Granddaughter” had been planning to wear the purloined purple silk gown to, for I harbored no doubts that was why they stripped it off from their victim! I said nothing more, nor did the pair against the wall, though I caught them stealing questioning looks to each other.
Pete returned, knocking on the door, I backed up and removing the wedge, let him in. I told him to watch the pair, and left the room, leaving the purse on the table, I told Pete I was checking to make sure things were calm, to tell my other guards what was going on, and wait for the local police inspector to arrive.
When the coppers did finally arrive, a full about 40 minutes later , tardy as usual, it quelling the frazzled guests considerably. I welcomed them and led them to the workroom. We entered, and there was Pete, all tied up and gagged, with no sign of either the “Grandmother” or “Granddaughter”! The mink, boa, purple silk gown, and the gowns’ matching clutch purse(containing the cheapest of the jewels), had all gone away with the fleeing pair! The miscreants had taken it all, along with Pete’s pistol (which was later found outside, empty), and had scampered to off some hiding hole.
The cops, not the least bit happy with the situation, (but rental cops, in their opinion, are rarely a competent breed anyway), took down our statements, and those of the victims as well. They then left, waiting until then to place out an all-points bulletin on the suspects(which suited me fine, give them even more time to disappear). Everything soon settled down as best as could be under the circumstances. The final 2 hours of the reception went off without a hitch. But, giving the fact that the “flock” was a bit skittish now, it would ‘ave been difficult for anyone to make any further attempts at “shearing”em of their opulent jewels anyhows.
I drove home hours afterwards, my mind abuzz with what had transpired, trying to make it all clear to me how to best approach the opportunities that had quite literally fallen into my hands.
That night, sleep was hardly, me friend.
******
Epilogues, of sorts:
6 weeks later, in a large city about 2 states away, the young lady who had been wearing the emerald green taffeta gown with glimmering gold chains in the tale told above, was now in attendance at a wedding for the daughter of one of her papa’s fellow congressmen. Her mother had encased her daughter in an expensive silk dress of soft ocean blue for the occasion, telling her she needed to be on her best behavior, and not to be under her Father’s foot for the occasion!
While nestled in the receiving line, behind her parents, the young lady had felt the slightest of tugs at the back of her dress. A minute later she discovered that the bib pearl necklace that had been her great aunts, had fallen away from her throat and was missing. A hurried 15 minutes looking around the church for it, had failed to come across it, and she was scolded for being so neglectful in losing such a valuable piece, and also for causing her Father a bit of embarrassment in the process.
Then at the wedding reception, the girl, already on the alert, spotted the very same slinky purple gown with the seed pearled bodice and matching gloves that she had seen a girl wearing a few weeks earlier. The girl whom had had been pulled in a back room and had been mugged!
She studied the girl now wearing it, even with her blonde hair dyed black, she was recognizable as the girl who had been one of the thieves at that reception, the “Granddaughter” The thief was walking with a young lady elegantly attired, whom she recognized as the niece of the congressman! As the girl in blue watched the pair move off, an older lady with silver hair, wearing a pretty top and skirt, approached them, and the 3 moved off. The inquisitive girl in ocean blue silk, followed. The trio had stopped by a window, looking out at something. The girl in ocean blue moved closer to see what it was all about. She could see the 3 ladies reflection in the window. Suddenly she froze; something was not quite right, out of place. It took her only seconds to figure it out, the congressman’s niece, sandwiched in between the thief and the older lady, was missing the necklace of diamonds that she had been wearing when the young girl in ocean blue silk had first seen them, only minutes before!
The girl, in a swirling of her blue silk dress, scurried off as fast as her high heels could carry her, to find her parents. Her parents, reluctantly at first, finally listened after she had pointed out the suspect to them. Her Father took his daughter to the congressman’s security who had her point the “Granddaughter” out. They approached the Niece first, finding her still standing alone by the window. She, with a gasp, confirmed to them that her diamonds had indeed, vanished. They reached the pair as they were making their separate exits out of the reception. “The Grandmother” and “Granddaughter” were caught red handed, pearl bib necklace and the nieces diamond necklace, and plus assorted, mismatched pieces of jewelry being found hidden in secret pockets. All of it had been slipped off the silken figures of young ladies attending the wedding and reception, whom had the misfortune to meet up with the charming “Granddaughter”!
It turned out that neither of the female thieves was what they had appeared to be! The “Grandmother” was an old washed up actress and vaudeville magician named Agnes Adelyirood, in her late 40’s ,who had been forced to find other means to scrape a living, she had dyed her hair gray, and taken on the demeanor of a much older , kinder, lady. The “granddaughter” was not a 16 or 17 year old girl, but a 26 year old midget named Doris M__, whom Agnes had known from her vaudeville days, when her specialty was to play the part of a young girl. Together they had been working as a team combing the country and lifting jewels at the most posh’ist of events.
The authorities, after searching their rented apartment in a shoddy part of the city, discovered several piles of hot jewels and other goods stashed away, including the purple clutch purse with the lesser jewelry from the job they had pulled at the reception my firm had been hired for security. Not included, of course, was the more valuable pieces reported missing from the function, which the authorities mistakenly believed had been broken down and pawned right away by the light fingered pair.
It was after reading all about this in a formal police report and the conclusions that had been reached, that I had finally made some decisions that I had been mulling over.
Now I must admit, being a skilled thief, and also owning my own security business, had certainly turned out to having its benefits…Basically being paid to watch for thieves, leaving the glittering venue open for me to do a bit of thievery on me own.
But for the five years I had been in business, I knew that eventually someone might finally catch on, though it was amazing how daft the wealthy can be most of times, not to mention gullible. To which fact I had caught onto early on and worked the “fields” profitably to my benefit.
But I had been thinking over the past year that it may be time to get out of the business, living off the small nest egg I had acquired over the past 5 years. But that nest egg had suddenly, quite unexpectedly hatched into a small treasure trove.
I owned an old stone cottage on the Cornish coast that had been in me family for generations. Retiring to it while still relatively young, living the life of the country gentleman while I was still youthful enough to enjoy it ; fish a little, evening walks with the dogs at my heels, watch a sunset, rise as I so desired, all had always been me pipe dream. . I, until recently, did not possess quite enough funds to make it a reality. And until I knew for certain which way the winds of change would come, I was unable to really make us of what fortunes I now possessed. But, with the pair caught and being blamed for the missing diamonds, everything had fallen quite neatly into place!
So, I finally decided, run the business, with a clean nose, for another year, let things cool down, and then I would sell the business to Pete and his fellow guards. They all had had been showing an interest as of late, and seeing how Pete had been the unwitting part of my plan by letting Agnes and Doris escape, it was the least I could do for him and the rest.
Also, In her last letter to me, the ginger haired lass I had left back home, had broadly hinted that she would like more than anything to see me again, which was surprising, since the last time we had danced I had carried out a light-fingered lift of the emeralds she had been wearing at her university’s formal!
But I guess love can be blind. She had apparently let her pretty self see my nicking her jewels as a loan to get me started, a loan that I was prepared to pay back, with interest, and I had already written her expressing that desire!
.
Back home my late Grandfather, whom I had learned a thing or two from back in the day, had always been fond of saying when certain tricky issues arose ; “lie low for a bit, like a fox in the hedgerow, wait until the dogs had sniffed past and the trail cold before, darting home.”
And that my dear friends, was exactly what I was going to do!
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Epilogue Duex
11 months Later
So it was that 11 months to the day I had read the report on the capture of Agnes and Doris, that I found meself on a vessel heading across the pond…
As I watched the waning shoreline I looked again down to the letter I held in my hand. It was written by my friend in England, the Ginger Haired lass, agreeing to my plan to meet her up at my Cornish based cottage the weekend of my return. The letter was signed with x’s and a faint lipstick stained mouth print. So I was fairly sure of the reception I would be receiving.
My luggage was on board, including me steamer trunk with its hidden drawer containing a small fortune in jewels.
I had already wired ahead my nest egg, which included the amount accumulated over six years in the security/shearing business, and the sale of that Business to Peter, along with the money I received from……
But me mind wandered to Peter and his cohorts. I had sold the business to them a month before, and had learned through channels that those ingrates were smearing my good name, hinting that I had been in cohorts with Agnes Axelrod, of all things.
Peter had no clue as to the double life I had been leading, and he had no idea how many times I had been approached by the criminal elements willing to “grease my palms if I just would look the other way! Of course I always played the saint, and chased them off…….. So as far as Peter really knew, I was clean as a whistle, and he had no basis for his attack on me name.
So, as I felt the ship lurching as it left the channel, I smiled to meself, paybacks old son, I murmered silently to the unsuspecting Peter and his crew. For , before leaving I had made use of those contacts gleaned from the underworld.
In a fortnight there was to be a rather grand reception put on by a local church diocese with the intentions of enriching themselves under the pretext of hosting a Black Tie Dance, Gourmet Dinner and Casino Night. I had secured the Job the year before, and as an incentive to Peter buying the business, had secured it for this year.
Then Peter had to go and shoot off his mouth… Well, for a rather surprisingly handsome price, I had sold inside information about the Diocesan Event to the cohorts of a rather greedy mobster.
I harbored no doubts as to the gang’s intentions and plans for the monied ( and jewel laden) participants of that event, nor to the ineffectiveness of Peter and his crew to preventing them being carried out.
The whistle blew one last time as the grand ship left port. I turned back and made my way below decks, to catch up on a bit of reading….
Beginning my new, saint like existence of being crime free
.
As I made me way below decks , still basking in Peter receiving his comeuppance, I let me thoughts wander and caress over a memory from previous year’s Diocesan event.
I had just relived a wealthy gent of a wallet containing his casino winnings when from behind me I heard the rather enticing sounds of something silky swishing about. I immediately slowed down and was soon passed by a rather fetching, long haired female vixen . I watched as her form fitting green satin dress moved silkily along her figure, whipping and whisking about her shapely figure with each passing motion…. She was also enticingly dripping with jewels of sparkling diamonds.
I replayed the entire episode in me mind, as I started to follow her discreetly, watching and waiting like the hungry fox watches prey from the shadows of his hedgerow……
Fini
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|| Xi Ξξ || Symbole - Das Dreieck || Code Δδ || Αα - Ωω || Wikipedia: Semantic Triangle || SPACE ||
___________________________________________________________________________
The relations between the triangular corners may be phrased more precisely in causal
terms as follows:
1.The matter evokes the writer's thought.
2.The writer refers the matter to the symbol.
3.The symbol evokes the reader's thought.
4.The reader refers the symbol back to the matter.
I had a 2am start today and set off to Aberdeenshire for a ring side seat at one of the most amazing shows nature has to offer. The grouse were quiet at first but the arrival of a greyhen soon got the feathers flying. These two really went for it and it was hard to keep up with their antics! They buzzed around the lek like feathered dogems when the female arrived. She causally walked through the lek and let them get on with it. Mark Hamblin Nature Photography still has some ring side seats available so why not get in touch for a chance to sit at eye level and watch the bout with one of the the most stunning backdrops Scotland has to offer.
After my little moment of remembrance of Ebbe Altberg, i stood outside the church on my neigbors island to get some fresh air for a while.
In normal cases, i always wear very causal clothes with jeans and sneakers for everyday. (both in RL and here in SL)
But now i tried to dress up for this moment and used this skirt with top and a leather jacket over for the first time. I bought them a few months ago from Neve which is my favorite clothing store here in SL.
marketplace.secondlife.com/p/neve-top-skip-lively/16550472
marketplace.secondlife.com/p/neve-skirt-hop-neutral/16550490
The shoes are ::KC:. AMY "Ballerina"
marketplace.secondlife.com/p/KC-AMY-Ballerina-for-Slink-F...
www.flickr.com/photos/marie_starlight/51232763899/in/date...
Location: St. John’s chapel in the forest (New England)
This is a link to a You Tube Video of a thief not unlike our Angie.
*********
Title: Now, if only she could find where that darling young miss, the one so richly clad in purple silk, had gotten her pretty little self-off too?
Case Study 113 : Warning, these are the raw, bare unusual facts as originally recorded. Some names, times, places and some facts have been altered.
Name: Angelica D circa 1933
Subject: an unscrupulous light-fingered body thief
Place: Resolution Ball - Baltimore (original incarnation)
Time: Evening, through early morning, of the dance
Story line:
Angie grinned, stowing away the emerald bracelet, as she smugly watched the police dragging away the struggling girl. Lit cigarette dangling from a corner of her lip; Angie smirked wickedly to herself as Ginny frantically tried to plead her innocence.
**
One of the coppers had her by the wrists; the other tried gripping her waist, finding it slippery by the satiny gown she was wearing. Ginny was pleading, it was not me, I don’t know how it got there, please let me go, my emeralds, my bracelet… its…its..I gone! I must find it, shrieked the struggling girl. Angie just listened to the girl, ginning; Ginny’s tearful words, spoken in her brash nasally east ender accent, wasn’t helping her cause with the pre-judgmental coppers.
One of them snarled loudly into her ear, ere ,you aint the kind to wear emeralds sister, we’ve got your number, it was her diamonds youse was after.
Actually, she had, Angie admitted to herself wickedly. Yes, dear Ginny had been wearing an emerald bracelet, the one Angie now had tucked securely away. Nevertheless, she chose not to enlighten the harness bulls on the matter, and smugly watched as the small group disappeared through the entrance, heading down to the eastside patrol car waiting at the street, as she let a wisp of cigarette smoke curl upwards from her sneering lips.
**
So it was now, with the emeralds safely tucked away, that Angie turned he back to the main door to watch down the long corridor as she continued puffing on her victory smoke. At the end of the hallway was the main entrance to the cavernous Ballroom where all action had all taken place leading up to poor Ginny’s arrest.
With a suspect now in custody, and two less security bulls, Angie was free to slip back in amongst the wealthy guests in attendance at the ball. Now, if only she could find where that darling young miss, the one so richly clad in purple silk, had gotten her pretty little self-off too! She shivered deliciously at the mere thought of it. However, she decided to take her time finishing her cigarette, give things ample time to cool down, as she marveled at the opulence that seemed to bleed from every square inch of the Baltimore Palace this evening.
How Angie savored attending events held here, and visited the Baltimore area Ballroom several times whenever she was in town on “business”. The lighting, modern for the day, seemed to coax any piece of jewelry to sparkle. Making it ever so easy to focus on even the smallest (and sometimes most expensive) piece a fashionably dressed female would be wearing.
**
For you see, Angie was a master pickpocket, who, with the discovery and subsequent aid of a pamphlet written in the early 1800’s, was able to take her game to the next, more profitable level...
See Album: Angie Picks Chicago for the story of how she discovered the phamplette.
Entitled the Cutpurse: skilles, artes and Secretes of the Dip by “Gaston Monescu, 1826”, it covered the various tactics and moves used by master pickpockets of the time, Including whole chapters on successful “Methodes” of relieving a well-dressed lady of her” jeweles”.
Angie had nimbly crafted a new art form of relieving wealthy women and rich girls of their valuable jewelry. She performed this feat by combining the tactics of an illusionist, with the delicate touch of “The Dip” ; Employing this method to nick the fiery sparklers while still warm from the unwary, usually be-gowned , figures ostentatiously displaying them!
**
Angie began to reflect on how the ballroom had looked when she had first entered some three hours previously. She had been eagerly anticipating the opportunities in store for her inside, and she was not disappointed in the very least. The place was packed wall to wall with guests dressed in their dapper nines for the annual event.
Like a kid in a candy shop, Angie had eagerly looked over the crowd, admiring the shiny, flowing gowns the female guests were wearing. Selecting and keenly observing dresses made of the richest, most form fitting material, for by long experience, these women wearing them would bring the most profit. By employing this method to narrow the field of selections, Angie was able to quickly to pinpoint on a piece of jewelry, make her move, and be gone before giving any security patrolling the area a chance to recognize her for what she was. It sometimes was as easy as taking candy from a baby, or as Angie like to imagine it, relieving a satin and lace clad innocent of her “silver spoon”
Angie than eagerly looked over the jewels of those she had chosen, vividly glittering their colourful joy at being brought out of the vault and worn for this evening’s festivities. She had been quite hard pressed to make a selection, so for the first 30 minutes or so, Angie just mingled about, following her whimsy.
Then she spotted Olivia. Elegant in a long slick purple gown of luxurious silk that flowed and moved tightly along her shapely figure as she flitted about, presenting the very picture of a tickle thief’s dream ( see addendum rr).. Young, flighty and loaded with beckoning diamonds, Angie began to stalk her in ever decreasing circles, hunting her slowly, deliberately, much as a snake in the grass would a tiny unsuspecting mouse. However, all too soon, Angie realized that this mouse was being watched over by someone else, like a hawk.
The hawks name was Ginny. Lower east end, rough as her cousin Olivia was polished, awkward in one of her cousins borrowed long satin gowns, she watched protectively over her mingling cousin from the sidelines, totally out of her element, ill-fitting right down to the only jewelry she wore, a shimmering elegant emerald bracelet that was obviously borrowed( probably from Olivia) . Angie weighed the consequences of an attempt on Olivia’s diamonds, deciding that there was plenty of less guarded prey, and so Angie reluctantly decided to let go of the scent.
**
It was not much later that Angie, from her new perch at one of the twin bars that lined opposite sides of the room, found herself eyeing a most interesting subject. She rose and began trailing behind the swishing gown of her new prospect. The fine taffeta gown was spilling down along the still voluptuous, if not a little pudgy, figure of an older, matronly looking lady with long hair of faded gold. Her longish hair was home to a glittering Diamond Head band, from which shimmering strings of diamonds were entertained in her still silky soft hair.
The lady stopped to chat with two other finely decked out women, giving Angie a chance to circle and leisurely eyeball, head to foot, these unsuspecting ladies baubles. Angie felt her heart rate quicken with delight at what she saw.. Now, older women could be a little bit trickier since they were more likely to notice quicker the disappearance of often worn jewelry, as opposed to younger ladies or girls were not yet used to wearing fine jewelry adorning their squirming figures. Nevertheless, Angie spied something that should even the playing field a bit, so to speak, making this wealthy lady a fairly less risky prospect…
Now, Monescu‘s pamphlet had a little side Chapter on how ladies would sooner think jewels were lost as to believe they had been stolen from them (pickpockets only go after wallets and hankies, my dear, everyone knows that!) . To this end, losing one of a pair, like an earring, or clips, is a safe bet, especially if one desires to tempt fate and remain in the area to try for a second piece, like the brooch one of her friends was wearing.
And the lady Angie was ogling was wearing a pair of twin diamond and ruby clips, one on each side of the wide shiny sash that encircled her waist. Taking one of her jeweled clips should be as easy as slipping candy away from the side of a silken clad baby. Which in a fashion, Angie had actually done, once long ago, coming across a small group of wedding attired young girls playing alone at a playground, whose chaperones had obligingly wandered off for a bit. But, when Angie had left the chirpy little group to continue their game of (appropriately enough) cops n robbers, It had definitely not been the gullible young ladies candy that walked off along with her!
(See album, Angie at play, for the full story)
Angie’s full attention was now focused on the two wave shaped clips as the pair fired glittering salvos of flickering rainbow-like colures with each elegant movement their mistress made. Patiently Angie stalked from a distance, awaiting her chance. It came soon enough, when the Hors d’oeuvres were put out, and the clips, along with their mistress, headed with the other multitudes of guests to the long banquet tables. As they formed a line, Angie managed to wedge herself in between the lines, effectively cutting off her victim, who bumped against Angie.
Angie’s left hand slipped in and snaked along the satin sash, feeling once again the deliciously tingling ling chill she always experienced when her fingers first rubbed against the warm scintillating material of a luscious gown as she dipped in to steal the selected jewel.. This time was no different as her slender fingers located the first of the clips ; lifting it up, and nimbly flicked open the clasp( it was amazing how jewelers skimped on clasps when making upper end jewels), at the same time her right hand slithered up the slick taffeta backside of her victims gown. Reaching underneath an armpit, her fingernails dug in, distracting her victim as to the nefarious activity happening at her waist. The lady was knocked slightly off balance, and anyone else who saw the pair had their eyes focused their faces, and not on any handiwork occurring with the hands below sight.
Angie apologized profusely in her softest most innocent voice. Petting down the ladies backside as she did so with her right hand, while her left plucked the clip from her sash and palmed the jewel and slipped behind her back. It was over in seconds, merely someone trying to cut the line, and Angie made her escaped receiving a few clucks of the tongue from one of the ladies’ friend as the lady caught up to them. Angie just smiled at them winningly, her hand still behind her back. As she smiled, Angie slipped the diamond clip down inside her sash before turning away and heading off.
It had all come off quite easily, and Angie was congratulating herself, when suddenly a voice behind her pronounced, quite loud and clear, oh my gwad Ceclia, you’ve lost a brooch. Diamond clip Angie correctly the lady silently to herself. She did not turn, but kept on moving, even slowing her pace a bit. From the same area she heard Celica gasp. Me clip, I’ve lost one of me diamond clips! it was here a minute ago, remember Maud, you was admiring them, weren’t you? Angie could imagine from what actions the lady in the elegant taffeta gown was taking now that she had discovered her loss, security was probably hoofing their way over, Angie had to think quickly.
Not losing any of her demeanor, Angie turned causally around to watch with the rest of the nearby group as the lady was showing her sash and the remaining clip to a couple of her friends. Angie spied a brace uniformed bulls approaching. She casually turned and headed across the room, her mind whirling. she knew that the pricy clip was too hot to hold onto. She had slowly looked around as she sauntered away from the scene. Then, spotting one of the many Ladies powder rooms scattered around, she ducked into it. Angie knew from past experiences ( and a few hints from Monescu‘s phamplett) that rooms such as these had a plethora of hiding places to let “hot items” cool down..
She entered the room, the noise dying out as the door closed. She was alone, wait, not nearly, the room had one other occupant. Ginny was at the sink, washing her face, the bored look she had worn all evening now was replaced by deep thoughts, forlorn ones by the looks of it. On the fly Angie coolly devised a plan.
She walked up behind the unwary, unnoticing, fetchingly clad Ginny, and wrapped her arms round her, hugging, as she called out, Maude dear, I haven’t seen you in ages. Ginny was uncomfortably flabbergasted, and Angie felt her warm figure stiffen. She turned and Angie apologized, I am so sorry , I totally mistook you for someone else. I should have known better, Maude is not nearly as pretty .As she spoke, Angies’ fingers touched and prodded the startled girl, not allowing her to collect her wits. If Angie was hoping for a smile, she didn’t get it,. Streetwise Ginny looked at Angie hard, and scolded the thief for scaring the beezusses out of her. In a Huff Ginny left, Angie watched as Ginny’s soft gown curled around the closing door before whipping out of.
She was smiling to herself, for as she had hugged Ginny, she had deposited the clip in the girls green velvet purse that was laying open on the vanity. She had also in the process, tit for tat, whisked off the emeralds from around the flustered Ginny’s satin gloved wrist.
Not wasting any time Angie headed down the hallway where she secreted the bracelet in a nearby ash can, slipping it underneath the ½ ash filled bowl. Angie than reentered the ballroom, and went up to the orchestra’s conductor and requested a couple of waltzes, ones she knew were lengthy.
She then look around to make sure that she had all the principle players in her plot in sight. She spied Ginny talking with her cousin Olivia, and Celia was still searching the floor by the banquet tables. Now Maude , Maude took a little doing, but Angie spotted her chatting with a security cop. Great Angie thought, all I need to do is wait for it. “It” soon became apparent , was the start of one of the slow waltzes, and sure enough, Olivia was almost immediately scooped up and led off to the dance floor, leaving poor Ginny alone, as she had been most of the evening. Her hard disposition more than enough to keep any potential suitors at bay.
Angie immediately sought out Maude, a short mousey woman in a faded velvet gown wearing loads of gold chains and bangles. Angie caught her ear; feeding her a story about what she saw being placed in a certain green velvet purse. Maude’s eyes darted to where Ginny stood along a wall, and Angie saw a delicious gleam flare up in mousey Maude’s semi -be speckled green eyes.
**
Angie than serenely slipped back, regaining her barstool perch and waited as the developments unfolded. Maude went to the copper she had been chatting up, and they both went to Celica. The copped grabbed a partner and the group surrounded poor Ginny. Angie kept one eye on the, and the other on Olivia, who was dancing on the far side of the room, blissfully unaware of the clamor on the far wall, that was surrounding her hapless cousin Ginny.
Angie saw that, upon discovering what she had in her purse, they were going to arrest her and escort Ginny off the premises, exactly as Angie had planned! Angie slipped from her stool, and headed out to the lobby to await the final act in Ginny’s tragedy. Angie concealed herself in the hidden alcove, behind the small ash can where she had stashed the emerald bracelet. Just in time to witness the poor girl, struggling between the two security types, and being forcibly escorting her out. When she was sure no suspicion was coming her way, Angie lit a victory smoke, and retrieved the emeralds, stowing them away as she looked back upon the protesting Ginny, struggling as she was being ushered out the door to the waiting patrol car on the street below.
**
Now, Angie only had to find where that darling young Olivia, so richly clad in purple silk, had gotten her pretty little self-off too! With a suspect now in custody, and two less security bulls, Angie was free to slip back in amongst the wealthy guests in attendance at the ball. Good thing old Angie girl was a tough cookie, she contemplated, congratulating herself over not losing her head and coming out in roses, as happy with herself, she watched down the hallway. She was in no hurry; haste makes waste after all, so Angie savored her thoughts as she waited patiently to continue her mischievous habits.
Her thoughts now were trained fully on the unsuspecting, capriciously flighty , Olivia, and her dazzling diamonds.
In her minds eye she relished over several scenarios that could develop, and how to use them to her advantage, Angie exciting herself so much that she held the cigarette for a minute to lick her lips over them…
She imagined Olivia darting about, as she looked for her missing cousin, imagining, a well-placed foot on the hemline of a swirling long purple silk gown, which could yield some marvelous results.
Or perhaps Olivia could use some help looking for her cousin. Angie would then be able to discreetly help herself to some of the enticingly slippery-gowned Olivia’s dainty, but expensively fiery, diamond jewelry.
Alternatively, and best of all, and it is here where the almost purring Angie licked her lips, was a most scintillating scenario…
Angie could explain what had happened and offer to share a cab downtown with her new friend. Angie would comfort the worrying, sobbing (brought on by how Angie would describe what had happened) girl riding alongside her in the back of the bouncing cab. Angie would comfortingly stroke the warm figure encased in the richly slick, scrumptiously smooth silky gown, as she cooed words of encouragement in Olivia’s ears, Angie’s lips touching the diamond earrings dripping down from their lobes.
Then she would let Olivia go inside alone, as not to cause her cousin any further embarrassment. Then Angie would watch as Olivia hurried away, admiring the flow of her shiny gown in the light from the entranceways lamps ,and while also basking in the provocative sparkle of any remaining diamonds that Angie had not managed to spirit away during the ride down to the police station.
Angie shivered happily, as she gave one final drag on her cigarette and bent down to place it in the ash bin.
Suddenly Angie’s senses perked up, and she raised her head, shooting her gaze down the long corridor..
A lady was leaving the ballroom, unescorted, heading down the long hallway to the exit. She could tell by the quality of the long slinky gown that fell in ruffles from the hem of the long black mink she wore, and by the rings glittering from the hand that held the thick mink, that this specimen was well worth some effort. Angie rose, not yet noticed by the fur encased broad. One for the road, Angie thought to herself, bemused. The lady kept looking back, like she did not really want to leave and was afraid she would miss something exciting. That fact, along with the narrowness of the passage made for an excellent opportunity… A well place foot, and expertly placed bump, a few seconds of confusion, and the lady and Angie would part company, and Angie would have parted something else from the broad, and be a richer woman for it.
It was a formula that Angie had perfected and executed many profitable times. As a matter of fact, it had only been a few days prior that a young daughter, quite fetchingly (and targetable) in a pretty lavender satin and lace gown, ornamented regally with pearls and a flashy blue rhinestone tiara, had quite literally, but not accidentally, come under foot. Allowing Angie the opportunity to artfully nick the girl’s fine strand of gleaming white pearls (with a sapphire gemmed drop!) that had obligingly bounced up into Angie’s waiting fingers.
Angie now watched this rich lady headed towards her, with the very same thoughts in mind. But she needed to know what jewels the broad had hidden under that pricey mink. As the lady came close Angie tried to “will” her to open up. “C’mon honey, its warm, you must be burning up in that pelt, show mama what you got.” But the broad did not obligingly peel back the mink for Angie, and Angie would never know what riches may have been in the cupboard, or perhaps it had been bare, though Angie seriously doubted it. The lady reached her, shooting Angie a nervous smile. Angie smiled back, wondering if the lad realized how close she had come to being relieved of one of her fancy trinkets.
As the woman passed by, Angie watched her backside, musing to herself, Fine, I’ll just have to settle for Olivia. Angie then started down the long deserted corridor with a brisk walk, her satin dress bouncing in rhythm.
**
Reaching the Ballroom proper, Angie stopped and gave the room a vigilant scan for security, and as she had figured, it definitely had loosened up. She then searched in earnest for the young miss clad in her expensive purple silk “tickling gown”( see addendum rr). The naïve young thing had been ever so carelessly displaying those delectably exquisite diamonds of hers with such reckless abandon that it would be a wonder if she still possessed all of them. It will be a wonder if she still does after meeting me, Angie mused. She almost was purring in anticipation as she thought about those diamonds, especially the long necklace and the way it had flung from side to side as the girl had walked past Angie the first time that evening(and several more since). Angie envisioned the diamonded box clasp at the back of her bare neck (long hair was high in a bun) that held the necklace around her neck, for now! She hoped that Olivia had not removed her shiny hairpiece to let her long hair down, Angie prayed, it would make things so much the easier.
As Angie thought about this she slowly edged her way along the wall, dodging in and out amongst the happily chatting guest, constantly on the lookout for Olivia.
Angie was suddenly, unexpectedly blindsided from behind as something incredibly soft, slickly bumped up against her back. Like a cat, she kept her feet and whirled around in time to catch a handful of pure heaven in the form of one of the be- gowned young “princesses” that seemed to be everywhere this gay evening. She found herself nose to eye with a young miss, resplendent in a long slippery gown as black as ink, and as soft as young chinchilla. The sleek gown literally poured tightly down along her perked figure to the floor, covering over her shiny black high heels. The colour of night that was her gown was broken only by the whiteness of her bare shoulders and neck, and by an exquisitely large, leaf like brooch of clear diamond banquets that covered her right side at least 8 inches above and below her slender waistline.
The young “princess” giggled nervously as she profusely apologized over her “silliness” at tripping over her own gown as she had stepped backwards. Angie oozed kindness as she spoke soothingly to the girl, watching her melt like putty in Angie’s light fingered hands. As Angie spoke calmingly to the girl, her eyes were indiscreetly soaking up the dazzling white diamond necklace that surrounded the nervous girl’s bare white throat that was now eye level to Angie. .Angie looked down at the girls gloved hand resting upon her full bosom , admiring the softness of the satin gloves (dyed to match her gown) that stretched up past her elbows, drooling secretly over the enormous cocktail ring that graced one of her fingers. The princess raised up her hands, giving them to Angie, who took up the satin clad hands, holding them as tightly as she was holding the girls gaze, before letting the girl slowly slip them from her firm grasp., .
The girls eyes finally broke away, and Angie smiled exuberantly, giving the girl an enveloping hug to show there were no hard feelings, letting her hands slip ever so gingerly down to grasp the girl by the waist, giving her a squeeze. She then let the young thing slip out, free to go on her way, as Angie turned and did likewise. As Angie sauntered off, she happily thought that it was sometimes funny how occasionally, when least expected, one gets very lucky. As she thought this, she moved her clenched fist to the top of her dress. Pulling the dress out, she dropped down her cleavage the rather large, expensively glittering , diamond brooch she had so carefully slipped from the rather ditsy young ”princess” black satin clad waist. The damsel had not so much felt a prick when Angie had lifted the jewel, snapped the clasp open, and slipped it from her figure as her hands had squeezed her scintillatingly soft waist. She now felt it wonderfully slip down, joining Ginny’s purloined bracelet already resting securely there. Angie stole a careful look back over her shoulder.
The clueless young” Princess” was now happily dancing away with a tuxedoed young man. Her handsome partner, with a neatly trimmed beard, had one white gloved hand holding up her hand in black satin gloved the enormous cocktail ring shining out like some richly coloured beacon ; the other white gloved hand lay upon her back, mere inches away from the simple hook in eye clasp of the necklace of white diamonds. Angie drooled, how she would have liked to have had her hands in either of the positions that the man’s were now laid. Taking the ring and necklace would have been a piece of cake. Angie did sometimes secretly envy men, who could get close to jewel-laden ladies in ways that Angie could not! Angie imagined these wicked thoughts to herself as she allowed herself to be mesmerized by the blaze of fiery diamonds that for the time being, were still wrapped around the “princess’s” slender white throat.
Angie was not worried about the young lady raising a squawk over a missing brooch. Clumsy Dames like her were used to having jewelry misplaced. Angie wondered if they ever realized how many times those jewels were not misplaced, but stolen by light fingered thieves who, like Angie, knew all too well how to read the signs and reap the rewards. If only she had had time to be better prepared, she sighed, turning her attention reluctantly away from the diamonds.
Angie moved off, filled with the confidence that the tides of her fortune had turned for the better. Rounding a corner Angie spied Celia off to one side, and toyed with the idea of slipping off her remaining diamond clip now that Maud was still chatting up one of the Guards (another one out of commission!) Then, for a split second, on the other side of the room, she saw the silky wisp of purple that singled out her prey. Now, down to business she said, licking her lips. With a cat like gleam in her eyes, she swiftly stole into the crowd of dancing couples. Soon she was lost to sight, swept up in a rainbow coloured sea of slinky swirling gowns.
********************************************************************************
Addendum rr (excerpted from :Cutpurse: skilles, artes and Secretes of the Dip by “Gaston Monescu, 1826”)
A perfect tickle thief setup, as Angie renamed it, was a ploy for use on a lady “waering a long gown or skirtes” that was easily trip able, when a foot stepped on it from behind, sometimes added with a soft nudge, sending the wearer tumbling. Ones fingers, in the process of steading or helping would glide(tickling) over the material ( the sleeker the better) to reach and pluck free the fair ladies’ targeted bauble.
**********************************************************************************
Interested in reading more about the shenanigans of Angie?
Then Check out the following albums:
Angie Picks Chicago
Angie being Receptive
Angie being chartable
Angie at Play
Angie Trick Or Treat( coming soon)
Editor’s Note:
Our Thanks to Mr Gardner for pointing out the existence of Mr. Monescu’s 1826 guide
A rare Saturday night off ice hockey in season tonight still be working on the stats though.
Back to the picture just imagine me going round in this outfit with a my big coat on and 👢 watching my son or daughter playing football or indoors in a swimming. Sporting Saturday still goes on. Mum gets her sporting fix during the week by playing Netball with her girlie's and going to the gym after dropping the kids off at school for their breakfast morning before going to work. Oh I wish I had that life 😕 xx ♥️ ♥️
Leica M2
Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 II
Ferrania P30
Rollei Supergrain Developer (1+12)
7 min 30 sec 20°C
Scan from negative film
Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, ca 440 BC
...according to mythology the goddess of strategic war, Athena won over the sea god Poseidon.. to be the protector of Athens.
From her origin as an Aegean palace goddess, Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress particularly the city of Athens, from which she received her name. She was known as Polias and Poliouchos (derived from polis, meaning "city-state"), and her temples were usually located atop the fortified Acropolis in the central part of the city. The Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis is dedicated to her. She was also a warrior goddess, and was believed to lead soldiers into battle as Athena Promachos.
(One sees a link to the ancient Celts in this).
Foundation of Athens:
Athena became the patron goddess of the city of Athens after a competition with Poseidon. Yet Poseidon remained a numinous presence on the Acropolis in the form of his surrogate, Erechtheus.At the dissolution festival at the end of the year in the Athenian calendar, the Skira, the priests of Athena and the priest of Poseidon would process under canopies to Eleusis.They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and the Athenians would choose whichever gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; the water was salty and not very useful, whereas Athena offered them an olive tree.
The Athenians or their king, Cecrops, accepted the olive tree offering and along with it, Athena as their patron, for the olive tree brought wood, oil and food.
After the fight, infuriated at his loss, Poseidon is said to have sent a monstrous flood to the Attic Plain, to punish the Athenians for not choosing him. The depression made by Poseidon's trident and filled with salt water was surrounded by the northern hall of the Erechtheum, remaining open to the air. "In cult, Poseidon was identified with Erechtheus," Walter Burkert noted; "the myth turns this into a temporal-causal sequence: in his anger at losing, Poseidon led his son Eumolpus against Athens and killed Erectheus."
The contest of Athena and Poseidon was the subject of the reliefs on the western pediment of the Parthenon, the first sight that greeted the arriving visitor.
This myth is construed as reflecting a clash between the inhabitants during Mycenaean times and newer immigrants. Athens at its height was a significant sea power, at one point defeating the Persian fleet at Salamis Island in a sea battle.
This outfit is so causal and lovely and trying to blend in just as another mum waiting in the playground xx ❤️ ♥️
Have a lovely weekend
www.flickr.com/photos/ferranp/2478674049/sizes/l/
SITUACIÓN LEGAL
Dado su estado de amenaza, la especie se encuentra en el Anexo II del Convenio de Berna relativo a la Conservación de la Vida Silvestre y el Medio Natural en Europa, como estrictamente protegida; en el Anexo II del Convenio de Bonn sobre la Conservación de las Especies Migratorias de Animales Silvestres, como especie para la que los Estados firmantes se esforzarán por concluir acuerdos en su beneficio; así como en el Anexo I de la Directiva 79/409/CEE del Consejo de la Unión Europea (Directiva Aves, de 2 de abril; D.O.C.E., L 103, 25 de abril de 1979), como de interés comunitario para su conservación.
En España, se encuentra en el Libro Rojo de los Vertebrados de España (Blanco y González, 1992) con la categoría nacional de “En peligro de extinción”, y con la misma aparece en el Catálogo Nacional de Especies Amenazadas (Real Decreto 439/1990, de 30 de marzo; B.O.E., 82, 5 de abril de 1990).
Según se establece en el artículo 29 de la Ley 4/1989, relativo a la catalogación de las especies amenazadas, la categoría de “En peligro de extinción” debe atribuirse a especies cuya supervivencia es poco probable si los factores causales de su situación actual siguen actuando. Por ello, en su artículo 31.2 establece la necesidad de redactar un Plan de Recuperación. Actualmente se encuentra aprobado el “Plan de Recuperación de la Malvasía en Castilla-La Mancha” (Decreto 183/1995, de 28 de noviembre; DOCM, 59, de 1 de diciembre de 1995). En la Comunidad Valenciana está elaborado y se encuentra en fase de aprobación.
LEGAL SITUATION
Given their threat state, the species is in the Annex II of the Agreement from relative Berne to the Conservation of the Life Silvestre and the Natural Means in Europe, as strictly protected; in the Annex II of the Agreement of Bonn on the Conservation of the Migratory Species of Wild Animals, as species for which the States signatories will make an effort to conclude agreements in its benefit; as well as in the Annex I of the Directive one 79/409/CEE of the Council of the European Union (Directive Ave, of April 2; D.O.C.E., L 103, April 25 1979), as of community interest for their conservation.
In Spain, it is in the Red Book of the Vertebrates of Spain (Blanco and González, 1992) with the national category of “In extinction danger”, and with the same one he/she appears in the National Catalog of Threatened Species (Real Ordinance 439/1990, of March 30; B.O.E., 82, April 5 1990).
As he/she settles down in the article 29 of the Law 4/1989, relative to the cataloguing of the threatened species, the category of “In extinction danger” it should be attributed to species whose survival is not very probable if the causal factors of its current situation continue acting. For it, in their article 31.2 establish the necessity to edit a Plan of Recovery. At the moment the is approved “Plan of Recovery of the Malvasía in Castile-the Stain” (I Decree 183/1995, of November 28; DOCM, 59, of December 1 1995). In the Valencian Community it is elaborated and it is in approval phase.
www.cma.gva.es/areas/estado/biodiversidad/bio/Fauna/Malva...
Yellowstone National Park (Arapaho: Henihco'oo or Héetíhco'oo) is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone, widely held to be the first national park in the world, is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features, especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most popular features in the park. It has many types of ecosystems, but the subalpine forest is most abundant. It is part of the South Central Rockies forests ecoregion.
Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 3,468.4 square miles (8,983 km2), comprising lakes, canyons, rivers and mountain ranges. Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America and is centered over the Yellowstone Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. The caldera is considered an active volcano. It has erupted with tremendous force several times in the last two million years. Half of the world's geothermal features are in Yellowstone, fueled by this ongoing volcanism. Lava flows and rocks from volcanic eruptions cover most of the land area of Yellowstone. The park is the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest remaining nearly-intact ecosystem in the Earth's northern temperate zone.
Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have been documented, including several that are either endangered or threatened. The vast forests and grasslands also include unique species of plants. Yellowstone Park is the largest and most famous megafauna location in the Continental United States. Grizzly bears, wolves, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk live in the park. The Yellowstone Park bison herd is the oldest and largest public bison herd in the United States. Forest fires occur in the park each year; in the large forest fires of 1988, nearly one third of the park was burnt. Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, boating, fishing and sightseeing. Paved roads provide close access to the major geothermal areas as well as some of the lakes and waterfalls. During the winter, visitors often access the park by way of guided tours that use either snow coaches or snowmobiles.
The park is located at the headwaters of the Yellowstone River, from which it takes its historical name. Near the end of the 18th century, French trappers named the river "Roche Jaune", which is probably a translation of the Hidatsa name "Mi tsi a-da-zi" (Rock Yellow River). Later, American trappers rendered the French name in English as "Yellow Stone". Although it is commonly believed that the river was named for the yellow rocks seen in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Native American name source is not clear.
The first detailed expedition to the Yellowstone area was the Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition of 1869, which consisted of three privately funded explorers. The Folsom party followed the Yellowstone River to Yellowstone Lake. The members of the Folsom party kept a journal and based on the information it reported, a party of Montana residents organized the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition in 1870. It was headed by the surveyor-general of Montana Henry Washburn, and included Nathaniel P. Langford (who later became known as "National Park" Langford) and a U.S. Army detachment commanded by Lt. Gustavus Doane.
The expedition spent about a month exploring the region, collecting specimens and naming sites of interest. A Montana writer and lawyer named Cornelius Hedges, who had been a member of the Washburn expedition, proposed that the region should be set aside and protected as a national park; he wrote a number of detailed articles about his observations for the Helena Herald newspaper between 1870 and 1871. Hedges essentially restated comments made in October 1865 by acting Montana Territorial Governor Thomas Francis Meagher, who had previously commented that the region should be protected. Others made similar suggestions. In an 1871 letter from Jay Cooke to Ferdinand V. Hayden, Cooke wrote that his friend, Congressman William D. Kelley had also suggested "Congress pass a bill reserving the Great Geyser Basin as a public park forever".
By 1915, 1,000 automobiles per year were entering the park, resulting in conflicts with horses and horse-drawn transportation. Horse travel on roads was eventually prohibited.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal relief agency for young men, played a major role between 1933 and 1942 in developing Yellowstone facilities. CCC projects included reforestation, campground development of many of the park's trails and campgrounds, trail construction, fire hazard reduction, and fire-fighting work. The CCC built the majority of the early visitor centers, campgrounds and the current system of park roads.
During World War II, tourist travel fell sharply, staffing was cut, and many facilities fell into disrepair. By the 1950s, visitation increased tremendously in Yellowstone and other national parks. To accommodate the increased visitation, park officials implemented Mission 66, an effort to modernize and expand park service facilities. Planned to be completed by 1966, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Park Service, Mission 66 construction diverged from the traditional log cabin style with design features of a modern style. During the late 1980s, most construction styles in Yellowstone reverted to the more traditional designs. After the enormous forest fires of 1988 damaged much of Grant Village, structures there were rebuilt in the traditional style. The visitor center at Canyon Village, which opened in 2006, incorporates a more traditional design as well.
A large arch made of irregular-shaped natural stone over a road
The 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake just west of Yellowstone at Hebgen Lake damaged roads and some structures in the park. In the northwest section of the park, new geysers were found, and many existing hot springs became turbid. It was the most powerful earthquake to hit the region in recorded history.
In 1963, after several years of public controversy regarding the forced reduction of the elk population in Yellowstone, United States Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall appointed an advisory board to collect scientific data to inform future wildlife management of the national parks. In a paper known as the Leopold Report, the committee observed that culling programs at other national parks had been ineffective, and recommended management of Yellowstone's elk population.
The wildfires during the summer of 1988 were the largest in the history of the park. Approximately 793,880 acres (321,272 ha; 1,240 sq mi) or 36% of the parkland was impacted by the fires, leading to a systematic re-evaluation of fire management policies. The fire season of 1988 was considered normal until a combination of drought and heat by mid-July contributed to an extreme fire danger. On "Black Saturday", August 20, 1988, strong winds expanded the fires rapidly, and more than 150,000 acres (61,000 ha; 230 sq mi) burned.
The expansive cultural history of the park has been documented by the 1,000 archeological sites that have been discovered. The park has 1,106 historic structures and features, and of these Obsidian Cliff and five buildings have been designated National Historic Landmarks. Yellowstone was designated an International Biosphere Reserve on October 26, 1976, and a UN World Heritage Site on September 8, 1978. The park was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger from 1995 to 2003 due to the effects of tourism, infection of wildlife, and issues with invasive species. In 2010, Yellowstone National Park was honored with its own quarter under the America the Beautiful Quarters Program.
Heritage and Research Center
The Heritage and Research Center is located at Gardiner, Montana, near the north entrance to the park. The center is home to the Yellowstone National Park's museum collection, archives, research library, historian, archeology lab, and herbarium. The Yellowstone National Park Archives maintain collections of historical records of Yellowstone and the National Park Service. The collection includes the administrative records of Yellowstone, as well as resource management records, records from major projects, and donated manuscripts and personal papers. The archives are affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration.
Approximately 96 percent of the land area of Yellowstone National Park is located within the state of Wyoming. Another three percent is within Montana, with the remaining one percent in Idaho. The park is 63 miles (101 km) north to south, and 54 miles (87 km) west to east by air. Yellowstone is 2,219,789 acres (898,317 ha; 3,468.420 sq mi) in area, larger than the states of Rhode Island or Delaware. Rivers and lakes cover five percent of the land area, with the largest water body being Yellowstone Lake at 87,040 acres (35,220 ha; 136.00 sq mi). Yellowstone Lake is up to 400 feet (120 m) deep and has 110 miles (180 km) of shoreline. At an elevation of 7,733 feet (2,357 m) above sea level, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high altitude lake in North America. Forests comprise 80 percent of the land area of the park; most of the rest is grassland.
The Continental Divide of North America runs diagonally through the southwestern part of the park. The divide is a topographic feature that separates Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean water drainages. About one third of the park lies on the west side of the divide. The origins of the Yellowstone and Snake Rivers are near each other but on opposite sides of the divide. As a result, the waters of the Snake River flow to the Pacific Ocean, while those of the Yellowstone find their way to the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Mexico.
The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, at an average elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level. The plateau is bounded on nearly all sides by mountain ranges of the Middle Rocky Mountains, which range from 9,000 to 11,000 feet (2,700 to 3,400 m) in elevation. The highest point in the park is atop Eagle Peak (11,358 feet or 3,462 metres) and the lowest is along Reese Creek (5,282 feet or 1,610 metres). Nearby mountain ranges include the Gallatin Range to the northwest, the Beartooth Mountains in the north, the Absaroka Range to the east, and the Teton Range and the Madison Range to the southwest and west. The most prominent summit on the Yellowstone Plateau is Mount Washburn at 10,243 feet (3,122 m).
Yellowstone National Park has one of the world's largest petrified forests, trees which were long ago buried by ash and soil and transformed from wood to mineral materials. This ash and other volcanic debris, are believed to have come from the park area itself. This is largely due to the fact that Yellowstone is actually a massive caldera of a supervolcano. There are 290 waterfalls of at least 15 feet (4.6 m) in the park, the highest being the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River at 308 feet (94 m).
Three deep canyons are located in the park, cut through the volcanic tuff of the Yellowstone Plateau by rivers over the last 640,000 years. The Lewis River flows through Lewis Canyon in the south, and the Yellowstone River has carved two colorful canyons, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone in its journey north.
Yellowstone is at the northeastern end of the Snake River Plain, a great U-shaped arc through the mountains that extends from Boise, Idaho some 400 miles (640 km) to the west. This feature traces the route of the North American Plate over the last 17 million years as it was transported by plate tectonics across a stationary mantle hotspot. The landscape of present-day Yellowstone National Park is the most recent manifestation of this hotspot below the crust of the Earth.
The Yellowstone Caldera is the largest volcanic system in North America. It has been termed a "supervolcano" because the caldera was formed by exceptionally large explosive eruptions. The magma chamber that lies under Yellowstone is estimated to be a single connected chamber, about 37 miles (60 km) long, 18 miles (29 km) wide, and 3 to 7 miles (5 to 12 km) deep. The current caldera was created by a cataclysmic eruption that occurred 640,000 years ago, which released more than 240 cubic miles (1,000 km³) of ash, rock and pyroclastic materials. This eruption was more than 1,000 times larger than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. It produced a caldera nearly five eighths of a mile (1 km) deep and 45 by 28 miles (72 by 45 km) in area and deposited the Lava Creek Tuff, a welded tuff geologic formation. The most violent known eruption, which occurred 2.1 million years ago, ejected 588 cubic miles (2,450 km³) of volcanic material and created the rock formation known as the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff and created the Island Park Caldera. A smaller eruption ejected 67 cubic miles (280 km³) of material 1.3 million years ago, forming the Henry's Fork Caldera and depositing the Mesa Falls Tuff.
Each of the three climactic eruptions released vast amounts of ash that blanketed much of central North America, falling many hundreds of miles away. The amount of ash and gases released into the atmosphere probably caused significant impacts to world weather patterns and led to the extinction of some species, primarily in North America.
Wooden walkways allow visitors to closely approach the Grand Prismatic Spring.
A subsequent caldera-forming eruption occurred about 160,000 years ago. It formed the relatively small caldera that contains the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. Since the last supereruption, a series of smaller eruptive cycles between 640,000 and 70,000 years ago, has nearly filled in the Yellowstone Caldera with >80 different eruptions of rhyolitic lavas such as those that can be seen at Obsidian Cliffs and basaltic lavas which can be viewed at Sheepeater Cliff. Lava strata are most easily seen at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where the Yellowstone River continues to carve into the ancient lava flows. The canyon is a classic V-shaped valley, indicative of river-type erosion rather than erosion caused by glaciation.
Each eruption is part of an eruptive cycle that climaxes with the partial collapse of the roof of the volcano's partially emptied magma chamber. This creates a collapsed depression, called a caldera, and releases vast amounts of volcanic material, usually through fissures that ring the caldera. The time between the last three cataclysmic eruptions in the Yellowstone area has ranged from 600,000 to 800,000 years, but the small number of such climactic eruptions cannot be used to make an accurate prediction for future volcanic events.
The most famous geyser in the park, and perhaps the world, is Old Faithful Geyser, located in Upper Geyser Basin. Castle Geyser, Lion Geyser and Beehive Geyser are in the same basin. The park contains the largest active geyser in the world—Steamboat Geyser in the Norris Geyser Basin. A study that was completed in 2011 found that at least 1283 geysers have erupted in Yellowstone. Of these, an average of 465 are active in a given year. Yellowstone contains at least 10,000 geothermal features altogether. Half the geothermal features and two-thirds of the world's geysers are concentrated in Yellowstone.
In May 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park, and the University of Utah created the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO), a partnership for long-term monitoring of the geological processes of the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field, for disseminating information concerning the potential hazards of this geologically active region.
In 2003, changes at the Norris Geyser Basin resulted in the temporary closure of some trails in the basin. New fumaroles were observed, and several geysers showed enhanced activity and increasing water temperatures. Several geysers became so hot that they were transformed into purely steaming features; the water had become superheated and they could no longer erupt normally. This coincided with the release of reports of a multiple year United States Geological Survey research project which mapped the bottom of Yellowstone Lake and identified a structural dome that had uplifted at some time in the past. Research indicated that these uplifts posed no immediate threat of a volcanic eruption, since they may have developed long ago, and there had been no temperature increase found near the uplifts. On March 10, 2004, a biologist discovered 5 dead bison which apparently had inhaled toxic geothermal gases trapped in the Norris Geyser Basin by a seasonal atmospheric inversion. This was closely followed by an upsurge of earthquake activity in April 2004. In 2006, it was reported that the Mallard Lake Dome and the Sour Creek Dome— areas that have long been known to show significant changes in their ground movement— had risen at a rate of 1.5 to 2.4 inches (3.8 to 6.1 cm) per year from mid–2004 through 2006. As of late 2007, the uplift has continued at a reduced rate. These events inspired a great deal of media attention and speculation about the geologic future of the region. Experts responded to the conjecture by informing the public that there was no increased risk of a volcanic eruption in the near future. However, these changes demonstrate the dynamic nature of the Yellowstone hydrothermal system.
Yellowstone experiences thousands of small earthquakes every year, virtually all of which are undetectable to people. There have been six earthquakes with at least magnitude 6 or greater in historical times, including a 7.5‑magnitude quake that struck just outside the northwest boundary of the park in 1959. This quake triggered a huge landslide, which caused a partial dam collapse on Hebgen Lake; immediately downstream, the sediment from the landslide dammed the river and created a new lake, known as Earthquake Lake. Twenty-eight people were killed, and property damage was extensive in the immediate region. The earthquake caused some geysers in the northwestern section of the park to erupt, large cracks in the ground formed and emitted steam, and some hot springs that normally have clear water turned muddy. A 6.1‑magnitude earthquake struck inside the park on June 30, 1975, but damage was minimal.
For three months in 1985, 3,000 minor earthquakes were detected in the northwestern section of the park, during what has been referred to as an earthquake swarm, and has been attributed to minor subsidence of the Yellowstone caldera. Beginning on April 30, 2007, 16 small earthquakes with magnitudes up to 2.7 occurred in the Yellowstone Caldera for several days. These swarms of earthquakes are common, and there have been 70 such swarms between 1983 and 2008. In December 2008, over 250 earthquakes were measured over a four-day span under Yellowstone Lake, the largest measuring a magnitude of 3.9. In January 2010, more than 250 earthquakes were detected over a two-day period. Seismic activity in Yellowstone National Park continues and is reported hourly by the Earthquake Hazards Program of the U.S. Geological Survey.
On March 30, 2014, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck almost the very middle of Yellowstone near the Norris Basin at 6.34am; reports indicated no damage. This was the biggest earthquake to hit the park since February 22, 1980.
Over 1,700 species of trees and other vascular plants are native to the park. Another 170 species are considered to be exotic species and are non-native. Of the eight conifer tree species documented, Lodgepole Pine forests cover 80% of the total forested areas. Other conifers, such as Subalpine Fir, Engelmann Spruce, Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir and Whitebark Pine, are found in scattered groves throughout the park. As of 2007, the whitebark pine is threatened by a fungus known as white pine blister rust; however, this is mostly confined to forests well to the north and west. In Yellowstone, about seven percent of the whitebark pine species have been impacted with the fungus, compared to nearly complete infestations in northwestern Montana. Quaking Aspen and willows are the most common species of deciduous trees. The aspen forests have declined significantly since the early 20th century, but scientists at Oregon State University attribute recent recovery of the aspen to the reintroduction of wolves which has changed the grazing habits of local elk.
There are dozens of species of flowering plants that have been identified, most of which bloom between the months of May and September. The Yellowstone Sand Verbena is a rare flowering plant found only in Yellowstone. It is closely related to species usually found in much warmer climates, making the sand verbena an enigma. The estimated 8,000 examples of this rare flowering plant all make their home in the sandy soils on the shores of Yellowstone Lake, well above the waterline.
In Yellowstone's hot waters, bacteria form mats of bizarre shapes consisting of trillions of individuals. These bacteria are some of the most primitive life forms on earth. Flies and other arthropods live on the mats, even in the middle of the bitterly cold winters. Initially, scientists thought that microbes there gained sustenance only from sulfur. In 2005 researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder discovered that the sustenance for at least some of the diverse hyperthermophilic species is molecular hydrogen.
Thermus aquaticus is a bacterium found in the Yellowstone hot springs that produces an important enzyme (Taq polymerase) that is easily replicated in the lab and is useful in replicating DNA as part of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process. The retrieval of these bacteria can be achieved with no impact to the ecosystem. Other bacteria in the Yellowstone hot springs may also prove useful to scientists who are searching for cures for various diseases.
Non-native plants sometimes threaten native species by using up nutrient resources. Though exotic species are most commonly found in areas with the greatest human visitation, such as near roads and at major tourist areas, they have also spread into the backcountry. Generally, most exotic species are controlled by pulling the plants out of the soil or by spraying, both of which are time consuming and expensive.
Yellowstone is widely considered to be the finest megafauna wildlife habitat in the lower 48 states. There are almost 60 species of mammals in the park, including the gray wolf, the threatened lynx, and grizzly bears. Other large mammals include the bison (often referred to as buffalo), black bear, elk, moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer, mountain goat, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and mountain lion.
Bison graze near a hot spring
The Yellowstone Park bison herd is the largest public herd of American bison in the United States. The relatively large bison populations are a concern for ranchers, who fear that the species can transmit bovine diseases to their domesticated cousins. In fact, about half of Yellowstone's bison have been exposed to brucellosis, a bacterial disease that came to North America with European cattle that may cause cattle to miscarry. The disease has little effect on park bison, and no reported case of transmission from wild bison to domestic livestock has been filed. However, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has stated that bison are the "likely source" of the spread of the disease in cattle in Wyoming and North Dakota. Elk also carry the disease and are believed to have transmitted the infection to horses and cattle. Bison once numbered between 30 and 60 million individuals throughout North America, and Yellowstone remains one of their last strongholds. Their populations had increased from less than 50 in the park in 1902 to 4,000 by 2003. The Yellowstone Park bison herd reached a peak in 2005 with 4,900 animals. Despite a summer estimated population of 4,700 in 2007, the number dropped to 3,000 in 2008 after a harsh winter and controversial brucellosis management sending hundreds to slaughter. The Yellowstone Park bison herd is believed to be one of only four free roaming and genetically pure herds on public lands in North America. The other three herds are the Henry Mountains bison herd of Utah, at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota and on Elk Island in Alberta.
Elk Mother Nursing Her Calf
To combat the perceived threat of brucellosis transmission to cattle, national park personnel regularly harass bison herds back into the park when they venture outside of the area's borders. During the winter of 1996–97, the bison herd was so large that 1,079 bison that had exited the park were shot or sent to slaughter. Animal rights activists argue that this is a cruel practice and that the possibility for disease transmission is not as great as some ranchers maintain. Ecologists point out that the bison are merely traveling to seasonal grazing areas that lie within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that have been converted to cattle grazing, some of which are within National Forests and are leased to private ranchers. APHIS has stated that with vaccinations and other means, brucellosis can be eliminated from the bison and elk herds throughout Yellowstone.
A reintroduced northwestern wolf in Yellowstone National Park
Starting in 1914, in an effort to protect elk populations, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds to be used for the purposes of "destroying wolves, prairie dogs, and other animals injurious to agriculture and animal husbandry" on public lands. Park Service hunters carried out these orders, and by 1926 they had killed 136 wolves, and wolves were virtually eliminated from Yellowstone. Further exterminations continued until the National Park Service ended the practice in 1935. With the passing of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the wolf was one of the first mammal species listed. After the wolves were extirpated from Yellowstone, the coyote then became the park's top canine predator. However, the coyote is not able to bring down large animals, and the result of this lack of a top predator on these populations was a marked increase in lame and sick megafauna.
Bison in Yellowstone National Park
By the 1990s, the Federal government had reversed its views on wolves. In a controversial decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (which oversees threatened and endangered species), northwestern wolves, imported from Canada, were reintroduced into the park. Reintroduction efforts have been successful with populations remaining relatively stable. A survey conducted in 2005 reported that there were 13 wolf packs, totaling 118 individuals in Yellowstone and 326 in the entire ecosystem. These park figures were lower than those reported in 2004 but may be attributable to wolf migration to other nearby areas as suggested by the substantial increase in the Montana population during that interval. Almost all the wolves documented were descended from the 66 wolves reintroduced in 1995–96. The recovery of populations throughout the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho has been so successful that on February 27, 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population from the endangered species list.
An estimated 600 grizzly bears live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with more than half of the population living within Yellowstone. The grizzly is currently listed as a threatened species, however the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that they intend to take it off the endangered species list for the Yellowstone region but will likely keep it listed in areas where it has not yet recovered fully. Opponents of delisting the grizzly are concerned that states might once again allow hunting and that better conservation measures need to be implemented to ensure a sustainable population. Black bears are common in the park and were a park symbol due to visitor interaction with the bears starting in 1910. Feeding and close contact with bears has not been permitted since the 1960s to reduce their desire for human foods. Yellowstone is one of the few places in the United States where black bears can be seen coexisting with grizzly bears. Black bear observations occur most often in the park's northern ranges and in the Bechler area which is in the park's southwestern corner.
Population figures for elk are in excess of 30,000—the largest population of any large mammal species in Yellowstone. The northern herd has decreased enormously since the mid‑1990s; this has been attributed to wolf predation and causal effects such as elk using more forested regions to evade predation, consequently making it harder for researchers to accurately count them. The northern herd migrates west into southwestern Montana in the winter. The southern herd migrates southward, and the majority of these elk winter on the National Elk Refuge, immediately southeast of Grand Teton National Park. The southern herd migration is the largest mammalian migration remaining in the U.S. outside of Alaska.
In 2003 the tracks of one female lynx and her cub were spotted and followed for over 2 miles (3.2 km). Fecal material and other evidence obtained were tested and confirmed to be those of a lynx. No visual confirmation was made, however. Lynx have not been seen in Yellowstone since 1998, though DNA taken from hair samples obtained in 2001 confirmed that lynx were at least transient to the park. Other less commonly seen mammals include the mountain lion and wolverine. The mountain lion has an estimated population of only 25 individuals parkwide. The wolverine is another rare park mammal, and accurate population figures for this species are not known. These uncommon and rare mammals provide insight into the health of protected lands such as Yellowstone and help managers make determinations as to how best to preserve habitats.
Eighteen species of fish live in Yellowstone, including the core range of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout—a fish highly sought by anglers. The Yellowstone cutthroat trout has faced several threats since the 1980s, including the suspected illegal introduction into Yellowstone Lake of lake trout, an invasive species which consume the smaller cutthroat trout. Although lake trout were established in Shoshone and Lewis lakes in the Snake River drainage from U.S. Government stocking operations in 1890, it was never officially introduced into the Yellowstone River drainage. The cutthroat trout has also faced an ongoing drought, as well as the accidental introduction of a parasite—whirling disease—which causes a terminal nervous system disease in younger fish. Since 2001, all native sport fish species caught in Yellowstone waterways are subject to a catch and release law. Yellowstone is also home to six species of reptiles, such as the painted turtle and Prairie rattlesnake, and four species of amphibians, including the Boreal Chorus Frog.
311 species of birds have been reported, almost half of which nest in Yellowstone. As of 1999, twenty-six pairs of nesting bald eagles have been documented. Extremely rare sightings of whooping cranes have been recorded, however only three examples of this species are known to live in the Rocky Mountains, out of 385 known worldwide. Other birds, considered to be species of special concern because of their rarity in Yellowstone, include the common loon, harlequin duck, osprey, peregrine falcon and the trumpeter swan.
As wildfire is a natural part of most ecosystems, plants that are indigenous to Yellowstone have adapted in a variety of ways. Douglas-fir have a thick bark which protects the inner section of the tree from most fires. Lodgepole Pines —the most common tree species in the park— generally have cones that are only opened by the heat of fire. Their seeds are held in place by a tough resin, and fire assists in melting the resin, allowing the seeds to disperse. Fire clears out dead and downed wood, providing fewer obstacles for lodgepole pines to flourish. Subalpine Fir, Engelmann Spruce, Whitebark Pine, and other species tend to grow in colder and moister areas, where fire is less likely to occur. Aspen trees sprout new growth from their roots, and even if a severe fire kills the tree above ground, the roots often survive unharmed because they are insulated from the heat by soil. The National Park Service estimates that in natural conditions, grasslands in Yellowstone burned an average of every 20 to 25 years, while forests in the park would experience fire about every 300 years.
About thirty-five natural forest fires are ignited each year by lightning, while another six to ten are started by people— in most cases by accident. Yellowstone National Park has three fire lookout towers, each staffed by trained fire fighters. The easiest one to reach is atop Mount Washburn, though it is closed to the public. The park also monitors fire from the air and relies on visitor reports of smoke and/or flames. Fire towers are staffed almost continuously from late June to mid-September— the primary fire season. Fires burn with the greatest intensity in the late afternoon and evening. Few fires burn more than 100 acres (40 ha), and the vast majority of fires reach only a little over an acre (0.5 ha) before they burn themselves out. Fire management focuses on monitoring dead and down wood quantities, soil and tree moisture, and the weather, to determine those areas most vulnerable to fire should one ignite. Current policy is to suppress all human caused fires and to evaluate natural fires, examining the benefit or detriment they may pose on the ecosystem. If a fire is considered to be an immediate threat to people and structures, or will burn out of control, then fire suppression is performed.
In an effort to minimize the chances of out of control fires and threats to people and structures, park employees do more than just monitor the potential for fire. Controlled burns are prescribed fires which are deliberately started to remove dead timber under conditions which allow fire fighters an opportunity to carefully control where and how much wood is consumed. Natural fires are sometimes considered prescribed fires if they are left to burn. In Yellowstone, unlike some other parks, there have been very few fires deliberately started by employees as prescribed burns. However, over the last 30 years, over 300 natural fires have been allowed to burn naturally. In addition, fire fighters remove dead and down wood and other hazards from areas where they will be a potential fire threat to lives and property, reducing the chances of fire danger in these areas. Fire monitors also regulate fire through educational services to the public and have been known to temporarily ban campfires from campgrounds during periods of high fire danger. The common notion in early United States land management policies was that all forest fires were bad. Fire was seen as a purely destructive force and there was little understanding that it was an integral part of the ecosystem. Consequently, until the 1970s, when a better understanding of wildfire was developed, all fires were suppressed. This led to an increase in dead and dying forests, which would later provide the fuel load for fires that would be much harder, and in some cases, impossible to control. Fire Management Plans were implemented, detailing that natural fires should be allowed to burn if they posed no immediate threat to lives and property.
1988 started with a wet spring season although by summer, drought began moving in throughout the northern Rockies, creating the driest year on record to that point. Grasses and plants which grew well in the early summer from the abundant spring moisture produced plenty of grass, which soon turned to dry tinder. The National Park Service began firefighting efforts to keep the fires under control, but the extreme drought made suppression difficult. Between July 15 and 21, 1988, fires quickly spread from 8,500 acres (3,400 ha; 13.3 sq mi) throughout the entire Yellowstone region, which included areas outside the park, to 99,000 acres (40,000 ha; 155 sq mi) on the park land alone. By the end of the month, the fires were out of control. Large fires burned together, and on August 20, 1988, the single worst day of the fires, more than 150,000 acres (61,000 ha; 230 sq mi) were consumed. Seven large fires were responsible for 95% of the 793,000 acres (321,000 ha; 1,239 sq mi) that were burned over the next couple of months. A total of 25,000 firefighters and U.S. military forces participated in the suppression efforts, at a cost of 120 million dollars. By the time winter brought snow that helped extinguish the last flames, the fires had destroyed 67 structures and caused several million dollars in damage. Though no civilian lives were lost, two personnel associated with the firefighting efforts were killed.
Contrary to media reports and speculation at the time, the fires killed very few park animals— surveys indicated that only about 345 elk (of an estimated 40,000–50,000), 36 deer, 12 moose, 6 black bears, and 9 bison had perished. Changes in fire management policies were implemented by land management agencies throughout the United States, based on knowledge gained from the 1988 fires and the evaluation of scientists and experts from various fields. By 1992, Yellowstone had adopted a new fire management plan which observed stricter guidelines for the management of natural fires.
from Wikipedia
Here's a collage of Price Adam aka The Beast.
Left to Right:
The Beast in his "causal" attire (The Beast was actually made by the company Applause)
The Beast in his formal attire (He's a Mattel Signature Beast)
Prince Adam, also in his formal wear (he's a sorta OOAK Disney Store).
Names have been withheld, really, I quite had to😉
This story is rather hard to peg.
It’s basic skeleton is loosely laid out like an Ocean’s Eleven movie plot, but with far fewer participants…
At it’s heart, it’s a rapscallions’ tale,
at it’s soul, it becomes something much deeper…
Have you ever been cajoled into doing a task that is totally out of your comfort zone and experience? But asked in such a way that your very being cannot resist the urges to carry it out?
That is what this tale is all about, well sort of…
Please Read on….
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Chapter 1
Recess is over
“Sigh Here goes it then, He probably is still sitting and drinking scotch at the bar!” ……
I said this myself as I stood alone in a side court of the brick building that had once been an eel tinning factory in the late 1800s.
I had lit my pipe to help ease the wait as the stage was being set up inside, and also to calm down the reluctance I was feeling for my upcoming task!
As I had sent circles of smoke swirling upwards, I busied myself by looking around at the odd shapes in the aged stained red bricks, surprisingly graffiti-free!
After the eel business failed, the building had seen many uses: a church, field hospital during the raids, a restaurant, and now a photography studio upstairs and fancy reception hall downstairs.
One of my customers had given me tickets to attend this fancy-dress affair, being held in the reception hall. The chance to dance, imbibe in a rather nice selection of liquor, and french appetizers. Along with an opportunity to be charitable to OX Fam.
I had come willingly enough, but my enjoyment of the festivities had been somewhat dampened by being requested to carry out an unexpected task about an hour ago.
A task really quite unrelated to my line of work!
Sort of like a Queen’s Guardsman being asked to do step out of line and do an Irish jig was the way I felt over it!
So, blimey then, why did I agree to be cajoled into it?
Well please read on, all things will be made clear in the end, providing I can pull the bloody stunt off!
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So now I put out my pipe, knocking out the ashes against my patent leather shoe, brown, to go with my brown suit, brown silk tie and solid yellow starched shirt I was wearing out to that afternoons’ reception.
“I suppose, let’s find the Bugger!” I told myself with a slight hesitation, but with no whine in me voice ( for the record)!
I then promptly turned away and moved off, forcibly striding my way back inside…
I needed to see a man about a wager he was unaware that he was making as of yet!
……
Chapter 2
Enter the Lecturer
Ten minutes later I was back inside and had made my way through the chattering crowd.
I had said it the first time I had entered, and I repeated myself as I re-entered. I hadn’t seen so many attractively dressed ladies and refine, posh dressed males since the last BAFTA awards party I had been dragged too!
Not that I was complaining mind you, for I am just as much an appreciator of such a view as the next bloke. Especially in my line of business!
So I guess that is my excuse for not quite successfully keeping my focus on the task at hand that was inadvertently before to me...
But I finally managed 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.
Once at my destination, I Ordered an old fashion (with rye ), and looked around.
He was still in his seat at the end of the bar, looking a bit more toshed, his hair and clothes a bit more hardscrabble.
Taking a long gulp of my drink, I carried it over and sat down on a stool next to him and said pleasantly.
” How is it going, Mate?”
He had been studying the dance floor, but with my greeting sighed and pulled himself away to look me up and 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 cigarette smokers, especially those who left the bloody things dangle 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 then, Guv?” He quizzically added.
“ Sorry, Thought you looked like a bloke I knew up Manchester way,” I said apologetically.
“Not from there am I, guv !” He stated rather dismissively, as he then took his attention off of me and planted it back onto the dance floor.
I steadfastly plowed on…
“Well, one can’t always be right, can one?”
Then after no reaction, I finished my drink (easily downed, weak as it had been made )and placed the glass down, signaling the Keep.
“Just getting a drink, I see yours is out, whatcha be having then?” I asked as the bartender came up to us.
“Highball,” he said smartly, sneering at me, before turning back away. For some reason, I was not surprised at the bloke’s drink of choice.
If I had not had been given a job to do, and under different circumstances, I would have told the bartender to get him a ‘shirley temple’!
Instead, I placed the order, asking for an Irish whiskey, neat, for myself. I needed support!
I looked back at the man-boy sitting next to me.
He certainly was most interested in the goings-on the ballroom dance floor!
We were served our drinks.
He picked his up with taking his eyes off the dancers!
I took a long, gloriously settling, sip, letting the warmth settle right down to my stomach.
That’s better I thought, letting out a sigh, a bit too deeply probably, but my new acquaintance, with full attention still on the ballroom dance floor, paid my comments no heed.
He hadn’t asked me my name, which was fine by me, kept me from having to remember the one I would have had to make 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 mentioned from the telly or last weeks’ fish and chip wrappers.
But I could see I was losing the chap's attention!
I caught the Keeps eye and indicated a refill was in order for my new found ‘mate’.
“Pretty,” I said following his gaze as I pointed my glass out towards the dancers
“What ‘s pretty ?!” he stated sharply, still not diverting his 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 answered, “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 I have this bloody uncle’s monkey suit on, taint it?”
“Indeed sir” , I said agreeably with what I hoped was a winningly sincere voice.
Though down deep, to be honest, I felt this prig deserved anything but politeness.
Still, I carried on, trying to be friendly, remembering that if this was played right, the endgame would be a most satisfying one!
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Chapter 3
School is in session
T'is time, It was my turn to look away from his smirking gaze.
I took a sip of my Irish and looked out over the dancefloor.
It looked like something out of the ballroom scene from Shaw's ‘Pygmalion’( Or My Fair Lady)
I was looking for some in particular, a certain lady actually!
I soon saw her, and after watching for a few wistful seconds, I raised my glass and pointed her out to my drinking mate.
“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, jittery appearing, lady with black hair, prettily clad in a shiny bit of a green gown. She was wearing large black glasses that were owlishly perched on her nose. She also was flaunting a rather nice little set of shimmering emeralds!
The petite lass was dancing with a bird-like bloke wearing, of all things, a scarlet red vest.
“Whotcher looking at Guv?” he asked, interest peaking up as he began eagerly scanning the room to see what I was on about.!
“That lass in greens satin, dancing with robin redbreast by the mirrors!” I pointed out, the added…
“Personally, I like the way her emerald jewelry sets off against her gown!”
He caught sight of them as the danced by one of the big reflective mirrors that lined the dance floors’ west wall.
He took the view in, and I noticed he had nearly drained his highball in one gulp and had set it down without a kind word, like say, thank you for buying..!
He was on his way to a real bender if he kept up with that pace I thought, eyeing the two other, empty glasses, already collected at his elbow on the bar top!
Which is right where we needed him to be! I thought as I nodded again to the barkeep to bring another round…
I looked back at my drinking buddy, I could see his shifty eyes flitting about.
“Whas'at” he finally stated sourly, “You like that gangly four-eyed bird dancing with cock robin? He snorted at his own ‘witty’ 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 snide meaning 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, just sat there smiling to myself before speaking again.
“Occupational hazard I guess, noticing Jewels, I mean.”
I admitted, choosing not to expound on my drinking partner’s opinion.
“I own a small jewelry shoppe on a village green.” “Nothing much, but it pays one’s rent.”
That opened him up, just a wee bit…
“I guess than a gent like you would prattle on about jewels” “Is that what brings you alone here this evening?” “I ain't seen you out dancing with anyone.”
There was definitely insinuation behind his voice and though I would for the world like to put this bugger in his place, my responses to him would continue treading along a delicate path. I had to mince words if I didn’t want my emerging scheme blowing up in my face.
Which is why I would not be giving any quick replies!
So, after the observation was spoken, I let him continue on in his dry, sniping tone that I was beginning to realize was his normal manner of speech! For the upper class education this twit had had, he certainly had not grasped the proper way of speaking. Professor Henry Higgins would have had a field day with this bloke!
Let this nitwit lead himself into the trap, I thought to myself, this may prove easier then we thought!
So, I just smiled in acknowledgment as he spoke further…
“So, you just want a bit of a peek at what you sell guv!” he snorted, elbowing me before continuing on…
“Myself, I just like looking at the whole bleeding curvy package, ‘iffin you get my drift ! Though your green bird wearing them shiny bits you like, is a bit underdeveloped in my opinion! ”
Giving me a weaselly little grin, he again nudged me with his elbow, editing a mirthless cackling laugh!
Then, taking the last long gulp of his drink, wiping his mouth on a tux sleeve, he turned his attention raptly back onto the thronging occupants of the dance floor.
He didn’t signal for another round, which was probably because he was too cheap to repay me in kind!
So I again caught the Barkeep’s eye, we were becoming rather acquainted with one another, he came back over, and I indicated a refill for my friend, indicating I was still good with mine.
I believed I had now spotted the opening I had been trying to lead him around to! I took a deep breath and delved into the breach.
For our ploy, it was now sink or swim time!
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Chapter 4
History Lesson
When one is trying to do something for the first time, without prior practice, it is difficult not to make a mistake(s).
So, The Risk of what I was about to try was that I had just had the request sprung on me, without any forewarning or time to practice! If I made a single mistake or misspoke then my whole attempt would tumble down like a house of cards!
What I was trying to pull off was getting this smart-mouthed cockney git to make a wager with me, a rather unconventional one at that!
So, I just threw all caution to the wind, and began a buildup to reach my selling point!
I started with a question after he was served his fresh drink.
“So then, what do you do when you are not attending these rather posh affairs?”
I asked this, trying to keep a wedge in our conversation. Even though the answer was pretty obvious from the blighter’s 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 blighter, 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 an extra few quid is concerned!!”
He spat out the last few words.
So, this rich guys pup can always use a bit of cash I thought happily to myself!
“Shame” I sympathetically pretended to agree, “but still, cheers to being able to keep a roof over one’s head.” I raised my still ¼ full drink and clinked it against his glass.
We both drained our glasses in salute and I again 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? ”
I could see his eyes were again stuck on watching the girl with the unfortunately large eyeglasses, who was elegantly wearing,( in my own humble opinion), the green satin gown. The whole affair offset with her brite glittering emeralds.
He went on as if thinking aloud…
“Broad’s a bit too mousey for my taste, ole 4 eyes there, still, I wouldn’t say no to admire’ in what curves she has under that shiny dress!” And he let out another little guffaw 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!
As we both were watching her, I amiably made her the target of our small talk, gently leading him around to the query and wager I was leading up to…
“I admire any gemstones that I can sell my dear sir. But there are other things that I will also allow to command my interest!” I said casually, delicately, “
“ W’thats 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 bleeding prig, three free drinks and not a thank you insight, ya haven’t even asked my name! Not that the one I would have given him would have been my own! Picked a winner here, I did!
But when I spoke, my words and manner of speech did not betray any of those 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 am asked to keep an open eye out for them.”
He looked suspiciously at me.
“The bloody bobbies ask YOU about it?” he questioned.
“No” I admitted, “all jewelers receive the same circulars. But you see, the thing that piques my curiosity at these events is to try and catch one in action!”
“Catch one what guv ?” he asked quizzically.
“Thief!“ I announced in an ‘everyone one knows’ tone of voice’, pausing a few seconds before I continued on…
“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! Plus a lot of times they end up trying to be pawned at shoppes like mine, and the clasps looked fine. So are they just finding them lost on the floor, or is there something else going on!”
“What else would it be guv?” He asked, his sluggish curiosity, finally, peaking!
“Well,” I said, leaning into him rather conspiratorially…
“ I have come to the conclusion that there are a fraction of thieves out there that can 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, thinking entirely to myself 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 verbiage with him going forward!
“Thesis means theory lad, a belief that, say, our lady yonder in the green frock could be parted from her emeralds by one of her dance partners, if the bloke was of the mindset to acquire them in that manner! If you get my drift.”
He didn’t, so I calmly went into more detail…
“What I am saying is that since she wouldn’t be suspecting it, a dance partner, say, may have an eye for her necklace, and slip the emeralds away from around her very throat. Without her even noticing, until he was long gone!”
“ You sayin guv?” “ that that swarmy cock robin bloke dancin with that skrawny 4 eyed chick, maybe after her necklace?”
“Rot!” he smirked, taking his eyes off of the couple and onto me, “nigh impossible to do such a thing!”
He snickered at the thought, then added…
“Besides, If someone was that interested in nicking her jewels, why not just follow her out and do a complete job of it !?”
“A lot more risk involved being caught doing it that way Mate, not to mention it is 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.
With his eyes back on the dancing couple, he questioned my reasoning…
“But a bloke would have to be a rather quick-fingered one like a pickpocket wouldn’t he now?”.
And have someone to practice on, I thought to myself before answering in a reassuring tone…
“Not A ‘toll my good sir,” I assured, “I think it could be done by anyone with relative ease, I bet even non-thieves like you or I could do it with some success, especially if the lady in question has had a bit too much to drink, or is nearsightedly clumsy !”
“Or both!”
he stated without thinking…
Then catching himself, he snidely went on questioning me…
Blimey mate, your still half-cracked barmy for even thinking that way!”
He sneered, but I knew a seed had been planted…
For I saw him take a long, speculative look at the lady fetchingly clad in green satin, still being waltzed merrily along the dance floor.
I also found it vexing that she was completely unaware that her nicely shimmering emeralds had become such a rather unscrupulous topic of speculative supposition over them being lifted off from her!
A topic that needed to become more than mere speculation!
So In conspiracy, I commented under my breath…
“Ten quid lad!”
“Whots that then mate?” He perked up while addressing me quizzically, “Tenner for what?”
“Ten quid Says I could lift that particular lady’s emerald 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, the local 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 from 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 crackerjack box, and being chintzy, she wouldn’t be surprised at the clasp breaking away and it falling as she danced! If she would happen to even notice 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 nodded towards the lady in green, as she was happily being swished around the dance floor in all of her innocence bliss. Those brilliant emeralds of hers 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 out by admiring fingers!
“Suppose that gangly 4 eyed bird looks gullible enough to try it out on. Probably too shy, so won’t make much fuss when she catches you trying!”
He looked at me cynically...
“And make no mistake guv, you will be caught… and then I wouldn’t know you from Adam!”
He held out a greedy hand, fingers beckoning as he chortled …
So, the, with that said, make it two for one guv, I’ll hold onto your twenty, and you are on a bet!” He chortled.
And like that, the hook was set! Though, blimey, I had seen carp from the ‘Myths’ finally taking the bait with less subtly!
“Capital!” I acknowledged, “I appreciate a good challenge!”
But my newly found ‘Mate’ did not answer, his eyes greedily studying the £20 in his grasp!
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Chapter 5
Field Trip
I arose, straightening my jacket and tie, and looking over to where the lady wearing the green gown was blissfully dancing…. I commented under my breath, half encouraging to myself…
“You are on lad!”
And marched myself off to the dance floor without looking back, even when I clearly heard him smirkingly make a rude sound to my back!.
The current song was ending and I caught up with my quarry as she began nicely swishing her way off the dance floor with cock robin leading the way.
Gently laying fingers upon a scintillating satin clad shoulder, I touched her from behind.
She turned and fixed me with a rather fetchingly heart-tugging demure look of questioning upon her face from a pair of intriguingly 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 twenty quid is twenty quid)!
She smiled, laying upon me an aire of innocence that rather took me aback for an instance…, then said sweetly
“Sorry lad, I am a bit worn out just now !”
My heart dropped down to my feet at that!
Seeing my utter 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 will be guess‘in that I can’t see what harm one more dance could do a girl, would it then ?”
She spoke with a rather soft sort of Irish brogue, that was the second generation at best, but had me hooked with its lyrical lilt!
She turned towards her waiting escort, who was casting daggers my way with his eyes!
She nodded to, raising her green gloved hand for him to take with a gentle dismissal, and then he begrudgingly left!
“Brilliant!”
I said with heartfelt meaning and led her back to the wooden dance floor as the orchestra was getting ready to start up playing music 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 would in this situation.
I was figuring in my 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.
It consisted of a 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 with their perch, which was just nicely above the girl’s tightly satin clad chest!
All in all, a quite completely vexing show indeed!
Also, by how the necklace was moving loosely about, partially laying on the slick green satin of my partner’s gown, It appeared that one could slip the whole necklace off rather easily.
If I was to now be a quick, unaccustomed 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.
Also, the long emerald earrings that kept peeking in and out as they swung merrily from her hair were putting on a rather playful show!
She blushed, turning her head down, earrings and necklace swaying out in a rhythmic beat!
By the purely innocent way, she bashfully responded to my compliment, I was encouraged to go ahead and proceed in winning my wager!
I removed my hand from around her waist and lifted a lock with my left hand in emphasis, taking the opened opportunity to study her necklaces clasp caught in the reflection of the mirror now conveniently behind her.
I re-set my hand upon her a rather sensuous feeling backside, gently laying it nonchalantly just upon her shoulder.
The way her eyes were closed in a basking manner, she appeared not to notice the change in my grasp.
She happily ate up my compliments, giggling with pleasure as she flicked her hair back, sending her pair of lovely, longish earrings sparkling alongside her enchanting face!
The whole effect was made even more lively with those eyeglass magnified, doe-like wide hazel coloured eyes smiling with pure pleasure!
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 meanwhile was still rested upon her shoulder, and I slowly allowed it to travel closer to her necklace, watching for any sign of skittishness from my dance partner.
But she continued 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 of our wager!
But soon there were other emotions in play!
For her long green satin gown felt like heaven under my fingertips, and I was beginning to become pleasantly mesmerized by how the sleek material fluidly swished and fluttered around us as we danced.
Actually, I soon realized that so spellbinding was my partner, that I found myself almost convinced not to play any tricks and let the wager be lost!
But then I looked up and in the reflection of the mirror, saw the smug face of the git staring at me from the bar and decided I just could not let him win!
That cleared my mind, I will say, and rekindled my interest in seeing if I could do this!
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It was then I realized that the dance music was in its final chords...
I decided I had to 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 the clasp of her necklace.
Ever so slowly I pulled it down like one would a lampshade chain, and the whole affair obligingly came down!
The hinged clasp soon was captured 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 with the sleek material of her pretty gown, praying it would not catch and draw her attention!
But the sparkling little beauty behaved, and gave its’ unaware mistress no fair warning!!
We twirled around and I led her to a far corner where a group of fake trees was clustered, giving me a bit of haven from the possibility of being seen making my final move!
The music started on its final chord, I probably only had a little over a minute to make good on my attempt!
I knew the type of her necklaces’ clasp, now wedged in my fingertips, and having worked on many like it, this one presented no problem.
So it was, with surprising ease given me nervousness, the diamond emerald necklace’s necklace’s clasp nicely popped open, 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 sensuously shiny 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 the necklace from around the neckline of her satin gown!
It came away, 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 broken apart.
Shamelessly I smiled into her eyes.
“Thank you luv, that was rather quite pleasant !”
I told her this in all sincerity as I removed my left hand from my pocket, and delicately took her green gloved one up to kiss adieu!
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 myself!
Briefly wondering also what thoughts would be in a real thief’s mind upon successfully reaching this point!
She looked back up and smiled winningly at me as I innocently looked into her eyes
I could 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 it’s 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 myself that at the last minute she would notice the necklaces’ absence.
And in my mind, I imagined being given a second dance as a reward for finding her lost necklace, or perhaps something even better may come of it … well worth losing twenty quid over!
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 and desires evaporated with her…
I then finally noticed heart was pounding up a storm!
For there I was, standing there like a loon with a lady’s still warm necklace in my 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 forced myself to turn away, and head back before any undue attention was given to me,
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Chapter 6
Social Studies
I made my way quickly to the grinning git at the bar, intending on collecting my winnings.
“That was easy!” I lied as I regained my seat and took a long sip of my drink, trying to appear complacent over the entire affair.
“Codswallop”
He said unhappily, not bothering to reach for his billfold!
“ Knew the twit was gullible, but not that stupid, she never caught on, did she now? So You were just lucky then that’s all !? ”
“I was a bit lucky” 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 my point, don’t it now!”
He drained his glass and set it down sharply before responding…
“It's not Cricket guv.”
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!
He looked at me…
“Ya know Guv, I was just remembering there was a telly show where these were ladies marooned on an island. They got all themselves’ gussied up one evening with one of them dancing with this bloke she knew was a thief. She knew, and he still was able to take her necklace while dancing with her, as you did with that four-eyed twit! I would not have bet you if I had remembered that sooner. If he could do it, then I should have known any bloke could do so!”
I smirked to myself, I had seen that show also once, though I knew it was not a reality show but had been scripted with the actress being quite aware her necklace was going to be lifted ahead of time. I wondered if this blighter knew the difference!?
By the way, he still was grasping my £20, I realized that not only was the weasel not going to pay me for winning, but he was also making it look like I had cheated him to keep it!
“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 telly thieves… Maybe I should call the bobbies!?”
As he said this, he nonchalantly pocketed away my money!
I inwardly sighed…
“No worries lad, I’m just a jeweler like I said, I’ll turn it over to security at the door, found it just laying here on the floor don’tcha know sir… !”
“Security will return it to the lady, no harm done!”
Then, with a co-conspirator’s smile, I lied again...
“As I said me, lad, it’s a cheap bit of rhinestones! Otherwise, I probably would have been too nervous to accomplish it!”
He hesitated before answering, his eyes with a faraway look in his eyes!
I found myself wondering if this prig was contemplating trying to get more of my money!
This thought prompted me to say something, and as luck would have it, it turned out to be the key to opening up the whole affair!
I said, “Look, Mate, your right, she hasn’t even caught on like that lady you mentioned seeing saw on that ‘telly’ show!”
We both looked over at the lady in green. She had reappeared, joining a group at the far end, and no one is actually aware of anything amiss, let alone her 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 myself, almost feeling into the part of a suave jewel thief one sees acting out in the movies!
Turning to my co-conspirator, I admitted…
“Perhaps you are right, I may have made that wager knowing it was easy!”
He looked at me suspiciously, but I continued…
“Look now, 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 opinion, and not only 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 back to our black-haired, hazel-eyed victim wearing the shiny green gown!
“Okay guv, you got away with it this time!”
“Tell you what lad,” I said turning the heat up on the situation as I pulled my wallet from a breast pocket, and counted out pound notes...
“Let us make it up to you! One hundred quid says you can do the same as I did!”
He picked up his drink, taking thoughtful sips, still studying my face, as his mind continued churning things about, before finally asking…
“And if I lose?”
I smiled, knowing the hook had been set!
“If you lose, then I will pay you twenty quid. So you will win no matter what happens, laddie!”
“Actually guv two Hundred if I win, that how sure you are I could do it? “
I whistled softly under my breath for emphasis, ”That’s about all I have !” I lied, appearing a bit hesitant.
“Com’ on Guv, a rich jeweler like yourself!” He nudged me again, and let out a snide cackle, a new cigarette dangling from a sneering lip.
“Anything but rich mate, but you are on!”
I pend my billfold and counted out the additional £100 in a pile, letting him eye up for a few seconds, the nicely thick pile of notes!
“All Yours,” I said,” if you dare try and are successful!”
I reached out my hand, he did not take it
“ And I pick the broad, right mate?” he stated.
“As long as it is not my lass in green” I answered.
He nodded in agreement, finally shaking my hand
And I shook his 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.
Any idiot could see that he was up to something!
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Chapter 7
The A Levels Test
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 actually thinking!
^^^
Feigning Curiosity, though I knew the answer I asked him…
“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 wearing a tawny coloured taffeta gown, her tightly worn frock appearing as slick an easy a material to slip away jewelry from as the green gown my victim was wearing so winningly!
And this lass was wearing a simple, longish string of polished faux pearls, fastened with an uncomplicated hook –in-eye clasp! An easy, light necklace just begging to be lifted!
Now actually curious as to his seeing what this blighter’s reaction would be to this, I nodded his attention over in her direction, drawing his eyes from the money pile!
“That fetching lass over there in brown, one with the pearls, looks to be an easy enough one, don’t you think? Would you be eye’ in that one then?”
Not surprisingly, He shook his head no…
“Nah, as I said, I’ll choose one to my liking!”!”
As he said this, I watched as his eyes sought out and then nodded in the direction of a particular lass I had suspected he would choose…
“There, that one in blue near to your pearl hanger!” 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 a watchful eye on all evening.
She was a diminutive lass, rather provocatively wearing a short sky bright blue dress of sleek silk, tightly outlining her rather pleasingly curved figure!
She was also openly sporting a nice collection of diamonds!
Authentic diamonds consisting, of a rather eye-catching bib like, 3 tiered necklaces that blazingly rippled fiery sparkles from around her throat!
Matching tiered earrings and bracelets, all equally glittering and sparkling with priceless prickles of colourful fire as she moved about almost completed the show!
She also was wearing a vulgarly large friendship diamond on her pinky, but all her other fingers were bare!
Openly appearing somewhat doubtful he could pull it off, I also kept mum about the fact her jewels being risky real, I wished him good luck!
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!
The pearls would have been much easier for him!
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 despite 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 my mind played this out, he had quickly gotten up and beelined to her, cutting in abruptly and sending her Brad Pitt look-alike dance partner, the one wearing the unfortunate white tux, scuttling off.
Subtly was not a virtue of that lad! “Bull in a china shop that one!” I whispered unbelievingly under my breath as I ordered one last Irish whiskey neat…
I watched with wonder as they danced, the lit limp dangling cigarette blowing curling hazy smoke into her face, and she scrunched her nose unhappily each time it did.
He made her dance close and had wrapped one hand, snake-like, up and around her 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 victim’s unease, the twit actually started to pull it off!
His hand traveled 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 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 moving with a shimmer up and over her slick silk covered 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 shiny 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, the half-drunk twit not even bothering to finish the song even, that much was he in hast to collect his pile of £200 in winnings!
And in that haste to make it back to the money pile, pretty much plowed over the green gowned lass standing in his way! The same one whose purloined necklace was now residing in my pocket!
As I saw this happing, I reached into that pocket and reassuringly felt that necklace with me fingers as I was watching it all unfold...
Now, so abrupt was the encounter on the dance floor, that the poor lass’s heavy 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 backward glance, and came over to me, smirking widely with an arrogant, self-satisfied look upon his (rather punchable at that point ) smug face.
I felt sorry for the lass in green as she picked up her gasses and was helped up by none other than cock robin in the red vest!
But red-faced with embarrassment, she left him standing there, and rushed off to take refuge in the ladies’ loo. Holding her glasses, squinting her eyes she ran up against a few guests as she scurried away in humiliating retreat!
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.
I felt like saying something about his rudeness to the green satin gowned lass, but since I had been a rude one myself when I took her necklace, I let that sleeping dog lay quiet like.
Instead, I freely lied …
“Nicely done, old chap “Don’t forget to turn it in, I am sure the lady will eventually be a missing that very pretty piece!”
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!
“No worries guv, she’ll get it back in due course!”
He was so sure of himself 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, especially 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 mate!”
I turned on me heel, my back to the bloke and walked off not looking back, letting out a long sigh of relief.
I had actually pulled the bloody spur of the moment scheme off!
I looked out onto the dance floor, marveling in the richly adorned dancers who her swishing and swirling about!
However, gone from the scene was a diminutive lass in blue, and still missing was my dance partner in green with the thick glasses!
I knew that off the pair of loos there was a back exit leading the rear parking lot, and I suspected she may have fled the ballroom using that as an escape.
“Pity.”, I said to myself, would have liked to have had 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 dispassionately on, making my way back to the far side of the enormous chamber…
Quickly losing meself back amongst the throngs of gaily dressed, well liquored, unknowing partiers who were circling around the rest of the chamber…
Almost home I murmured happily…!
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Chapter 8
Grading on a Curve
I was meaning to leave the premises via a back exit, with its brick patio that led into the hedges surrounding the gardens.
As I went, I passed a non-caring security type on my way.
I did not wish to bother to shatter his bliss by stopping to hand over a lady’s emerald necklace, plus then having to take the time trying to explain how It happened to be in my possession!
So the lass would not be getting back her necklace in that fashion.
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 bother and worries.
I headed directly through the gated opening in the hedges, my final objective was reaching to the far side exit off of the lengthy garden that led off to the place where the red touring auto I drove was parked.
A bit of a walk, but amongst other things, It gave me time to marvel over how easily I was able to work through a situation that I was sure would Fail!
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 myself, 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 myself automatically reaching for me pipe and pouch, figuring to contemplate with a long smoke as I walked. But immediately thought the better of it, time was, after all, still decidedly of the essence.
Soon enough, I reached my objective, then for the first time turned to look directly behind me, no one else was about!
I breathed a sigh of relief, it finally was over!
I turned and exited through the back gate…
I approached the curve that lined the parking lot when from another path off to the side I suddenly saw a shadow emerge, detaching itself from behind a tree.
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At the same instant, 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 part of a second, my mind pictured the young lass in sky blue, the one whose diamond necklace had been lifted as a result of my wager.
My ears met with a soft voice speaking in a lilting Irish accent, whispering cheerily behind me.
“Ta, my love, I’m here!”
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 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 while we danced !”
she whispered this playfully in my ear...
“ ‘ere now! By chance would ya know who the jester was 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 gown’s 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 vehemently lost in 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 under the witch elm tree that grew on the green lawn that separated the gardens from the parking lot!…. But!
But, shaking our heads clear in unison, we both turned back to peek into the still empty gardens…
Then we looked at each other directly in the eyes, and chuckling out loud together, proclaimed in sync…
“Let’s get going!”
We forthwith went to the auto, and I helped her slid onto the left side leather passenger inside our small, but quite fast, 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 then promptly hopped in on the right, and fired up the engine into roaring life , and pulled off, leaving the place agreeably, as they say in the olde B.W. 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?
Though I was sure that by now there was some unsettling commotion going on back amongst several of the guests at the party we had both so recently left, there was really no way they could have logically connected me, or my wife, to any of it!
Suspicions, of course, maybe raised, but no one there knew enough about either of us to track down and ask!
With that thought in my head, I glanced over at my wife, saying rather with a cheeky tone of voice…
“Luv, we may actually have gotten away with this one!”
I saw my wife winningly smile as she pulled herself from what looked like deep thoughts, not breaking her gaze from the curving road ahead.
I stole another glance down at her clasped hands holding closed over an unseen object tightly within…
Catching my eye, she tenderly chided...
“Hush now dear husband, don’t go ‘an spoil this lucky find we worked so hard to acquire.”
At which point she opened her clasped hands so we could both have a look!
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I’ll end the chapter here for a bit of a mystery, though I am sure that anyone reading up to this point suspects all too well what we had come away from the party with 😉
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Chapter 9
Skipping Class, not for a smoke either!
My Wife’s green satin gloved hands, which had been clasped closed upon her gown’s shiny lap, were now 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 those came from the gent’s tux pocket ?”
“ Quite she said, and a rather easy pick it twas , muggy bumping into me like he did!”, “ Rather a rude ‘un wasn’t he!”
She straightening her glasses in remembrance.
I chuckled in the memory of just how annoying the bloke had been, then said…
“Yes, most certainly was, rude, the self-centered wealthy young twit! Absolutely agree on that subject my love!!...plus the bugger smelled of something rude! ”
My eyes on the road, as I said this, I swerved to miss a clump of a cow’s by-product on the road, then continued on…
“It was a good plan! Played out just as you said it would! Sorry I doubted you!”
My wife, and partner in crime, smiled as I glanced over to her…
“Happy out!
When you first pointed out her diamonds, I knew that the spoiled missy’s necklace was the best take there by far of the other jewels stingingly being worn by any of the other ladies! And Bob’s me, uncle if those weren’t her maters anyways! “
I shook my head….
“Umm, possibly a bit too modern a setting for her mother, maybe a filthy rich admirer behind the curtains, so to speak...judging by the friendship ring she was flaunting about under everyone’s nose?”
My wife was still smiling, studying the brite necklace as it lay piled in her palm, a nice contrast, flickering diamonds on a green satin bed!…
Me pretty wife went on…
“Could be luv… but moer’ in likely ah disgustingly rich one than filthy he would be at that, judging by the quality of these diamonds she was wearing so flagrantly. One could see that without a jewelers' microscope!”
“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!!”
My eyes back on the road, I nodded in agreement, then with a sigh, I said…
“Yes and we both saw she wasn’t drinking and didn’t appear to be needing to use a powder room…”
“So we met up in that secluded side court to hold council, and agreed it was all up to me!”
She looked over at me, rather meekly...
“So, what better way than to have her brother take them, and obligingly deliver them to us?”
I sighed again, for dramatic reasons…
“ I know luv… at first, I was against the idea, especially since it placed me in the spotlight!”
Turning my eyes from the road, I gave both her, and the necklace she held, a brief, but warming, glance!
Then continued on…
”You, after all my lovely one, are the actress and pickpocket in the family!”
My wife laid a softly gloved hand upon my shoulder, giving it 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!”
I chuckled…
“And it only cost us a mere £220!
I said this with triumph, for we both knew what the value of those diamonds would represent against a normal fortnight’s work to the year’s family income!”
My wife lowered her hand from my arm and laying it on my lap, squeezed my leg quite in a happy fashion.
As I, and the family jewels, both perked up at this, she snickered and commented….
“I think we are done for the weekend my luv, perhaps we should head on towards for home now, I think that I can ‘feel’ that you may be in agreement? “
Smiling outwardly at her words, I had to ask, half curious…
“What about the black-tie tomorrow night at the Regents’ castle then Luv?”
I was referring to the rest of our plans for the outing.
“Could collect a few gems other than diamonds to come home with on Monday?”
I was maybe a wee bit disappointed, which she knew by my next question…
“And I thought you still were a wanting the opportunity to play out the ‘Damsel in Distress’ routine we’ve been working on and had been originally planning on trying out today?”
I stole over a glance as I said this, half hoping I could change her mind and she would 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, purred…
”I think we have done a rather good bit of business for this trip laddie!”
As my wife, nestled up against me she looked up into my eyes before continuing …
I was smiling, for as she had moved, my ears caught the distinctly pleasant sound of rich thicke satin slithering along with fine leather! A rather richly provocative sound, to me, anyway!
Needless to say, my attention was now taken as my wife spoke on in her persuading fashion…
“Not often we have a big score this early! And its more ‘in enough, husband of mine, that we can afford to skip over the other things for now? New routines can wait, Don’t’cha agree wit me now m’ lad?”
She ended with a hopeful beckoning sort of look, a winning weapon that most wives are quite adept at using from their wily arsenal of emotional tugs….
I automatically smiled, never being one to resist that type of lure….
She saw that I was in agreement with my grinning face…
“That’s it then, I can see you agree! Darling, on Home to Badger’s Drift it is now!”
“And If you be want'in any more jewels stolen, you can continue to practice on me tonight!”
She had leaned up and over, as she whispered cheekily, her lustily breath tickling my ear while a long jeweled earring intentionally was allowed to hit me alongside a cheek.…the same cheek she than pecked a kiss upon!!!
Mission accomplished, She broke away and happily settled back into her seat as my voice finally found it’s tongue!
“ OK, Let’s not press our luck on, correct me, fine lass!”
I stated this in absolute agreement…and, feeling a familiar tingling start down between my 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!
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Up Last
Chapter 10
Homework Prep
The car jumped in acceleration, I heard my wife beside me exhale a long, deep breath while reaching up and pulling down the visor and glanced at herself into the mirror.
I then heard her murmur.
”Have a watch for passer-byes willa Luv?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw her gently lift the diamonded necklace and carefully fasten it around her throat, letting it dangle down, whilst both of us then admired 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 my 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 on our way home?”
“And you can minx the natives with your finery, plus I am feeling a bit peckish..?... Sounds like a plan me dearest!?”
I asked with a wholehearted voice of agreement
She answered whilst still watching the reflection of the diamonds in the newly acquired necklace she was now wearing. The buggers were certainly screaming out their flickering brilliance in the mirror...
“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!”
I chuckled while adding to her statement…
“A Jewel in the rough indeed you will be in there amongst the sometimes rather dicey patrons at the Poet and the Peasant Pub!”
Brilliant she said, leaning into me, her head gently resting on my chest, giving me an eyeful to look down upon! My eyes took a quick journey along the front of her rather perked features, tightly outlined by the green satin gown, as she grasped my arm!
My eyes also took in the emblazoned diamonds dripping down from her throat, wincing 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 blinding of an affair!
I knew full well along what lines my wife was half fancifully conniving up deep in her desires… And wearing that squinty necklace out into that pub was at the center of them!!
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I chuckled, knowing we both knew it would be a folly on, oh so many levels, to flaunt about any jewels we had managed to ‘acquire’ in such devious ways whilst out and about on our occasional jaunts we made into the public realm for such related purposes..!”
But I decided to make sure by saying…
“But you know luv, best not wear those diamonds around your throat into a waterfront pub, or anywhere else for that matter!
She was disappointed, but still said teasingly…
“Righto party pooper!”
Then added, lying through her pretty while teeth…!
“ I really wasn’t planning on wearin the pretty things, just joking really…!”
Breaking away she again slipped back into her seat, with a deep sigh of remembrance, before contemplating somberly with a shiver...
“Remember luv? That bloody party we went to for fun instead of working it over.
There we were, you in a tux, me in my best taffeta gown and real diamonds, enjoying ourselves for once… and in the course, letting our bloody guards down!
She took a long sigh, then continued, almost snarling out her words…
“Then go and ending that evening, while admittedly a bit tipsy, and certainly gullibly dressed up in my finest, only to meet that puppy sad-looking lass in the loo! Then while we were both in there, buying into her sob story!...
Then letting her lure me out alone by acting the good Samaritan to help her…!”
I could sense my wife gritting her teeth as she spits out the last bit…
“Then grabbed, waylaid and stripped of everything in a back alleyway by her thievin ruffian friends!!!” Well, I will agree, allowing that to happen once in me life was enough I’ll tell you that!”.
With a shudder, my now wretched-looking wife took in a deep breath after that outburst, then relaxing her expression, said in a more easy-going manner…
“Just say’n your quite right luv…! 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!!”
(If anyone would like me to post the full separate story of how the back alley thievery event occurred, described briefly above, please let me know in the comments!)
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 still spoke, opening our car's glove case.
My wife reached in and popped open a small secret panel in the back. Pulling out a small, thin black velvet pouch, she carefully poured the sparkling necklace inside…
Then she pulled off her earrings, bracelet and rings…placing them inside also.
Then placed the now plump pouch back inside the hidden niche, and securely closed the secret panel. I heard her give a long sigh unhappily as she did so….. and knew her mind was heading into a darker corner of past experiences…
She patted my pocket which still held her necklace…
“Keep my emeralds safe then for me love!?”
Then she sighed…
“So tis agreed all around then! Stopping at the Poet and the Peasant pub for supper and a nipper, then it is off home to the Drift we go !“
Her mood shifting back, she exclaimed this part merrily!
Then she sighed happily while pulling off the owlish glasses she had been disguisedly wearing from their, perch 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 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 long black wig soon joined in the back with the discarded glasses.
She then nestled comfortably back into her seat, once again giving my ears a treat from the sounds of her gown slithering against leather, she exclaimed!
“Lead on, Macduff!”
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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 str
SOL
¿Que sería de nosotros si no existiera el sol? Con seguridad, no seríamos nada. Este astro que nos alumbra nuestros días y nos calienta (a veces demasiado😂😂😂) da nombre al sistema planetario en el que encuentra la Tierra. Hasta hace unos años constaba de nueve planetas. Tras un intenso debate entre los astrónomos decidieron considerar a Plutón un planeta enano y lo luego quitaron de un plumazo después de haberlo considerado durante tantísimos años. El sol, Helios, en la mitología griega, es un hermoso dios coronado por una aureola brillante que con su carro recorría el cielo cada día hasta el océano que circundaba la tierra y regresaba por la noche para reaparecer por el este al día siguiente.
Hace tiempo, escribí un ensayo titulado del mito al logos en el que planteaba que todo estaba en los mitos y que gracias a la filosofía conseguimos el paso de explicaciones tradicionales y mágicas a explicaciones científicas. Más o menos como ocurre con el pensamiento infantil que conforme madura va dejando atrás el pensamiento mágico para llegar a un pensamiento lógico; es decir, racional, libre de contradicción interna y basado en la causalidad.
Parece que, en momentos de crisis (como el de ahora) dejamos el pensamiento lógico a un lado y volvemos a ese pensamiento infantil donde prima la fantasía, donde algo puede ser bueno y malo al mismo tiempo y donde se recurre a interpretaciones no causales como que nos dominan fuerzas superiores, nos implantan chips...etc. un claro ejemplo de esta regresión en el pensamiento es la manifestación del 16 de agosto en Madrid. Sin comentarios.
Siguiendo con la palabra sol, este bonito monosílabo, tiene muchas acepciones, locuciones que empleamos y que lo contienen, muy empleado en metáforas y , por supuesto, la quinta letra de la escala musical. Do-re-mi-fa-sol...
Por hoy ya está bien soletes.
Agosto 2020
For the psychedelic trance musical band, see Astral Projection (band). For physical travel to other stars, see Interstellar travel."The Separation of the Spirit Body" from , a Chinese handbook on alchemy and meditation
Astral projection (or astral travel) is a term used in esotericism to describe a willful out-of-body experience (OBE), a supposed form of telepathy, that assumes the existence of a soul or consciousness called an "astral body" that is separate from the physical body and capable of travelling outside of it throughout the universe where it interacts with other astral bodies and is capable of implanting ideas into other people's minds. The idea of astral travel is rooted in esotericism and occultism, and was promoted by 19th century Theosophists—philosophers who explored the mystical and preternatural origins of the natural world.It is sometimes reported in association with dreams, and forms of meditation.Some individuals have reported perceptions similar to descriptions of astral projection that were induced through various hallucinogenic and hypnotic means (including self-hypnosis). There is no scientific evidence that there is a consciousness or soul which is separate from normal neural activity or that one can consciously leave the body and make observations..Claims of scientific evidence of astral projection are pseudoscientific.According to classical, medieval and renaissance Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, and later Theosophist and Rosicrucian thought the astral body is an intermediate body of light linking the rational soul to the physical body while the astral plane is an intermediate world of light between Heaven and Earth, composed of the spheres of the planets and stars. These astral spheres were held to be populated by angels, demons and spirits.The subtle bodies, and their associated planes of existence, form an essential part of the esoteric systems that deal with astral phenomena. In the neo-platonism of Plotinus, for example, the individual is a microcosm ("small world") of the universe (the macrocosm or "great world"). "The rational soul...is akin to the great Soul of the World" while "the material universe, like the body, is made as a faded image of the Intelligible". Each succeeding plane of manifestation is causal to the next, a world-view called emanationism; "from the One proceeds Intellect, from Intellect Soul, and from Soul - in its lower phase, or that of Nature - the material universe".Often these bodies and their planes of existence are depicted as a series of concentric circles or nested spheres, with a separate body traversing each realm.[18] The idea of the astral figured prominently in the work of the nineteenth-century French occultist Eliphas Levi, whence it was adopted and developed further by Theosophy, and used afterwards by other esoteric movements.
Biblica
Some have claimed that the Bible contains mentions of astral projection.[weasel words]Carrington, Muldoon, Peterson, and Williams—renowned experts in the field of astral projection—claim that the subtle body is attached to the physical body by means of a psychic silver cord. The final chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes is often cited in this respect: "Before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern." Scherman, however, contends that the context points to this being merely a metaphor, comparing the body to a machine, with the silver cord referring to the spine
Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians is more generally agreed to refer to the astral planes; "I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, (whether in the body I know not, or out of the body I know not, God knows) such a one caught up to the third heaven..."This statement gave rise to the Visio Pauli, a tract that offers a vision of heaven and hell, a forerunner of visions attributed to Adomnan and Tnugdalus as well as of Dante's Divine Comedy.
Ancient Egypt
Similar concepts of soul travel appear in various other religious traditions. For example, ancient Egyptian teachings present the soul (ba) as having the ability to hover outside the physical body via the ka, or subtle body
China
Taoist alchemical practice involves creation of an energy body by breathing meditations, drawing energy into a 'pearl' that is then "circulated". "Xiangzi ... with a drum as his pillow fell fast asleep, snoring and motionless. His primordial spirit, however, went straight into the banquet room and said, "My lords, here I am again." ... When Tuizhi walked ... with the officials to take a look, there really was a Taoist sleeping on the ground and snoring like thunder. Yet inside, in the side room, there was another Taoist beating a fisher drum and singing Taoist songs. The officials all said, “Although there are two different people, their faces and clothes are exactly alike. Clearly he is a divine immortal who can divide his body and appear in several places at once. ..." ... At that moment, the Taoist in the side room came walking out, and the Taoist sleeping on the ground woke up. The two merged into one."
India
Similar ideas such as the Lin'ga S'ari-ra are found in ancient Hindu scriptures such as the YogaVashishta-Maharamayana of Valmiki. Modern Indians who have vouched for astral projection include Paramahansa Yogananda who witnessed Swami Pranabananda doing a miracle through a possible astral projection, and Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) who practiced it himself.The Indian spiritual teacher Meher Baba described one's use of astral projection:In the advancing stages leading to the beginning of the path, the aspirant becomes spiritually prepared for being entrusted with free use of the forces of the inner world of the astral bodies. He may then undertake astral journeys in his astral body, leaving the physical body in sleep or wakefulness. The astral journeys that are taken unconsciously are much less important than those undertaken with full consciousness and as a result of deliberate volition. This implies conscious use of the astral body. Conscious separation of the astral body from the outer vehicle of the gross body has its own value in making the soul feel its distinction from the gross body and in arriving at fuller control of the gross body. One can, at will, put on and take off the external gross body as if it were a cloak, and use the astral body for experiencing the inner world of the astral and for undertaking journeys through it, if and when necessary....The ability to undertake astral journeys therefore involves considerable expansion of one’s scope for experience. It brings opportunities for promoting one’s own spiritual advancement, which begins with the involution of consciousness.Astral projection is one of the Siddhis considered achievable by yoga practitioners through self-disciplined practice. In the epic The Mahabharata Drona leaves his physical body to see if his son is alive.
Japan
The 'ikiryō' as illustrated by Toriyama Sekien.
In Japanese mythology, an ikiryō (生霊?) (also read shōryō, seirei, or ikisudama) is a manifestation of the soul of a living person separately from their body. Traditionally, if someone holds a sufficient grudge against another person, it is believed that a part or the whole of their soul can temporarily leave their body and appear before the target of their hate in order to curse or otherwise harm them, similar to an evil eye. Souls are also believed to leave a living body when the body is extremely sick or comatose; such ikiryō are not malevolent.[
Inuit In some Inuit groups, people with special capabilities are said to travel to (mythological) remote places, and report their experiences and things important to their fellows or the entire community; how to stop bad luck in hunting, cure a sick person etc., things unavailable to people with normal capabilities.
Amazon
The yaskomo of the Waiwai is believed to be able to perform a "soul flight" that can serve several functions such as healing, flying to the sky to consult cosmological beings (the moon or the brother of the moon) to get a name for a new-born baby, flying to the cave of peccaries' mountains to ask the father of peccaries for abundance of game or flying deep down in a river to get the help of other beings.
"Astral" and "etheric"
The expression "astral projection" came to be used in two different ways. For the Golden Dawn and some Theosophists[ it retained the classical and medieval philosophers' meaning of journeying to other worlds, heavens, hells, the astrological spheres and other imaginal landscapes, but outside these circles the term was increasingly applied to non-physical travel around the physical world.Though this usage continues to be widespread, the term, "etheric travel", used by some later Theosophists, offers a useful distinction. Some experients say they visit different times and/or places:"etheric", then, is used to represent the sense of being "out of the body" in the physical world, whereas "astral" may connote some alteration in time-perception. Robert Monroe describes the former type of projection as "Locale I" or the "Here-Now", involving people and places that actually exist: Robert Bruce calls it the "Real Time Zone" (RTZ) and describes it as the non-physical dimension-level closest to the physical. This etheric body is usually, though not always, invisible but is often perceived by the experient as connected to the physical body during separation by a “silver cord”. Some link "falling" dreams with projection.According to Max Heindel, the etheric "double" serves as a medium between the astral and physical realms. In his system the ether, also called prana, is the "vital force" that empowers the physical forms to change. From his descriptions it can be inferred that, to him, when one views the physical during an out-of-body experience, one is not technically "in" the astral realm at all.Other experients may describe a domain that has no parallel to any known physical setting. Environments may be populated or unpopulated, artificial, natural or abstract, and the experience may be beatific, horrific or neutral. A common Theosophical belief is that one may access a compendium of mystical knowledge called the Akashic records. In many accounts the experiencer correlates the astral world with the world of dreams. Some even report seeing other dreamers enacting dream scenarios unaware of their wider environment.The astral environment may also be divided into levels or sub-planes by theorists, but there are many different views in various traditions concerning the overall structure of the astral planes: they may include heavens and hells and other after-death spheres, transcendent environments, or other less-easily characterized states
Notable practitioners
Emanuel Swedenborg was one of the first practitioners to write extensively about the out-of-body experience, in his Spiritual Diary (1747–65). French philosopher and novelist Honoré de Balzac's fictional work "Louis Lambert" suggests he may have had some astral or out-of-body experience.
There are many twentieth century publications on astral projection,although only a few authors remain widely cited. These include Robert Monroe,Oliver Fox,Sylvan Muldoon, and Hereward Carrington,and Yram.Robert Monroe's accounts of journeys to other realms (1971–1994) popularized the term "OBE" and were translated into a large number of languages. Though his books themselves only placed secondary importance on descriptions of method, Monroe also founded an institute dedicated to research, exploration and non-profit dissemination of auditory technology for assisting others in achieving projection and related altered states of consciousness.Robert Bruce,William Buhlman, and Albert Taylor,have discussed their theories and findings on the syndicated show Coast to Coast AM several times. Michael Crichton gives lengthy and detailed explanations and experience of astral projection in his non-fiction book Travels.The soul's ability to leave the body at will or while sleeping and visit the various planes of heaven is also known as "soul travel". The practice is taught in Surat Shabd Yoga, where the experience is achieved mostly by meditation techniques and mantra repetition. All Sant Mat Gurus widely spoke about this kind of out of body experience, such as Kirpal Singh.Eckankar describes Soul Travel broadly as movement of the true, spiritual self (Soul) closer to the heart of God. While the contemplative may perceive the experience as travel, Soul itself is said not to move but to "come into an agreement with fixed states and conditions that already exist in some world of time and space".American Harold Klemp, the current Spiritual Leader of Eckankar practices and teaches Soul Travel, as did his predecessors, through contemplative techniques known as the Spiritual Exercises of ECK (Divine Spirit).
In occult traditions, practices range from inducing trance states to the mental construction of a second body, called the Body of Light in Aleister Crowley's writings, through visualization and controlled breathing, followed by the transfer of consciousness to the secondary body by a mental act of will.There is no known scientific evidence that astral projection as an objective phenomenon exists.There are cases of patients having experiences suggestive of astral projection from brain stimulation treatments and hallucinogenic drugs.Robert Todd Carroll writes that the main evidence to support claims of astral travel is anecdotal and comes "in the form of testimonials of those who claim to have experienced being out of their bodies when they may have been out of their minds."Subjects in parapsychological experiments have attempted to project their astral bodies to distant rooms and see what was happening. However, such experiments have produced negative results.According to Bob Bruce of the Queensland Skeptics Association, astral projection is "just imagining", or "a dream state". Although parallel universes are mathematically possible,Bruce writes that the existence of an astral plane is contrary to the limits of science. “We know how many possibilities there are for dimensions and we know what the dimensions do. None of it correlates with things like astral projection.” Bruce attributes astral experiences such as "meetings" alleged by practitioners to confirmation bias and coincidences.The psychologist Donovan Rawcliffe has written that astral projection can be explained by delusion, hallucination and vivid dreams.Arthur W. Wiggins, writing in Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction: Where Real Science Ends...and Pseudoscience Begins, said that purported evidence of the ability to astral travel great distances and give descriptions of places visited is predominantly anecdotal. In 1978, Ingo Swann provided a test of his alleged ability to astral travel to Jupiter and observe details of the planet. Actual findings and information were later compared to Swann's claimed observations; according to an evaluation by James Randi, Swann's accuracy was "unconvincing and unimpressive" with an overall score of 37 percent. Wiggins considers astral travel an illusion, and looks to neuroanatomy, human belief, imagination and prior knowledge to provide prosaic explanations for those claiming to experience it.A recent study, The AWARE Study, conducted by medical researcher Sam Parnia, was designed to get information on possible OBEs during cardiac arrest.
noun: synchronicity
the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.
Class 221 Super-Voyager No. 221138 is about to cross Westmead Rhyne in North Somerset with 1V59, the 17:12 Bristol Temple Meads to Paignton service on Tuesday 2nd March 2021.
There is no trickery here at all; this is exactly what happened. Having arrived at this spot just too late to photograph 1E63, unusually a Voyager that day, I waited a bit longer so as not to go home empty-handed. With the camera raised to my eye and poised for the shot I became conscious of a runner approaching rapidly away to my right. The appearance of the train coincided with the passing of the runner. I pressed the button and fired off three frames, and this is how the first one turned out.
Synchronicity I is a track from the 1983 album Synchronicity by The Police, and is a great favourite of mine. In the live performance I've linked to, check out the phenomenal work rate of drummer Stewart Copeland. Fantastic stuff.
Schopenhauer concepisce la realtà, vista come oggetto della conoscenza, come un insieme di rappresentazioni o apparenze. Secondo il celebre filosofo l'azione dell’uomo non è mai libera perchè tendente a colmare mancanze e a soddisfare desideri per cui la volontà è fonte di insoddisfazione e di dolore.
L'unica soluzione offerta all'uomo per liberarsi da tale schiavitù è la negazione stessa della volontà, consistente nella rinuncia sempre maggiore agli interessi e ai bisogni vitali, rinuncia che si realizza nel modo più adeguato solo attraverso l'ascesi e le scelte che questa comporta: la castità, la povertà, il sacrificio.
Schopenhauer, però, individua un altro mezzo di liberazione dal dolore, quello della contemplazione estetica.
Ciò può avvenire soltanto nell'esperienza artistica in quanto l'arte ha il privilegio di cogliere direttamente le idee in una forma di contemplazione che è un superamento dell'individualità e dei limiti inerenti ai rapporti spazio-temporali e causali.
E, ciascuno a modo suo, fa arte!
I finally got around to taking a pic of the awesome Poppy I got in a trade with Dante! She is very lovely. She is a bit of a departure from Poppy's usual natural look. I like her look but I think I may alter her eye shadow a bit to to be more causal. She is also getting new hair because her hair is kind of odd and frizzy.
Her gown is lovely but a bit squished from her time in the box. I love her necklace but her earrings are a bit odd to me because they stick out quite a bit. She also comes with a rather nice black clutch.
I also really like the normal feet on a shorter body. That is the one thing that I dislike about Poppy's usual body is the convertible feet
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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Smoke Photo Art.
I have had this concept stewing around my head for a while. In fact I had taken a stab at this one with the smoke that ended up being the Mad Scientist. I revisited it this past week and found a smoke photo that I liked with it. But don't be surprised if I rework it again at some point. This one is best viewed large.
Thanks to those who commented on my last one....and especially those of you who have consistently noticed my work.
_____________________
With one breath, with one flow
You will know
Synchronicity
A sleep trance, a dream dance
A shaped romance
Synchronicity
A connecting principle
Linked to the invisible
Almost imperceptible
Something inexpressible
Science insusceptible
Logic so inflexible
Causally connectable
Yet nothing is invincible
"Synchronicity" - The Police
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.
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Thank You
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Interesante vista de la mar
que me duele tenerte que dejar
¡ que se ha acabado el tiempo
de poderte contemplar .
Tiempos mejores vendrán
para poder prometer que volver
es cosa de ya estar decidida
que la vuelta , está prometida.
¡ Mirarte a la cara
que en tu tranquila agua
me veo reflejada
las arrugas de mi edad pasada.
Si es que no volviera
por impedimento causal
espero hacer en ti, mi casa
. . . .¡¡ toda la eternidad !! . . . .
Excerpt from www1.toronto.ca:
The number of the houses on the street can be identified as having distinct features of Edwardian Classicism with simple, balanced (if not symmetrical) designs, and many windows. This practical house type, often constructed of brick, displays robust but simple wood detailing. These homes present a degree of formality in contrast to the more causal bungalow styles on the street, but relate well through modest 2.5 storey massing, shared setbacks and rustic detailing.
Woman causally glances at one of the few vintage planes between the classic and historical European cars with her dog at the Palos Verdes Concurs at the Torrance Airport.
Issue#17 "Home invasion"
I awaken in the dirt struggling for each breath, every part of my body seems to ache and my chest flares up from my cracked ribs but I grit my teeth crawling my way upwards from the dirt. I clamber my way out form the hole and emerge to the surface breathing heavily, I pull myself out from the dirt and get to my feet clutching my chest. My memory comes flooding back to me from when Alfred was backhanded by Bane, I sprint to the front door only to find its been torn off the hinges. I catch my breath peeking through and see a large scaly creature blocking the stairs I recall seeing it before, it's King Croc we had an encounter before many years ago. "Puddin' over here!" A familiar perky female voice yells, my eyes widen slightly as I realise it's Harley Quinn. King Croc follows after her whilst I crawl up the side of the wall to a nearby window and crawl in through it landing on the second floor, it feels incredibly weird breaking into your own house but I have to find Alfred, that's if he's still here.
"Honey why did you want to come here?" I hear a familiar voice speak out, I peek over the banister seeing Queen Ivy brushing the back of her hand against one of the plants at the bottom of the stairs. The leaves turn a brighter shade of green and begins to grow at an alarming rate, as I look at the bush I notice Alfred crouching behind it staring at me frightened but unharmed. "I thought we could camp out in luxury for the night." Harley giggles turning on the television, I quickly flee to the hidden elevator leading to the Batcave as I can't fight them in my causal clothes. I hear Vicky Vales voice from television speaking "Hundreds flee local Gotham College today as two culprits by the names 'Nightmare' and 'Joker' have released what seems to be some sort of unknown gas on campus."
After putting on my bat suit I sprint to the corridor with my cape billowing behind me. I stand at the stairs grimacing at the villains, Harley catches sight of me first gritting her teeth "Ivy deal with him, I have a clown to kill." She barks fleeing, I throw my batarang at her but King Croc knocks it out of the air with his large scaly hand following behind her growling. I turn seeing Ivy raise her hands above her head as vines erupt out from under the stairs creeping their way up to me. "This should be interesting." I mutter watching Alfred scramble his way out from being the bush.