From: Helen Krummenacker wrote:
- Vila--recidivist thief (although what he's actually shown doing in
subsequent episodes is more like safecracking, which is a specialist skill)
True, but I suspect he began as a pickpocket. The slieght of hand he uses to do the magic tricks is also very suitable for pick-pocketing. In fact pick-pocketing *is* a skill serious slieght of hand magicians frequently study... they have to be able to plant things on people without them knowing, for instance. (This is one case where I know what I'm talking about-- my husband was seriously into magic and we went over the biographies of a lot of magicians).
Up to this point you have written an excellent email, but now:
IMO,
Don't use "IMOs" Helen, it debases your argument. That is its function.
it is more probable that a more pickpocket met up with people in jail who could lead him to the more specialised crime of safecracking, than for him to start as a safe-cracker and pick up the other as a hobby. Also having both skill sets would mean the general term thief covers both aspects rather than a more specialist term.
This is a superb email. But never use "IMO" again. This is no joke.
Jenny
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Jenny Kaye