Nicola clears her throat as she stands up in a corner of the local Speakeasy. Never having initiated a debate before, she is understandably nervous, but, motivated by her desire to hear the responses her fellow mobsters will give, she takes a deep, calming dress, and smooths out her dress, before beginning to speak.

Friends, I am quite sure that what I am about to say will be something that has been discussed many times in the past, but, and please forgive me if I am mistaken, I thought it might be an interesting debate to hear the different sides of once more, and to give another opportunity for us as individuals to add our own opinion into the mix. 

I am speaking, of course, of pickpocketing. On these streets of ours, the opinion of pickpocketing seems to range from "harmless fun", to "tolerable", right down to "a scourge of our society". Personally, I see pickpocketing more on the "harmless fun" side of the spectrum. One can only lose a small amount of money at a time, and in exchange for some valuble experience, which can aid our progression through this world, this doesn't seem a large price to pay. To me, you gain as well as lose. However, I see mobsters who are strongly against the picking of their pockets - something I can respect, but not really understand. Pickpocketing seems to be just another part of this thing of ours, and I suppose it would be fair to say that I don't understand how this culture developed. Because it is just a part of this thing of ours, I don't understand why this can be opted out of, anymore than say, being shot in times of strife. I will respect these notes; I just don't understand them.

Those who enjoy the practice of pickpocketing, why do you enjoy it? Those who merely tolerate it, why is it you tolerate it rather than reject it? And for those who do reject it, why is that?
I'd love to hear some more opinions on the practice and the opting out.

Blushing deeply, Nicola sits down and drinks from the glass before her.

,

You got a point here.But from what i can see,your pretty courious to find out the benefits of a pickpocket.If i`m wrong please excuse me.

I enjoy pickpocketing because it improves your stealth.I tolerate it because others tolerate me as well :) People don`t like to be pickpocketed because they don`t want to improve other citys rezidents stealth or maybe they are greedy for a 5 k :)

Simple as that :)

Mercury hears Nicola speaking from the corner of the speakeasy. She decides to answer. She gets a drink, takes a sip and begins to speak.

Eh, pickpocketers are all over the place. They take a few bucks and are on their way. If they are that hard up for a buck, it is not a great loss to me. What harm do they really do? Nothing that can't be replaced with a little hard work. The life of a pickposket can be a rough one. At times, people will catch them and beat them to a pulp, emptying their pockets of their entire days work at the same time. They are also detained in the city and investigated awhile before they can leave as well when this happens. It is their risk to take. This thing of ours has many risks. As far as I am concerned, in comparison to others, this one is minimal.

Mercury heads back to the bar to finish her drink.

I am curious as to find out the reasons why others enjoy it, so thank you for your response Roy

Nicola smiles warmly at Roy

What really has me curious is why people dislike it so much, more than like it - I can fathom some of the reasons people do like it because I enjoy it, but the reasons why not..the benefits do seem to outweigh the negatives, at least in my eyes, so as well as expansion on the reasons people do like it, I'd like to learn the reasoning behind disliking it so much as to specifically request not to be a part of it.

all i see is XP. I would like to just finsh my goal of pping 25 people.

just another way to rank up in this thing of ours :)

Roy smiles back to Nicola

Well,i don`t know either the reason of dislikeing so much.Maybe it`s a trend , maybe the reasons are unknown for many of us,or maybe a wicked man doctrined this world long time ago with the ideea that Pickpocketing is real bad :)

I hope there is some1 out there who can answer your question better then me.Some1 who states No pickpocket at he`s profile might clear your thoughs.

Ciao!

Thank you to everyone for your responses; I see a lot of similarities there with my own outlook, particularly with you SIckWisDom, it's just another part of this thing of ours that helps us to further ourselves as a mobster. I am still curious as to why some seem to abhore it so strongly though.

*While sipping his hard earned drink Popcorn over hears the beginnings of a debate that he was once on the edge about also*

"When I first came to this thing of ours I had a strict no pickpocketing out look, mainly because I felt it was disrepectful. The fact that someone else felt that they could stick their hand in my pocket and walk away like it was a normal thing really urked me. Then after hearing comments or debates like this, I realized that no matter what it was still a part of our world whether we liked it or not. After thinking about it for awhile I decided that it wasn't actually a bad idea to allow others to train, as long as they are from my city (I'm proudly from NO). Anything I can do to help my fellow NOers I gladly accept.

Then I got into pickpocketing myself which is what opened me up to allowing everyone to test their chances. At this point in my life I figure its going to be done either way so I can at least try and bend it in my favor"

*He chuckles at his last comment and takes a sip of his drink, pulling uo a seat next to Nicola so he can hear the rest of the debate*

For me personally, I find Pickpocketing my fellow mafiosi as bit of harmless fun. All the more fun trying to grab the cash out of their pockets without being seen only to be able to confront them with an envelope filled with their own cash plus a little extra as an apology. Ofocurse I only do it to those people ranked as high or not as high as I am so as to not show any disrespect.

But then again thats just me.

Croccifixio takes a seat close to Nicola and winks.

Perhaps me and you could discuss this a bit more in private.

I try not to use my bloodline as much as possible but I will do so here purely for the benefit of the discussion.

When my family line has been in a position to run a city and set rules as they see fit. This has always been the out look on pickpocketing as a city wide rule to be abided by anyone who enters the city and anyone who resides in the city:

Those people ranked Gangster to Wise Guy are all just associates of the many families that are out there. As such they hold no real rank or pull over anyone and especially not between themselves. So, they have free rain to pick the pockets of each other as they please. However, they must NOT pick the pocket of anyone ranked Made Man and above. These are members of the family or friends of ours. They have earned enough respect to not have some low life associate picking their pocket.

Those people ranked Made Man and above are of course well with in their right to pick the pocket of anyone lower ranked than them but may not pick the pocket of anyone ranked higher than them. Although I really don't see why a man of such stature would want to go around pick pocketing people for a measly $5,000.

Respect for rank is something that is lost these days (That is a different discussion I am aware) but this when used back in my family line worked very well in to bringing order back to respect for your ranks as well as solving all issues regarding pick pocketing. Those that didn't like the idea just plain and simply didn't enter the city it was used in. If they desperately needed to enter the city on business then they would do so sacrificing their wishes to not be pick pocket friendly.

I hope that made sense to you.


On the note of why people do not like being pick pocketed I can only give one answer that will only hold true to a minority of todays gangsters. That is, looking back a few years the term pick pocket was more commonly referred to as 'Mug'. This was an actual attack on a mobster and actually did damage to the victim. Some people, my self included in some ways, are stuck on old ways. Viewing the pick pocket as a personal attack and would not like to have to go through that ordeal. Other than this I can not think of a real reason why some people don't like it. In most cases it will just purely be due to personal preference.

WhereWasI sneaks out from behind the corner,

Lies! PoisonousJelly talks of old ways, but I know his pockets are filled with bananas and hub caps, something he values more than money! That's why he doesn't like Pick pockets! I encourage every one of you to steal your hub caps back! Fight The Scouse Lord!

PoisonousJelly turns just in time to see WhereWasI come from behind the corner. He then makes one hand signal and watches as a group of monkeys chase him down the street and back in to Fort Izzel Headquaters. A smirk reaches his cheek as he then bends down, looks over his shoulder and then begins to remove the nearest hubcap in under 2 seconds


Apologies my fellow gangsters. WhereWasI has been taken back to the HQ where I shall lock him back up in his cage.

"I've never thought about it as a rank thing PJ and now that you have made me aware of your outlook I have to actually say I like the idea your past bloodline implemented. Out of respect for those who have earned the right to be considered as a part of this thing of ours (made men and up), I believe that nobody below said rank should try to stick their hands where they belong. Purely a respect thing because they have earned a spot with us.

All that being said, PJ, you have changed my outlook also.

Jordan leaned against the wall of the speakeasy chain smoking cigarettes as she listened to the conversation. When there was a pause she walked towards the crowd and talked.

Thank you for bringing up this topic, Nicola. I also like hearing different opinions about how we do business. Perhaps hearing something today will give people a different perspective they hadn’t considered before.

After speaking to the woman from Philly Jordan turned slightly and looked at other people as she continued…  

I’m glad to hear the rank of Made Man being brought into the mix of this discussion. Very often we hear debates about ranks, how they don’t mean anything and what‘s wrong with them, but left and right we hear about associates putting their hands into the pockets of Men of Honor. There is a line that shouldn’t be crossed. If a Made Man doesn’t mind his pockets being dipped into then by all means take his money. When it’s done without his permission it’s an insult to the Made Man and one of the principals of this thing of ours, respect.

Jordan opened her cigarette case and frowned when she discovered it was empty.

Anyone have an extra smoke?

*Being a cigar person himself but listening to the words of his father of always being prepared Popcorn pulls out a cig and hands it to Jordan, pulling out his lighter shortly after*

"Here you go"

*He leans back in his chair waiting to hear more*

Opening her own cigarette case, she offers it to Jordan. She smiles at the men sat on either side of her, and leans into towards Croc and whispers

You know we can always talk in private

Looking back to the group at large, she begins to speak again.

I too am glad you brought your wise words on rank into the discussion PJ. I've never heard rank used as a factor within the context of pickpocketing, and like the idea of it doing so. It does seem wrong that associates can dip into the pockets of Made Men, and above. While I do believe that when one pickpockets a man of honour without their consent from an associate rank it is a sign of disrespect, I question whether it should be accepted that those above Made should be allowed to opt out of allowing a rank above them the fun of dipping into their pockets. Since initiating this discussion with you fine people, I've only heard two real reasons as to why a person would reject pickpockets, one being that they may prefer not to aid other mobsters in their attempt to increase their stealth, and the other being a case of nostalgia. Are these really the only reasons for the number of people who try to opt out of this? My grandmothers journals remember a time when several cities had outlawed pickpocketing on their shores altogether. This seems, going from the reasons stated thus far, to be slightly reactionary.

Lighting up a cigarette of her own, Nicola inhales deeply, before drinking some more of the whiskey before her.

Looking at the crowd she gently tries to pull her skirt closer to the knee, buttoning her blouse before leaning forward she looks at the crowd. 

For me pickpocketing is not a big deal, as someone proving their skill or as someone with a hand in their pocket.  God gave me two eyes to see at the end of the day and they work fairly well.  Now my thoughts are pickpocketing can be a cheap thrill, wondering how deep someones pockets are or if you could be caught or not.  Simple throughts and the adrenalin buzz at the time can be quite exciting, even if you simply tell someone they dropped their wallet afterward.

Now for me their is a difference between the two types of pickpocketing, the first is where a skilled member dips in to your pocket and you know nothing about it, it can be frustraing but motivates you to build certain skills more so not caught again.

The second are the kind i like better, the ones that feel more like a mugging.   They either come at you face on and you get a good look at them, or they come at you and are easily noticeable as you feel their breath on your neck and turn.  The excitement at the thought of being pushed in a back alley, a hand ramoantly searching your body for money; the almost perverse way their hands wander including feelings for jewellery as their hands run over my tender frame before i draw my weapon and push it in their mouth or sometimes somewhere they value more.  I like the thought of safety off and pushed deep into their mouth as the fear is evident accross their face and they try and bargain with me for their life.  Funny how they try to talk even with the gun in their mouth as i walk away pistol whipping them to the ground with their ill gotten gains. 

Its the excitement and opportunity, a small loss for a potentially large gain, as a lady always needs something so the money comes in handy; is not like i naturally look this good when i get up in the morning.