PEEPING TOM

The topic was touched on at lunch today. "The Peeping Tom". We were all discussing how utterly mortifying it would be, to find that you have one. Looking up from my morning regime of coating on 25 layers of mascara, and then to find that someone is peeping in on me. How intrusive!

The discussion made me ponder a few issues. First, why is his name Tom? Do people who actually have the name Tom, feel more inclined to peep? Does someone name their offspring Tom because they once were a PT? Would the phrase have the same effect if his name was Pete? Peeping Pete? Also, why is it this crime gets afforded such a charming nick-name? I mean, we don't call burglars- burglaring Freds.

Also, at what point do you cross the line of simply being a curious individual, a Nancy Drew of sorts, into recieving the stigma of a "Peeping Tom?" I mean we all have some degree of curiousity deeply rooted within us, some more than others. So, at what point do you become a Tom? Is it when you actually trespass onto another's property in order to get a peep? Or do you even have to tresspass? Can you be a PT with binoculars across the street? Do you have to be peeing on a certain individual, or can you just peep into an empty house? Can you peep into a garage, or is a garage even considered attached to the actual homestead in order to render it a private area?

Many of this issues, have caused me much anxiety this afternoon. Causing me to neglect my duties at work, and sit, debating the importance of the label, PT. It was only after hours of stress, when I realized "All of these answers can be answered with the click of the button"

So.... I clicked on Wikipedia, and my questions have all been answered.

For, the Wikipedia definition of a Peeping Tom is as follows:

Peeping Tom is a person who, in the legend of Lady Godiva, watched her during her ride and was struck blind or dead.

Happy Peeping!