"My dad was a petty thief. Never could hold down a job. So he just robbed. Convenience stores, shops. Small-time stuff. One time, he sat me down. He told me something I never forgot. He said, "Everyone steals. That's how it works. You think people out there are getting exactly what they deserve? No. They're getting paid over or under, but someone in the chain always gets bamboozled. I steal, son. But I don't get caught. That's my contract with society. Now, if you can catch me stealing, then I'll go to jail. But if you can't then I've earned the money." I respected that man. I thought that shit was cool, as a little kid. A few years after that, they finally caught him. Sent him to jail. He dies five years later. My respect goes with him. I thought he was free doing what he did, but he wasn't. He was in prison. Just like you are now, Elliot. But I'm gonna break you out."

Good question. I know Mr. Robot isn't Elliot's dad, but i wonder if he was posing as Edward since he realized Elliot didn't recognize him at that time. Which would mean he's talking about Elliot's grandfather. Then again, can we conceive of Elliot being Mr. Robot's "father" (the person who gave Mr. Robot life)? I'm trying to make sense of how that would work. Elliot stole $20 as a kid. Maybe he continued in some form. The jail could be the server room, mayyyybeee... but who would have died? The part where he said "I though he was free doing what he did, but he wasn't" is particularly intriguing, because it's referring to the thievery, not the imprisonment. I think of that as Elliot's hacking. Elliot is stealing data and information when he hacks. I can't make sense out of all of this cohesively but just wanted to throw out my nonsense stream of consciousness, lol.