def item(index, thing):
    """
    ITEM index thing

    if the ``thing`` is a word, outputs the ``index``th character of
    the word.  If the ``thing`` is a list, outputs the ``index``th
    member of the list.  If the ``thing`` is an array, outputs the
    ``index``th member of the array.  ``Index`` starts at 1 for words
    and lists; the starting index of an array is specified when the
    array is created.
    """
    if isinstance(thing, dict):
        return thing[index]
    else:
        return thing[index-1]