John,
You just made my day, thank you.
Leadhead,
You can do this, heck most likely you have.
-You see a guy/gal in white painter pants, with paint on boots, shirt, hat, glasses and see a clip for a Super Knife ( razor blade knife) and you are going to think , painter, or drywall installer.
-You see a clip on a pocket, and the guy, gal is a bit too careful in how they reach up to get something on a shelf, or getting down to lower shelf, or picking up a shopping list they dropped.
You are going to think CCW-er most often, correct?
Now we are not even to the Pros yet, just some models of criminals are more educated street wise than others.
The person has a pen in hand and marks off items on that list, or is seen at checkout writing a check , or signing a credit card.
Now you know if they are right or left handed.
So...most folks are going to have a gun on the side of strong hand, correct?
So when a takedown is done, the strong side is hit hardest, to keep strong hand off gun.
Hence the reason a lot of the old seasoned cops were so proficient weak handed, as to throw off a bad guy with attention focused on "strong side".
Now in reading a target, a criminal will notice that person reaching up, down , or picking up that list in that aisle.
Oh...they spot a wire, or small hose. That is a pain pump, or med pump, or even a monitor.
That is "why" they were they way they were reaching and stooping.
This leads into some more things I won't go into ...
-Parking lot.
This is a good one to share.
We are not to the Pros yet...still various models of criminals.
They pay attention to how folks get out of a car.
They will take note of the time you pulled in, parked, cut off engine and get out.
They know some gals will put on lipstick, or mess with hair, or check a bra strap.
If a lady is wearing a dress, they will take a second to make sure a slip is not showing or if static cling season , get that stupid dress to not cling!
Ladies often times do all this in a very smooth, fast , easy flow of events. Yes they check them selves in car window reflection. Still ladies for the most part are better at being self assured.
Guys primp, and fiddle around, especially if new to CCW-ing. They get out and using vehicle and door as concealemetn , mess with the CCW, and check themselves longer in window reflection than ladies do.
Heck even a Cop with a duty belt will often have to adjust gear getting out of a squad car. The rookie takes longer, the seasoned cop does so in a very matter of fact, smooth, fast , easy going, flowing motion.
Without knowing rank, you can often spot a rookie cop, vs seasoned one.
Pros.
They check stuff like your hands and nails.
They overhear at a diner how you , I dunno, say you are bragging and lying about having been a fishermen on a boat for an uncle for 30 days. The hands don't lie.
Drywall installers, painters and wood workers never get hands really clean.
Just like a fisherman, the hands are seasoned, with callouses.
A surgeons hands now...just like a scrub tech will be more clean than J.Q.Public, as they really do "scrub in".
Glasses are another thing. They can tell who is trying to be something they are not , by wearing fashion frames.
The drywall , painter folks never really get all cleaned up , including glasses.
Some will wear the nice pair when out , and have the work pair stay at home.
Still look at the face, and how the nice frames do not match the areas that really do not get clean?
Think getting sun, and removing your sunglasses and the "raccoon face".
The seasoned surgeon is most likely to have money, nice ride and credit cards.
Painters used to carry more cash than they do now. Still the painter to hit , is the one that looks to be in charge. Just read how others in a group act around him, her.
Pros are smoooooth, cool, ice in veins and know more about a subject than you do.
They toss out little things to test you, and see how you react and respond.
A Professional lady can talk pregnancy, child birth, getting shots and day care, and she may not have ever had a child.
Still the mark feels comfortable and lets down defenses and reveals too much.
A Professional gent, can relate to a guy that is a new daddy. And he is not a dad.
Oh he knows about morning sickness, and how it feels when that test kit turned blue, and the wife going to doc and its confirmed she/they are pregnant and the whole nine yards and "yeah, give the baby something to eat and a warm washcloth bath, and I betcha your baby sleeps better and you and the wife can get some sleep".
Stock market, politics, world events...Junior League, Country Club, Gentleman only clubs with cigars...they know it, it is natural, they blend in.
I have met some Pro Thugs, some under better circumstances than others...that is an understatement
Just due to the nature of what all I grew up into and have been involved in.
I have been on "neutral ground" , or "truce" or whatever goopy thing you want to call it, and been face to face, and spent time, quality time with some.
Granted this will get a Boss man a bit nervous and body guards to shake heads...
There was Respect. Hard to explain, but an earned respect. One situation dealt with me wanting to know who set me up and I survived , and it took some time recovering.
The Pro wanted to know who got family members of his hurt, and wanted to know if me and mine were responsible.
We were not. Not our thing...
He called me at my hotel.
Which was freaky, as I was under a alias.
Still he knew, and the word was I was off limits.
This guy was into other things, and not into doing what I was really concerned about for my and mines direct safety.
He was a really good bookkeeper...*ahem*
He assisted me in finding out who set me up.
I was able to assist him, on whom on his side was turning against him.
All legit on my part, actually his too, if that makes sense.
Me and my lady partner, had a hands off, deal. Meaning, if the ones that we did concern ourselves were to be around, we got tipped off and out the back door, or our six watched, whatever.
I will not share what it was, still there was a 'code' or codes if you will.
I, she, we could walk into a area, or restaurant, and we were not messed with, and while we were watched, it was for our safety.
Most folks don't have this problem, they go into places and never know.
Me and mine did not go some places.
You could go to that restaurant and not have a worry, we did. Then again lady partner and I might go into a Topless bar, and our vehicle was safe, and we ate a really good meal, in the private area, or just sat at the bar, or table and ate bar food.
Rough and tumble roadhouse, where the band has a cage around them, no problem.
Or that nice place you would have to make reservations a month in advance for your anniversary dinner with the wife...
We would call, say we were in town, and did they have room for us.
We got the nice parking spot, messed around in the kitchen, and had the table with the view.
He found out his problems, and I found out mine.
This guy had heard of me, and when I was down, and in bad shape, said he wanted to help, if my people would let him.
Order food, go get it, he would pay for it, etc.
I ruined a gun in my ordeal, actually my lady pard's gun...
It went back to the factory and replaced with a new one, with the old serial number stamped on it.
He offered to pay for the gun. It seems...umm...he did not like some folks even if they were Pros.
Lady pard's dawg was killed with this ordeal. I used to eat dawg biscuits with Mic ( Michelangelo).
She got a telegram one day about a black lab puppy, it had a bloodline, and papers, and more fancy paperwork than she and I put together.
It was hers, she had first dibbs, and it could be shipped, or she , we, could pick it up.
Einstein we named him.
This Pro provided Einstein.
He came with his own Mobster hat...handsome fella, smart as could be, and we ribbed he did not come with a Continental , Violin case, or with a custom suit with stripes and Italian shoes.
Another group that can read folks , are the hi priced escorts.
Oh the street hookers can read you...
These expensive escort ladies can really read you!
You want to find out if a wife is cheating on you , or a husband, or business partner is stealing from the company, or assisting in ruining the business and it being bought out, get a hi class escort. She will peg it every time.
Pocket clips on knives are just another thing among many that is read.
Not a new thing, just old stuff re badged as modern.
Blending in is the key...