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By Brooks A. Mick, M.D.
Nov. 25, 2005 The Capital One bank card commercials show barbarian raiders asking “What do you have in your wallet?” I’m asking you “What do you have in your pockets?” Some people carry next to nothing in their pockets. Some people don’t even have pockets. I tend to wear whatever has the most pockets, because I’ve always carried quite a few items. A pocket knife, of course. In fact, I seldom have fewer than two pocket knives. Why two? Because one blade can’t do it all. A big blade can’t perform delicate tasks well, and a small blade can’t take on the big jobs. Two-bladed pocket knives are a bit more versatile, but even these can’t handle a major task that one can ask of a knife: self-defense. The typical pocket knife can’t open fast enough, the blade is too small, and the blade doesn’t typically lock open. Most days I carry a tiny Leatherman Micra, a small tool with a knife blade, tweezers, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and scissors. The latter come in handy for many tasks, not the least of which is field hair trimming when one just can’t find a barbershop. My big pocket knife is a Gerber E-Z Out 450, a lockback with a blade around 3.25 inches long and half-serrated. It can hack through synthetic line and other tough tasks easily if kept sharp. It isn’t as conspicuously combat-oriented as some of the CQC folders like the Emerson or the Applegate, but it can suffice quite well. There is a higher-grade steel model, a bit more expensive, but I have found the 450 quite efficient at holding at edge and strong enough. The blade is a satin-finish, closely resembling the silver metallic paint on a 2004 Infiniti G35, and the shape is as lovely. If you are carrying a pocket knife, you want to keep it sharp. I carry a Gerber mini-sharpener, a small plastic rectangle with four ceramic rods imbedded in notches, and this can resharpen a blade with a few strokes. Attached to the Leatherman is a miniature white LED flashlight. One never knows when one will be caught in the dark. I was once the only person with any pocket flashlight in a field hospital briefing when the generator failed and the hospital was plunged into darkness. The light from my tiny LED was sufficient to allow the group to make its way out through the black maze of passageways. Under such circumstances, a small Maglite or one of the newer large LED flashlights should be carried. In my fanny pack, I have a Xenon-bulbed tactical flashlight, and one on the nightstand by my bed. My wife has two large flashlights in the drawers of her nightstand on the opposite side of the bed. In my shirt pocket, I carry two pens, one for writing, one with a stylus point for writing on a PDA, and it also has a laser pointer built in. The PDA doesn’t actually ride in a pocket, but in a belt case. Aside from the medical programs I use daily, I have a military leader’s book installed with checklists for dealing with tactical situations. There are also two medical papers in PDF format on biological weapons and one on chemical weapons. This is a carry-over from my U.S.Army days. One never knows, however, in these days of terrorism, when one will have to deal with nuclear, chemical, or biological contamination, explosive devices, mines, or other such hazards. Keeping such data handy seems reasonable. Some day, terrorists might well attack a soft target such as the hospital where I work. While shoes aren’t technically items found in your pocket, I’d like to suggest that everyone wear at all times shoes in which one can run if need be. I recall the photos of people fleeing the Twin Towers, and I recall the photos of the people fleeing the Capitol Building when there was an inbound airplane scare a couple years ago. The secretaries trying to run in high heels appeared to be having a difficult time. Being slowed by inefficient footwear just might cost a life. I’m not going to cover keys, money, or other standard pocket items. Do as you will in that regard. ------------ About the author Brooks A. Mick: Physician, still practicing medicine but retired from the US Army. Write just for the fun of it, but working on novel in the vein of Tom Clancy's politico-military genre. Email: brooks15@cox.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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