Have you read Jack Reacher’s Rules? It’s a handbook of sorts, full of helpful tips and nuggets of wisdom inspired by the way Lee Child’s Jack Reacher lives off the grid and operates without dying.
So far, at least.
If you’ve read books in my Hunt for Jack Reacher series, you know hunting Reacher is deadly. FBI Special Agent Kim Otto’s assignment presents tough challenges as she tracks Reacher. I recently gave you four of the life lessons Kim Otto lives by.
Here now are four more rules Agent Otto lives by, in order to do her job and stay alive.
1. Never trust anyone who is too good at keeping secrets.
Otto here is referring to Jack Reacher. She’s skeptical of his unusual ability to stay off the grid. But it’s not just Reacher who raises red flags for her. Otto tells us multiple times, she hates secrets — unless she’s the one keeping them.
2. Never sleep on an airplane.
“At least being awake gives you a fighting chance to save yourself during a fiery plane crash.”
– Get Back Jack
Now, as you and I and Otto know, a plane crash isn’t likely. The odds of going down are something like one in 5.4 million, according to The Economist. Still, Otto’s point makes some sense. Your chances of saving yourself during a plane crash may be greater if you’re awake… depending on the type of crash… but generally, being alert is a good thing.
Which leads us to Kim Otto’s next rule:
3. Always drink coffee when it’s available.
You never know where your assignment is taking you, or where your next sip is coming from.
4. Don’t talk simply to fill the silence.
Agents Kim Otto and Carlos Gaspar drive through North Carolina without saying much at all along the way. And Otto is fine with that. Otto’s mother calls it sitting with your own vibes. In other words, sitting with your own thoughts and letting them settle. I have no problem with that; do you?
Good morning, all,
Couple of thoughts…
Sometimes, I think Kim O. is wound a bit too tight. While her coffee rule will mesh well with Reacher’s Rules on Coffee, don’t know if Otto’s Rules on anti-acids will work–Take Tums Timely.
As to the Stay Alert On An Airplane–Com’on, that is just Kim’s rationalization for her fear of flying. She is exactly like ex-wife 2. White knuckle flyer. Dramamine to get off the ground and wine on the way. I would hate to see Otto after the 15-hour flight from LAX to Sydney, Australia.
With regard to Don’t talk to fill the dead air…I have been in the Talent Acquisition/HCM world for longer than I like to admit. Good interviewers and good interrogators share this little tip. Generally, unless one is trained, a human can not go for much longer than 15-30 seconds without saying something in a room or facing another human being. I do most of my interviewing over the phone these days…and it still works.
Don’t trust anyone good at keeping secrets–Diane…jury is still out on that one. I don’t think Reacher is keeping secrets, at least not on purpose. He was most certainly an assassin while in the Army, as were his small team…almost like a team of Jason Bournes with out the memory loss. They all had no problem with what they did. I think if folks would just let him alone, he would go look for odd spots and good blues. Think Kim is off base on this one..
Thoughts on a quiet day in the Lower East Side of Manhattan…