- Joined
- May 3, 2002
- Messages
- 6,192
I'd never given it much thought before, but yesterday at work someone found this behavior of mine particularly funny, so I thought you all would enjoy this and figured I'd share:
I'm 5'2" tall.
I often cannot get things off of high shelves, whether it be at the grocery store, or a ream of paper where I work at FedEx Office (used to be Kinkos).
Consequently, I frequently whip out my knife and use it for that additional 5" or so of reach.
Just imagine a short dude, standing on his toes, and holding a tactical knife by the butt as he poked at something on a high shelf at your local Safeway or Target!
Actually, I've done this so freakin' often and many times over the last 20 years that it's not nearly as awkward as it sounds. I can whip a box off a top shelf in about two seconds - jars take longer - but not much longer if there's other jars around it to roll off of. A lonely jar on a high shelf? Well, that takes longer as well as some concentration and finesse!
At the grocery store, I usually look around to make sure there's nobody else in the aisle as I whip it out and use it to work that jar of pickled jalapenos off the edge of the shelf where I can catch it with my off hand. (I'm sure the people behind the security cameras and one-way mirrors really enjoy this!)
At work, I usually look at the customers in the store and make a quick judgment call as to whether I think they'd be offended by the sight of the knife as I work the ream of paper off a top shelf into my waiting hands below. (If they're prudish looking, I ask for help or get a stool.
)
Crazy, huh?
Strangely, a double-action auto is REALLY helpful in these situations! I've whipped out an Ultratech, opened it as I reached up, worked a box of cereal off a top shelf and then retracted the knife as the box fell so fast that I left the people standing RIGHT NEXT TO ME not knowing what I just did.
Short people can be smart that way.
Just another use for an EDC.
.
I'm 5'2" tall.
I often cannot get things off of high shelves, whether it be at the grocery store, or a ream of paper where I work at FedEx Office (used to be Kinkos).
Consequently, I frequently whip out my knife and use it for that additional 5" or so of reach.
Just imagine a short dude, standing on his toes, and holding a tactical knife by the butt as he poked at something on a high shelf at your local Safeway or Target!
Actually, I've done this so freakin' often and many times over the last 20 years that it's not nearly as awkward as it sounds. I can whip a box off a top shelf in about two seconds - jars take longer - but not much longer if there's other jars around it to roll off of. A lonely jar on a high shelf? Well, that takes longer as well as some concentration and finesse!
At the grocery store, I usually look around to make sure there's nobody else in the aisle as I whip it out and use it to work that jar of pickled jalapenos off the edge of the shelf where I can catch it with my off hand. (I'm sure the people behind the security cameras and one-way mirrors really enjoy this!)
At work, I usually look at the customers in the store and make a quick judgment call as to whether I think they'd be offended by the sight of the knife as I work the ream of paper off a top shelf into my waiting hands below. (If they're prudish looking, I ask for help or get a stool.
)Crazy, huh?
Strangely, a double-action auto is REALLY helpful in these situations! I've whipped out an Ultratech, opened it as I reached up, worked a box of cereal off a top shelf and then retracted the knife as the box fell so fast that I left the people standing RIGHT NEXT TO ME not knowing what I just did.
Short people can be smart that way.
Just another use for an EDC.
.
