Atton Rand & miscellaneous names (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
suitably_heroic) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2017-09-21 12:51 pm
suitably_heroic) wrote in fandomhigh2017-09-21 12:51 pm
Entry tags:
How To Get By In A Hostile World, Thursday
"Sometimes, dealing with forces more powerful than you can be as simple as playing on the weaknesses most beings share," Atton said. "Like how most people are easily distracted. For all that we like to talk and talk about what great multitaskers we are, most species aren't actually very good at paying attention to more than one thing at once."
He sat down on his desk.
"And that's how pickpockets line their pockets," he said. "You'd be surprised how easily you can distract people from one thing by presenting them with something more immediate and familiar. And no, this isn't me encouraging you all to start stealing everything in sight - though if you are hungry and out of money, feel free - but sometimes, it can be really useful to be able to shortcut the high and mighty and grab something you might need."
"Some pickpockets work in teams: you usually have a stall and a pick. The stall makes sure the mark stops, like by bumping into them-- but only somewhere where it makes sense for them to do that. Like a train car, or a crowded hallway, or a large public hall, stuff like that. Then as the mark suddenly comes to a stop, it makes sense for the pick to 'accidentally' bump into them and lift their wallet. The mark's still fixated on the stall; they won't focus on the pick until the deed has already been done. Sometimes the stall will do something else, like drop some coins, or otherwise get the mark to kneel down so the pick can do his work."
He nodded at the simulated train car in front of them. "But you can also easily work alone in an environment like that," he said. "Hide your hands under a newspaper or something, and accidentally brush past someone-- that touch is usually so expected and normal, people don't question it. Some pickpockets like to actually draw attention to people's money, like by shouting that there's a pickpocket around--" He smirked. A little. "--so people will pat the places they have their valuables, making it easier to find them. If you're a woman, or a particularly attractive guy, fish, whatever, you can also try the old 'I'm drunk and affectionate' act.
He shrugged.
"No matter what, the trick is misdirection," he said. "Which is something you have to practice. So-- half of you are going to be pickpockets today, and the other half are going to be marks. You can team up or go it alone, I don't care. Practice this stuff. If you're successful, swap roles."
He pointed at a table full of wallets. "Marks? Get your crap."
He sat down on his desk.
"And that's how pickpockets line their pockets," he said. "You'd be surprised how easily you can distract people from one thing by presenting them with something more immediate and familiar. And no, this isn't me encouraging you all to start stealing everything in sight - though if you are hungry and out of money, feel free - but sometimes, it can be really useful to be able to shortcut the high and mighty and grab something you might need."
"Some pickpockets work in teams: you usually have a stall and a pick. The stall makes sure the mark stops, like by bumping into them-- but only somewhere where it makes sense for them to do that. Like a train car, or a crowded hallway, or a large public hall, stuff like that. Then as the mark suddenly comes to a stop, it makes sense for the pick to 'accidentally' bump into them and lift their wallet. The mark's still fixated on the stall; they won't focus on the pick until the deed has already been done. Sometimes the stall will do something else, like drop some coins, or otherwise get the mark to kneel down so the pick can do his work."
He nodded at the simulated train car in front of them. "But you can also easily work alone in an environment like that," he said. "Hide your hands under a newspaper or something, and accidentally brush past someone-- that touch is usually so expected and normal, people don't question it. Some pickpockets like to actually draw attention to people's money, like by shouting that there's a pickpocket around--" He smirked. A little. "--so people will pat the places they have their valuables, making it easier to find them. If you're a woman, or a particularly attractive guy, fish, whatever, you can also try the old 'I'm drunk and affectionate' act.
He shrugged.
"No matter what, the trick is misdirection," he said. "Which is something you have to practice. So-- half of you are going to be pickpockets today, and the other half are going to be marks. You can team up or go it alone, I don't care. Practice this stuff. If you're successful, swap roles."
He pointed at a table full of wallets. "Marks? Get your crap."
Re: The Train
Re: The Train
"Casual threats of violence are not really my thing," Tip said. Especially when the person doing the threatening had to think before they showed any emotion on their face, but she wasn't going to say that out loud. She didn't think that part was Breq's fault. "Right. Let's just . . . try this again."
Re: The Train
"Excuse me, have you seen my pet. It escaped," she said, looking straight at the person, who winced slightly.
Was this a better way of distracting, Tip?
Re: The Train
It was! Though . . . maybe she should have tried a different person.
Tip looped around the train car as best she could, trying to look inconspicuous, and casually bumped against everyone again as she went, muttering apologies like a good little girl.
And managed to grab a wallet, a phone, and a handful of receipts along the way, though not from the person Breq was talking to. What? She was distracting lots of people!
Re: The Train
"Cooperating worked better," Breq noted. Oh, sometimes it was quite frustrating to be stuck in one body.
Re: The Train
"I think that might be usually how it works," Tip agreed. "Do you want to try pickpocketing next?"