A week or so ago I was watching one of those crime shows on TV, you know the ones where they have an agent/detective go “undercover” and spy on someone? In this show, the gal was sitting on a park bench with ear buds, bopping along to some unheard tune when this jogger stops and plants himself on the bench next to her and starts up a conversation. Now, this gal didn’t want to converse, yet neither did she want to appear as though she were spying on someone. So, she provided the occasional nod or “um hm” while continuing to watch her target from the corner of her eye.
That scene got me to thinking – which can be a scary thing I’ll admit. I wondered if this had ever happened to me. I mean, I’ve been known to strike up a conversation with a totally random stranger if the mood hits me. Yet I wondered, have I ever intruded in a clandestine spying operation? Have I ever encountered a completely random person, who appeared to be sitting/standing idly, yet was really annoyed because I was distracting them from their bad guy’s activities with mindless chit chat?
Seriously, how many of those mornings at Starbucks or the gas station or the grocery store have I talked to an undercover law enforcement person doing their surveillance job?
That in turn got me to wondering other oddball things. Like, have I ever had in my possession counterfeit money? Have I ever spent counterfeit money passed on to me from some other source?
Have I ever happened upon a drug deal without even being aware it was happening in my presence?
Has a late night sting operation ever had to be aborted because I happened along for a snack at a convenience store? Gosh, I hope not. And yet . . . hmmmm?
How many people do I talk to every single day are hiding concealed weapons? Being from Mississippi I’m sure that number is quite high.
There are just so many things that could be happening right in front of my nose. I know that from now on everyone is going to look suspicious to me. How about you?
Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong – or maybe right – time? What sorts of clandestine things have you interrupted? Come on – please share. Have you ever wondered if you’ve thwarted a crime just by showing up some place? Surely this isn’t just me.
Word of the day: Ididem
Fun fact about me: I’m tap dancing again.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, October 2017. Photos courtesy Google Images.
jansenschmidt 
Thanks, those thoughts never crossed my mind, but I can see it. I suppose there are things happening all round men that I simply don’t notice or see. Often I do think about people’s stories – like why they are there or how did they get where they were…. intersting. I’ll have to keep my eyes open from now on… have a great week.
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You see, I got you to think outside the box this morning. Stay alert my friend, you never know what criminal activities are going on all around you.
Have a great week.
Patricia
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I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who thinks about such things. *smirks* I very rarely talk to random strangers, so the odds of my interrupting any spying is slim. We did, however, have a criminal case where some poor lady had counterfeit money (that she received from a restaurant) and when she tried to pass it, she was arrested. Her case was eventually dismissed, but honestly, how often do you examine your money to make sure it’s authentic? I never do, and I think some of the counterfeits are so good, the average person wouldn’t notice it anyway.
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That’s exactly what I wonder about because I do not examine my money. But then again I so rarely have any cash in my wallet to spend so it would indeed to rare for me to pass a bogus bill. Glad it all worked out well for your client.
Have a great week.
Patricia
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I’m not aware of anything like this, but if it’s clandestine I wouldn’t be aware, would I? Hope this doesn’t work like songs, where I hear one I don’t know well enough to sing but can’t get it out of my mind.
BTW – did you perhaps misspell your word of the day? The only thing I could find on Google close to your word was ibidem. I looked in the same place but couldn’t find ididem.
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Dave it is entirely possible that I mispelled the word of the day. No doubt I was distracted watching for criminal behavior happening near me. And now that I’ve planted that seed, keep on the watch for undercover cops in the area.
Have a great day my friend.
Patricia
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You probably have been involved in all of these scenarios without ever knowing! It’s a pretty interesting thought isn’t it!? 😀
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Well I doubt every single one, but maybe one. Sometimes my brain just goes places and I have no choice but to follow. People everywhere are going to be suspicious from now on.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great rest of the week.
Patricia
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