My co-worker, Karl, and I often took our coffee break when servicing the Sears Metrocenter store in Phoenix by hanging out in a Carl's Jr. just in the mall, outside of Sears. We watched the flow of people, but one curious character was "out of place": always present, always walking slowly, always alone, always flipping a series of large, long rubber bands carried in one hand, over and over. He had shabby clothing, could have been about 25-30, rather short ~ 5'-7", hair unkempt. We saw him stop moving once, to talk to a Security guy, seemed rather earnest conversation.......then we began to suspect he was undercover Security, great disguise, always present there when we were.......... Nah, not possible, we decided! Too ungainly, always the same, ambling, looking straight ahead posture, finally, after seeing him many times, we concluded he was a bit,....well,......nuts. Twirling those rubber bands constantly. Possibly homeless. Karl nicknamed him "The Mall Maggot"! Wish I had a picture of him. Frank
A guy who was in my paramedic class was a city cop in San Benito, Texas. The police department had him working undercover at a bar in San Benito, sporting a beard, and he was outed when some friends came into the bar and, seeing the beard, asked him, "You're not with the police department anymore?" To me, it seemed kind of odd to have someone who was born and raised in San Benito working undercover. With fewer than 25,000 people, the chances of running into someone you know are pretty high.