James,

Thank you for the phone call today...

Specifically, I wanted to see if you were available for hire to train me in a few basic self-defense techniques...

I work in Baltimore and had a concerning situation on Monday. Specifically with the kind of "urban predator" you often write about. Thankfully I was able to (non-violently) extradite myself from the situation using a few of the techniques you've shared.

But it's got me worried that I'm not taking enough steps to protect myself.

Since then, I've gone back to carrying a 4-inch folding knife.

I also recently purchased a kubaton to use as a second carry weapon.

I'd really like to get your thoughts on this set-up, and also see if you have any advice or training you can offer specifically for the kubaton.

Keep in mind 3 things:

1) I am a 40 year old white guy, not in the best shape, probably 20 pounds overweight...

2) I work primarily in an office environment, by time in the streets is limited to the 20 minutes I walk from my commuter bus stop to my office, and vice versa. I live in a relatively safe area in Harford County, MD, and my home defense strategy is based on firearms. I'm married with small children. In short: Compared to any attacker, I have a lot more to lose. I need to both live and avoid prison, as much as possible. Which is why I worry about carrying a knife.

3) The last serious martial arts training I did was over 20 years ago, where I spent only two years studying karate and judo... in short, I don't have much training at all. This is a problem if you work in Baltimore.

Anyway, I'd like to pick your brain and maybe go over a few things in person. Obviously I'd like to compensate you for your time at whatever is your typical hourly rate.

Give me a call at anytime, if I don't pick up right away, I will try to call you back within an hour or two. If you text message, that's also a great way to let me know you are available.

Thank you!

DJ Rathbone

Abingdon, MD

[phone # redacted]

PS: You might enjoy hearing the story of how I used a few of your strategies in your books to avoid a dangerous encounter on Monday. As well as the stupid mistakes I did to get myself into the situation in the first place. I need to get street smart fast!

1) The most fascinating thing you do with "Harm City" and in our conversation is to help me crawl inside the head of these predator hoodrats. I find this really interesting and useful, since my profession is in promoting music, so I spend a lot of time studying psychology, persuasion, motivations, etc. By understanding the hoodrat mentality and motivations, I should be able to compensate for a lack of size, expert training and physical abilities in avoiding situations, and getting out of the city alive on a daily basis.

Mister Rathbone, I am thrilled to discover that there is still a music scene in Baltimore—I thought we had been reduced to nothing but the drumbeat of unseen hands in the urban jungle.

First, let’s go over the situation on Monday you described on the phone.

In broad daylight as you sat looking into the depths of your smartphone, you were approached by a feral hoodrat, an adult male, and harassed. You remained silent, even when he became agitated and began wolfing due to the psychic pain your silent sorcery produced in his tiny brain.

Of course don’t sit—never—and don’t have your cell phone out in Baltimore—unless it’s my Obama flip phone and then people will avoid you for fear that your ill-luck will be contagious. That said, he might have approached you anyhow, just for the crime of being born white. So you got some valuable practice not running your mouth.

When he later followed you, pretending to tie your shoe and letting him go by was good work. Also, when he winged out his shoulders and kept looking at you over his back, he was hoping you would walk by so he could brush shoulders and renew his abortive confrontation. Taking that turn behind him was yet another sound move. Simply moving helps a lot. This is why he engaged you in conversation to begin with, to fix your position. I can tell by your voice that you are civilized. Civilized people stop and cease moving most of the time as soon as they begin to speak. However, various species of barbarians, such as ebonies, whigger bitches and cops can run their mouth and walk at the same time. Remain silent against all of these.

We can certainly train since you’re in the area.

Reduce that knife length to 3.5 inches in Baltimore. For some reason local cops use that length as a measure of intent. The knife can only come out when you are in fear for your life and in close. Even against a group, if you pull it out in response to a threat, one of two things will come out on their side: a smart phone or a dumb gun, both well able to ruin your life. Save the knife for when you have been compromised and are headed for the pavement and about to be shanked or stomped—this is your nuclear option on the street.

The kubaton is a good hand weapon and is recognized as such by law enforcement. Give it to your wife for a key chain.

You have the low hand draw knife option in extremis.

You need a high-hand draw light weapon that is not a weapon and is deniable. I like a pen clipped to your shirt pocket or collar. You extend the left hand to keep the aggressor at bay in check and grab your pen with a cross chest draw with the right and hammer it into throat or eye. Use this against a lone attacker in a pinch to get him off of you.

You should carry a magazine rolled tightly at all times in the crime space of Baltimore or a short hand umbrella. After our conversation, my landlord, Mister Rich, came home from work in the rain with his $100, life time guaranteed, stainless steel shaft, carbon fiber frame, Devak New York umbrella. I could cave in the head of a great ape with this thing. You want such a hand umbrella for its thrust function. You would not whack with it unless he pulled a knife or gun and you would whack the hand. You would have a deniable weapon in hand. Just having an item in hand, which is neither a burden or a valuable, deters most aggression. This weapon will require some training. Note that I received my last concussion from a stab with such a weapon while wearing a fencing mask. Stabbing the head with an everyday object is functional and deniable and will serve your personal and legal defense needs and, most importantly, will ward off aggressors by the fact that it is in your hand.

With some training I believe we can make of you a formidable paleface sorcerer.

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