Jack Reacher's Rules

“He glanced at himself in an old spotted mirror. Six-five, two fifty, hands as big as frozen turkeys, hair all over the place, unshaven, torn shirt cuffs up on his forearms like Frankenstein’s monster. A bum.”

1. ALWAYS SHAVE AND GET A GOOD HAIRCUT

A whitewall. Leave an inch and a half on the top and use clippers to shave the bottom and the sides up toward it. Then flip the clippers over and square off the sideburns and clean the fuzz off the neck. Unless you’re going undercover.

2. DON’T SKIP THE SHOWER

Four kinds, depending on circumstances:

The straight shower (11 minutes)—shower and hair wash

The shave and shower (22 minutes)—shave, hair wash, shower

The special procedure (30 minutes +)—shower and hair wash, shave, shower, and second hair wash

The even longer one. When you’ve got company

“He knew he was out of step with the Western world in terms of how often he changed his clothes, but he tried to compensate by keeping his body scrupulously clean.”

3. ALWAYS CARRY A TOOTHBRUSH

Even for a man without luggage, it’s essential to have your own toothbrush, preferably a folding one that you can keep in your pocket. In the absence of toothpaste, freshen your mouth with gum.

If you can’t get time to sleep, a shower is a good substitute. If you can’t get time to shower, cleaning your teeth is the next best thing.

“His folding toothbrush was on the floor, stepped on and crushed.

‘Bastards,’ he said.”

4. HOW TO KEEP CLOTHES CLEAN ON THE ROAD

Option 1: every three to four days soak or rinse clothes and place under mattress to press.

Option 2: after up to nine days put clothes in trash and buy a new set.

Option 3: if you dress in wet clothes you’ve got a built-in air conditioner that keeps you cool while they dry out.

“He folded his pants and his shirt very carefully and put them flat under the mattress. That was as close as he ever got to ironing.”

THINGS YOU’LL NEVER SEE REACHER DO

Take a suit to the dry cleaner’s

“A good coat is like a good lawyer. It covers your ass.”

5. CHANGING YOUR UNDERWEAR

Always buy the cheapest white underpants.

Remember that khaki socks will give you away if you’re going undercover.

Most people stick to underwear from their country of origin. It’s a big step putting on foreign underwear, like betrayal or emigration.

If caught short, go commando.

>>THE LONGEST TIME A TRAVELING MAN CAN GO WITHOUT …. A shower 4 days Changing his clothes 9 days Changing his underwear 9 days

THINGS YOU’LL NEVER HEAR REACHER SAY

My wife doesn’t understand me.