posted on Jul, 29 2010 @ 01:04 PM
Originally posted by plube
I met a mason and gave him the handshake in which his thumb pressed the back of my hand in the usual fashion, as i pressed to the back of his..he had
two insignia rings on his hand which i recognised as the scottish rite and also as the star of the eastern order.
It seems that this handshake differs depending on locale. For London, it is not the thumb - as this is an obvious signal, unable to be hidden as it is
on the outside of the hand - but the index finger, extended and pressed hard into the area of the pulse point of the wrist.
It is usually followed by the question, "How old's your Granny" - answered with lodge number.
I believe that the same question and answer phrase also is in operation in Scotland.
Or was, at least, the last time I visited the area (Faslane - West from Glasgow) a few months ago.
It is possible that the "secret" shake, now being so widely known, has fallen into disuse and the more challenging question/answer folllow-up is
more key to proof of membership.
Even still: it never hurts to try when meeting someone - a person with a high likelihood of membership of this society - for the first time.
You could even try all the different handshakes you lot have come up with, though that may result in the exchange being too overt and also looking a
lot like the "soul brother" handshakes that people like to give whereby several motions are followed to prove that - despite having never met a
person before - that you share societal accommodation in some way and (if you're /really, really/ lucky) it could get you a few £'s off your
plumbing bill.
[ed]
Or get you out of that speeding ticket, though I should mention that membership of this organisation in the police-force in the UK has dwindled
massively and most officers will refuse any physical contact. Even an handshake, out of the ordinary - esp. one applying pressure on any part of the
hand/body - can be considered "Common Assault" if the officer so wishes to pursue such a charge"...
This is why the verbal confirmation has become more popular over the past few years.
IMO
[/ed]
[edit on 29-7-2010 by Teh_Pariah]