Yesterday Was The Longest Day....

[jahwarrior]

okay, it wasn't that exciting. still, it's been awhile since i had anything to share. i guess open carry is becoming mundane in this area.

i was walking out of the Giant Supermarket in Dickson City, pushing a cart with a few groceries. as i approached my car, a woman who had just exited hers stop and gasped. "oh my GOD! what...is...THAT?"

"uh, coffee...soda...Off bug spray....some other...."

"no, not THOSE. the gun!"

"well, looks like you already knew what it was, then." i opened the trunk of the car, and started throwing bags in.

"isn't that against the law? that's illegal."

"um, nope." i finished loading my bags, and closed the trunk. "no, it's legal."

"no WAY. that can't be legal. unless you're a cop. are a cop or something?"

"no. seriously, it's legal." i peered around my car, past her, and saw that her car had NJ plates. ah ha! "you from Jersey?"

"i just moved here."

"well, in PA, it's legal to carry a gun. you need a license to carry concealed, though. but it's easy to get one, as long as you're not a felon, or nutty."

she looked at me, and screwed her face up. "why in the HELL would you need to carry a damn GUN for anyway? it's not like this area is crime infested!"

"exactly. it's legal to carry a gun, and this area is nice and safe, unlike the crime infested armpit that is the state of New Jersey." i paused, waiting for a response, but got none. satisfied that i was done here, i said, "you have a good day, ma'am. be safe."

i got in my car, and drove to the Convenient across the street. my lady asked me to pick up something with alcohol in it, but something sweet, so i decided to pick up some Mike's Hard Lemonade. as i stood in the booze section, trying to pick out one flavor, some overweight slob in dirty clothes stopped short, put his hands up, and exclaimed, smiling, "WHOA! don't shoot me, buddy! haha!"

without even looking at him, i said, "that's not funny." i grabbed a six pack of the booze, and turned to him. he snarled, "hey, i was jus' fuckin' with ya. you ain't gotta be an ******* about it!"

"i'm not being an *******. you just weren't funny." i put the lemonade on the counter. the man at the register looked at us nervously. i'm a regular customer, and they've gotten used to seeing me carrying. sometimes i'll talk to them for a few minutes, even after i've paid for my items.

the slob continued: "why you gotta have an attitude about it? what, you don't like people talking to you?"

"he is wery nice man," the clerk interjected. "he alvays comes into dhe store, and is wery polite. he neber cause problems vis nobody. you are being berry rude, sirra!"

"whatever," the slob said. "i just said not to shoot me. you gotta gun on you. what the hell do you expect?"

"fine. tell you what: i won't shoot you, as long as you don't give me a reason to."

he froze, and turned a little green. "**** this," he muttered, and walked out.

"he vass wery rude man. you are okay, buddy?"

"yeah, i'm good. how much is that?"

"eleben dollar, my friend."

i paid, and walked out. i saw the slob driving away, shooting me dirty looks. hey, don't shoot me with dirty looks, buddy! haha!

to end the night, i was gassing up my car at an Xtra Mart, in Milford. as i walked out, there were two couples exiting a car in front, with NJ plates. that's not unusual, as both NY and NJ both border Milford, and this time of year sees a great many out-of-staters spending time in town. as i walked out, one of the woman froze. it wasn't until i walked past her, and had almost reached my car at the pump, that i heard her say, "holy ****, i thought that guy was going to MURDER me! JEEZ-us!"

i stopped short, whipped around, and said pretty sharply, "REALLY? some guy walks out of a gas station after giving money TO the clerk, and you think you're gonna be murdered? REALLY? are you that scared of strangers that you live in fear of death from them? REALLY?" i just shook my head.

her friend, boyfriend, husband, whatever, said, "hey, look, don't you go -"

"i'm not interested," i said, cutting him short. "this is Pennsylvania. go back to Jersey, if you're so scared. we don't have the patience for it here." i got in my car, and began the long drive home.

i forget how dumb people are.

okay, i'm lying. i just like to believe that people are naturally smarter, and choose to be dumb. nothing like spending the day being proved wrong, right?

 

[Statkowski]

i forget how dumb people are.

okay, i'm lying. i just like to believe that people are naturally smarter, and choose to be dumb. nothing like spending the day being proved wrong, right?

You were right the first time. Stick with that thought and you'll never be let down. Go with the second option and you'll be surprised every time.

Of course, the reaction from people is understandable, especially those from New Jersey or New York. You've got to work on your snappy comebacks, though. You know the comments are coming - you've got to be prepared.

 

[Curmudgeon]

You got a Daily Double!

Getting back-up from the clerk had to be awesome though. My brother doesn't own any guns, and he never has. He knows all about the 2nd Amendment though. I was approached in WalMArt a couple years ago by the Asst Mgr, and my brother was with me. I barely had a chance to get 2 words in edge-wise, my brother was all over the guy.

The 'encounter' ended very well, and I had very little to do with it, it was mostly my brother. It was kinda like having the cavalry come over the hill just in time, I mostly just watched! The Mgr would ask me a question and my brother would answer it.

Once a Marine, always a Marine!

Even thought the Mgr said he was aware of WalMart's corp policy, I often wonder how it would have gone if I was there by myself. Instead, it was 2 of us against one. Was he ever really going to throw both of us out? Would he have done that if I was alone?

 

[Citizen]

SNIP...some overweight slob in dirty clothes stopped short, put his hands up, and exclaimed, smiling, "WHOA! don't shoot me, buddy! haha!"

without even looking at him, i said, "that's not funny." i grabbed a six pack of the booze, and turned to him. he snarled, "hey, i was jus' fuckin' with ya. you ain't gotta be an ******* about it!"

"i'm not being an *******. you just weren't funny."

It sometimes pays to recognize the attempt to be funny, even if we don't find it humorous.

This sort of thing has happened to me a number of times. At least they see the gun and are comfortable enough to be playful. And, that's really one of our goals as OCers--to let people get over their discomfort about guns, to normalize self-defense.

I usually just play along. For example, not too long ago a restaurant manager playfully (big smile) "reached for the sky" as soon as I crossed the threshold into the restaurant. My response was to put my hands up too and whirl around to see who behind me was pointing a gun. Then, seeing no one, I turned back to him and playfully said, "Jeezus! You scared the crap out of me. Don't do that."

At another business, one employee who I long ago told I was not a bounty hunter continued to josh me about being a bounty hunter. One day, in response to his latest joshing, I took a good look at him, rubbed my chin and said in mock-seriousness, "You look familiar. Have I seen your face on a wanted poster? What's your name? You got any warrants in Virginia?" Smiles all around.

 

[jahwarrior]

You got a Daily Double!

Getting back-up from the clerk had to be awesome though. My brother doesn't own any guns, and he never has. He knows all about the 2nd Amendment though. I was approached in WalMArt a couple years ago by the Asst Mgr, and my brother was with me. I barely had a chance to get 2 words in edge-wise, my brother was all over the guy.

The 'encounter' ended very well, and I had very little to do with it, it was mostly my brother. It was kinda like having the cavalry come over the hill just in time, I mostly just watched! The Mgr would ask me a question and my brother would answer it.

Once a Marine, always a Marine!

Even thought the Mgr said he was aware of WalMart's corp policy, I often wonder how it would have gone if I was there by myself. Instead, it was 2 of us against one. Was he ever really going to throw both of us out? Would he have done that if I was alone?

the best part of the back up was that the guy has only been in this country from India for about 3 months. he loves the fact that i carry a gun. in India, gun ownership is regulated like it is in NYC: the rich, affluent, and the corrupt can get them easily, the rest of the impoverished, teeming masses are SOL. this is is what makes mass shootings possible, of course, as seen by the attacks in Mumbai back in 2008, and in mass shootings in this country. in other words, this guy gets it.

 

[jahwarrior]

It sometimes pays to recognize the attempt to be funny, even if we don't find it humorous.

This sort of thing has happened to me a number of times. At least they see the gun and are comfortable enough to be playful. And, that's really one of our goals as OCers--to let people get over their discomfort about guns, to normalize self-defense.

I usually just play along. For example, not too long ago a restaurant manager playfully (big smile) "reached for the sky" as soon as I crossed the threshold into the restaurant. My response was to put my hands up too and whirl around to see who behind me was pointing a gun. Then, seeing no one, I turned back to him and playfully said, "Jeezus! You scared the crap out of me. Don't do that."

At another business, one employee who I long ago told I was not a bounty hunter continued to josh me about being a bounty hunter. One day, in response to his latest joshing, I took a good look at him, rubbed my chin and said in mock-seriousness, "You look familiar. Have I seen your face on a wanted poster? What's your name? You got any warrants in Virginia?" Smiles all around.

it's hard to convey tone in text. i can usually tell when someone's being playful, and when they're being shitheels. he was the latter. i had a woman do the same thing to me today at a Chinese buffet, and i wasn't offended by it. another thing: i can't be expected to be nice to everyone all the time. i don't open carry to educate the masses, i just open carry because it's more convenient to do it that way when it's warm outside.

 

[Citizen]

it's hard to convey tone in text. i can usually tell when someone's being playful, and when they're being shitheels. he was the latter. i had a woman do the same thing to me today at a Chinese buffet, and i wasn't offended by it. another thing: i can't be expected to be nice to everyone all the time. i don't open carry to educate the masses, i just open carry because it's more convenient to do it that way when it's warm outside.

If he was baiting you, that's different. It makes all his whining about you being a jerk into so much attempted camoflage. You might like to take it up with his manager. Anybody whose desire to bait customers is so strong he can't stifle it, is maybe somebody the manager might like to know about. Today its the gun-guy. Tomorrow its the weird chick with orange hair and lots of piercings.

Also, if he then counter-attacked, alleging you were a jerk in response to his baiting, it shows his usual method for being caught is to counter-attack. I don't know that I would want somebody like that in my store. Every misunderstanding with a customer is suddenly suspect as to who started it and who escalated it. That doesn't sound like an employee I could count on to smooth things over on the everday little misunderstandings that are part and parcel of dealing with the public.

 

[jahwarrior]

If he was baiting you, that's different. It makes all his whining about you being a jerk into so much attempted camoflage. You might like to take it up with his manager. Anybody whose desire to bait customers is so strong he can't stifle it, is maybe somebody the manager might like to know about. Today its the gun-guy. Tomorrow its the weird chick with orange hair and lots of piercings.

Also, if he then counter-attacked, alleging you were a jerk in response to his baiting, it shows his usual method for being caught is to counter-attack. I don't know that I would want somebody like that in my store. Every misunderstanding with a customer is suddenly suspect as to who started it and who escalated it. That doesn't sound like an employee I could count on to smooth things over on the everday little misunderstandings that are part and parcel of dealing with the public.

oh, you misunderstood. the jerk was another customer, not an employee. the clerk was on my side.

 

[Citizen]

oh, you misunderstood. the jerk was another customer, not an employee. the clerk was on my side.

Oh, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Sandcut]

You hang out in Milford?

Duuuude!!?????

 

[jahwarrior]

this Sunday, my lady and i took a break from moving our stuff into our new apartment. we decided to do some light shopping, then grab some food.

our first stop was Target. i like going there more than i like Walmart. it has the same stuff, except for ammo and hunting supplies, and it's cleaner feeling. i've never been approached by employees for carrying, either, although i was followed once by security for over 30 minutes throughout the store a few years ago.

afterwards, we stopped at Five Guys Burgers. they have the best hamburgers around, PERIOD. i always feel slightly comatose after eating there; i suspect they inject dopamines or opioids into the meat.

i was pushing my son in his stroller, while my lady held the door open for me. as we first entered, a woman sitting with her husband/boyfriend saw me, and her eyes widened to the point of hemorrhaging. she stared and stared, and quickly jabbed her partner and motioned to me. he turned, and his eyes practically rolled out of their sockets, down his chest, across the floor, up my leg, and planted themselves firmly on my holster. they kept staring the entire time i was there.

as we ordered our food, 3 young people, 2 guys and 1 girl, saw us. we sat right in front of them when we got our food. they immediately began talking about the "******* weirdos who carry guns" as if i weren't there. the one girl kept mentioning how a person carrying a gun "could like, totally snap out and kill, like, a whole bunch of people an' stuff," while one fo the guys mentioned how "those guys totally think they're, like, cowboys, or something," and "i wish those whackos would, like, go back to Texas or something, you know? with the rest of those racist tea bag guys an' stuff."

i know, maybe i should have turned and said something. but honestly, why bother? they had to know i could hear them, and were probably looking for a response. i have no desire to begin a dialogue with a bunch of college aged douchebags who can't carry on a conversation with using the word "like" every 5 words. and i have no patience for rude people, either.

i got up to use the bathroom. as i was waiting, i refilled my drink. there was a family sitting nearby: a couple, and their 3 kids. one of the kids, a girl of about 8 or 9, saw me, and sat with her mouth agape. she quickly turned to her mother, and began chattering. the bathroom became available, so i entered, did my thing, washed my hands, and exited. on my way out, i saw the mother staring at me, with a baleful gaze. she followed me with her eyes, and i kept looking at her. she quickly poked her husband on the hand, and must have told him about the guy with the gun. he turned, looked at me, then turned back and shrugged, and went back to eating. my guess is she was going to continue to nag him for the next 40 years about it.

i sat down, and began to talk to my girl about what was going on. the 3 douches behind us got up to leave, mentioning that they'd better leave "before someone like totally goes nuts and shoots the place up." i stopped the girl, and said, "hey, kid. the 1980's called. they said their wardrobe was **** back then, and it's not any cooler now." i won't bother explaining, other than she was dressed like she was auditioning for a revival of Flashdance on Broadway. she muttered "*******" under her breath, and they all left.

when we finally finished our meal, and got ready to leave, i noticed the manager standing behind the counter, staring at us. i nodded to him, in acknowledgement. he simply stood there, motionless. then, his hand slowly moved under the counter. he moved slowly, but deliberately, as if he didn't want me to notice he was moving, even though i was staring right at him. you know how little kids say "i'm invisible!" as they shut their eyes tightly? that's what he reminded me of.

his hand reached under the counter, and he slowly brought a telephone from under the counter, and brought it up to his ear. his other hand began its slow descent under the counter, to dial, my guess is. i turned to my girl, and said, "uh, let's go." as we walked out, i saw him covering the mouthpiece with his hand, to prevent me from lipreading, i guess. he continued to stare at us as we walked out, and to our car, and didn't put the phone down until we got to our car.

can't a nigga just get a burger?

 

[Mr H]

I've been following along with all your escapades, and have been silently approving... to now.

You handled this fine, as far as I'm concerned... but your last line (though I'm sure it was a combination of frustration and levity--gallows humor, maybe?) may cause you more harm than good in your quest to get back into the 'real world' if it gets spoken "out there".

Yes, we often say things among friends and family that we would never say elsewhere, if only so we WON'T say them elsewhere. The internet is forever, though...

I'm not here to preach... I certainly have no room for that in my life. But, I AM hoping for you to reach your goals, and I'd hate to see a slip of the tongue cause you a problem.

/soapbox

 

[jahwarrior]

I've been following along with all your escapades, and have been silently approving... to now.

You handled this fine, as far as I'm concerned... but your last line (though I'm sure it was a combination of frustration and levity--gallows humor, maybe?) may cause you more harm than good in your quest to get back into the 'real world' if it gets spoken "out there".

Yes, we often say things among friends and family that we would never say elsewhere, if only so we WON'T say them elsewhere. The internet is forever, though...

I'm not here to preach... I certainly have no room for that in my life. But, I AM hoping for you to reach your goals, and I'd hate to see a slip of the tongue cause you a problem.

/soapbox

no offense taken to your post, and i appreciate your opinions. the last line you're referring to, is how i actually do speak at times. i was raised in the South Bronx, and i'm of the brown persuasion, if you get my meaning. it's part of my vocabulary, not to be taken in an offensive way. indeed, the term bothers white people more than it does anyone else. anyone who knows me in real life knows that's how i speak, and aren't shocked or surprised by it. just ask Sandcut.

 

[Mr H]

no offense taken to your post, and i appreciate your opinions. the last line you're referring to, is how i actually do speak at times. i was raised in the South Bronx, and i'm of the brown persuasion, if you get my meaning. it's part of my vocabulary, not to be taken in an offensive way. indeed, the term bothers white people more than it does anyone else. anyone who knows me in real life knows that's how i speak, and aren't shocked or surprised by it. just ask Sandcut.

No tiptoeing needed... and I appreciate your position completely.

Hope to get to meet you someday. First burger's on me.

 

[Sandcut]

no offense taken to your post, and i appreciate your opinions. the last line you're referring to, is how i actually do speak at times. i was raised in the South Bronx, and i'm of the brown persuasion, if you get my meaning. it's part of my vocabulary, not to be taken in an offensive way. indeed, the term bothers white people more than it does anyone else. anyone who knows me in real life knows that's how i speak, and aren't shocked or surprised by it. just ask Sandcut.

Don't let him fool ya. He's a racist teabagger from Texas who.....um.................hangs out in Milford.

 

[Statkowski]

Gee, out west here we don't get too many people from New York or New Jersey. We occasionally get Canadians passing through, but they don't stop (unless they're lost and asking for directions). Actually, we're closer to Toronto, Ontario than we are to New York, New York.

Nobody ever comments when I open carry. I never have any fun.

 

[jahwarrior]

Gee, out west here we don't get too many people from New York or New Jersey. We occasionally get Canadians passing through, but they don't stop (unless they're lost and asking for directions). Actually, we're closer to Toronto, Ontario than we are to New York, New York.

Nobody ever comments when I open carry. I never have any fun.

you have no idea how good you have it.

 

[Mr H]

Don't let him fool ya. He's a racist teabagger from Texas who.....um.................hangs out in Milford.

RIIIIiiiiggghhhhhht...

;-))