heresolong
Regular Member
imported post
Went out to pick up some Thai food here in Blaine last night. As I stood at the counter waiting for my order another customer walked up to pay her bill. She looked at me then asked if I was LEO. I told her I wasn't. She then said "So what's the deal with that thing?" I asked her "What thing?" "The gun" was her response. Why are you carrying a gun? I told her that it was for self defense and she wanted to know if I'd ever used it (after a snide comment about needed self defense in Blaine). I told her that I never had and she sneeringly said "Oh, so its a guy thing". My response to that was that it was nothing to do with being a guy thing, but that like any emergency equipment, a tire jack or a cell phone, it was better to have it if you needed it.
At this point her husband jumped in from halfway across the restaurant. "Do you have any training?" "In what?" I responded. "Well, are you ex-military, or anything?". I told him that I was ex-military but that my military service had nothing to do with the firearm. He then got up and walked over to the counter and started to tell me how he had been a weapons instructor back during Vietnam "Not just little pieces of shit like that thing" motioning towards my pistol "but heavy stuff". He then told me that if I openly carried a firearm that others would take it as a challenge. I pointed out that criminals were generally looking for easy targets and he added that he meant law enforcement. "If they see you carrying they will view it as a challenge. You're just asking for trouble". I pointed out that it was perfectly legal in Washington State and he just sort of shrugged, said "Whatever" and walked back to his seat. At that point my food arrived and I left.
So here's where I think I could have had better rejoinders.
1) Are you LEO? No. Then what is the deal with that thing? Better answer to the second question "I carry if for self defense, would it make a difference if I was LEO?
2) So its a guy thing? Better answer: No I am taking personal responsibility for my safety and the safety of others around me.
3)In Blaine? Better answer: So would you be OK with me openly carrying if we were in Seattle having the same conversation?
4)Everything he said: Better answer: So what steps have you taken to ensure the safety of your wife when you go out at night?
All in all I though it went OK. They obviously weren't going to be convinced. I could tell from the "rotten fish" expression on her face and the "I used to..." anecdote from him that they were both far superior to any neanderthal who would actually think about having and using a firearm. However, most of the conversation was audible to the two or three other groups in the small restaurant and I think I presented myself as a responsible person who was taking proactive steps to prevent any harm to myself or others.
Went out to pick up some Thai food here in Blaine last night. As I stood at the counter waiting for my order another customer walked up to pay her bill. She looked at me then asked if I was LEO. I told her I wasn't. She then said "So what's the deal with that thing?" I asked her "What thing?" "The gun" was her response. Why are you carrying a gun? I told her that it was for self defense and she wanted to know if I'd ever used it (after a snide comment about needed self defense in Blaine). I told her that I never had and she sneeringly said "Oh, so its a guy thing". My response to that was that it was nothing to do with being a guy thing, but that like any emergency equipment, a tire jack or a cell phone, it was better to have it if you needed it.
At this point her husband jumped in from halfway across the restaurant. "Do you have any training?" "In what?" I responded. "Well, are you ex-military, or anything?". I told him that I was ex-military but that my military service had nothing to do with the firearm. He then got up and walked over to the counter and started to tell me how he had been a weapons instructor back during Vietnam "Not just little pieces of shit like that thing" motioning towards my pistol "but heavy stuff". He then told me that if I openly carried a firearm that others would take it as a challenge. I pointed out that criminals were generally looking for easy targets and he added that he meant law enforcement. "If they see you carrying they will view it as a challenge. You're just asking for trouble". I pointed out that it was perfectly legal in Washington State and he just sort of shrugged, said "Whatever" and walked back to his seat. At that point my food arrived and I left.
So here's where I think I could have had better rejoinders.
1) Are you LEO? No. Then what is the deal with that thing? Better answer to the second question "I carry if for self defense, would it make a difference if I was LEO?
2) So its a guy thing? Better answer: No I am taking personal responsibility for my safety and the safety of others around me.
3)In Blaine? Better answer: So would you be OK with me openly carrying if we were in Seattle having the same conversation?
4)Everything he said: Better answer: So what steps have you taken to ensure the safety of your wife when you go out at night?
All in all I though it went OK. They obviously weren't going to be convinced. I could tell from the "rotten fish" expression on her face and the "I used to..." anecdote from him that they were both far superior to any neanderthal who would actually think about having and using a firearm. However, most of the conversation was audible to the two or three other groups in the small restaurant and I think I presented myself as a responsible person who was taking proactive steps to prevent any harm to myself or others.