Daath 474
Regular Member
imported post
So I've recently started to OC around Wenatchee a bit, whenever I go out to do things. I'm usually on foot, so I can't just jump in a car and drive home. I'm young, tattoos and piercings, etc. You've all heard my concerns about appearance and such out in the public eye. Here's some reports for my last few weeks of OC and around the town of Wenatchee:
First day I spent carrying mostly under my sweater with it unzipped and visible from the front. For some reason this is more comforting beginning with because I can see the expressions on people's faces when they see it. I don't like having my back turned and wondering if people are gawking at my pistol on my hip. Nothing weird happened and I ended up walking downtown to Subway. I ordered my sandwich and tossed my bag down on the bench and took out my newspaper. It was warm in there so I took off my sweater and got my soda. Some girls at the booth across from me giggled a bit, but no one complained. I had to walk by the register two or three times for things and no one even batted an eyelash. Quite the confidence booster.
After that I've pretty much just worn it whenever I go out to the corner store by my house. They're used to me and they haven't even questioned as to why my pistol is now visible on my hip. Seems they'd be curious, we talk all the time, but it has never come up at all.
A few times now I've rode the bus around town and aside from maybe a first awkward glance from someone, there is hardly any glares or questions at all.
So I decided to step things up a notch... I put away my heavier sweater and opted for a light hoodie that is too small to conceal my pistol. I decided I'd dress nice this time because there is a very good chance I'll be questioned by people and possibly even business owners or the police.
So I dressed up in black slacks, nice dress shoes, white button up shirt with a black tie and my light black hoodie to keep me warm. I always carry a black messenger bag while I'm out, so that kind of helped to draw some attention to my other hip. I left my piercings in just because that's the type of person I am.
I left my house and walked down the avenue and past a lot of local businesses. There were people out and about, but they all seemed to busy to notice. It was a nice enough day, so I decided to take a stroll down the park by the river. Most folks didn't notice, except for one couple that I had to pass who were looking at the flowers. They were out with their dog and their daughter and as I walked by I saw the wife's eyes turn into saucers and her husband give me a disapproving glare. I smiled and said hello, making a comment about never having heard of the flowers before and if they might have just made up the names. They gave a little nervous laughter and I went along my way. Coffee sounded kind of nice, so I figured I'd head into town and get some coffee at Hastings. Right before I got up to the main road I started to get really bad anxiety about being questioned or having to explain myself. I slowed myself down and took some deep calming breaths. I told myself that if I didn't do it, I was just going to make it harder on myself. So I went...
In Hastings a few people looked up from their laptops and newspapers a bit surprised, but then went back to what they were doing. The girls at the register were very nice and nobody seemed alarmed. One I caught looking at my pistol even smiled as if she liked it. I had my coffee there and read the newspaper. I ended up catching one of my good friends at the store and the first words out of his mouth were "You're gun is out!" I laughed and told him that is how I'm wearing it now and told him that he can open carry too and that just because he had a CPL, didn't mean he had to conceal it at all. That he could carry anyway, even without the CPL. I gave him a few pamphlets and he seemed to be considering it (maybe we can organize to get some coffee or something if anyone from the board is in Wenatchee). He had to make a few stops before we went back to my place, so that gave me a couple of more opportunities to get out in public.
We stopped by the local Verizon shop so he could pay his bill and he joked with me saying, "I'm glad you're with me, maybe we'll get through the lines quicker." Nobody in the store was particularly disturbed by it. A few employees looked a bit confused, but the managers were there and seemed to know the law. Enough so that they didn't question or bother me about it. I noticed one guy with his girlfriend was kind of smiling and looking at my pistol like he wanted to ask me something. Too bad he didn't. I hope he went home and looked up laws about it online.
After that we went in to Safeway and got some groceries. He ran into his mom there, whose husband is a police officer. She didn't even seem to notice that I had my pistol with me. The rest of the store was pretty chill the whole time. On the way out though, I had to walk by a few police officers who were "assisting" someone out of their vehicle and into the back of one of their squad cars. Two of the LEOs didn't even care, but one gave me the dirtiest stink eye I've seen. I could tell he wanted to come and give me @#$% about it, but was too busy and knew he'd just look like a jerk in front of the other guys.
That's all I've got so far, so I'll keep you posted if anything difficult arises or there is anything noteworthy. Otherwise it's just another day in the life....
So I've recently started to OC around Wenatchee a bit, whenever I go out to do things. I'm usually on foot, so I can't just jump in a car and drive home. I'm young, tattoos and piercings, etc. You've all heard my concerns about appearance and such out in the public eye. Here's some reports for my last few weeks of OC and around the town of Wenatchee:
First day I spent carrying mostly under my sweater with it unzipped and visible from the front. For some reason this is more comforting beginning with because I can see the expressions on people's faces when they see it. I don't like having my back turned and wondering if people are gawking at my pistol on my hip. Nothing weird happened and I ended up walking downtown to Subway. I ordered my sandwich and tossed my bag down on the bench and took out my newspaper. It was warm in there so I took off my sweater and got my soda. Some girls at the booth across from me giggled a bit, but no one complained. I had to walk by the register two or three times for things and no one even batted an eyelash. Quite the confidence booster.
After that I've pretty much just worn it whenever I go out to the corner store by my house. They're used to me and they haven't even questioned as to why my pistol is now visible on my hip. Seems they'd be curious, we talk all the time, but it has never come up at all.
A few times now I've rode the bus around town and aside from maybe a first awkward glance from someone, there is hardly any glares or questions at all.
So I decided to step things up a notch... I put away my heavier sweater and opted for a light hoodie that is too small to conceal my pistol. I decided I'd dress nice this time because there is a very good chance I'll be questioned by people and possibly even business owners or the police.
So I dressed up in black slacks, nice dress shoes, white button up shirt with a black tie and my light black hoodie to keep me warm. I always carry a black messenger bag while I'm out, so that kind of helped to draw some attention to my other hip. I left my piercings in just because that's the type of person I am.
I left my house and walked down the avenue and past a lot of local businesses. There were people out and about, but they all seemed to busy to notice. It was a nice enough day, so I decided to take a stroll down the park by the river. Most folks didn't notice, except for one couple that I had to pass who were looking at the flowers. They were out with their dog and their daughter and as I walked by I saw the wife's eyes turn into saucers and her husband give me a disapproving glare. I smiled and said hello, making a comment about never having heard of the flowers before and if they might have just made up the names. They gave a little nervous laughter and I went along my way. Coffee sounded kind of nice, so I figured I'd head into town and get some coffee at Hastings. Right before I got up to the main road I started to get really bad anxiety about being questioned or having to explain myself. I slowed myself down and took some deep calming breaths. I told myself that if I didn't do it, I was just going to make it harder on myself. So I went...
In Hastings a few people looked up from their laptops and newspapers a bit surprised, but then went back to what they were doing. The girls at the register were very nice and nobody seemed alarmed. One I caught looking at my pistol even smiled as if she liked it. I had my coffee there and read the newspaper. I ended up catching one of my good friends at the store and the first words out of his mouth were "You're gun is out!" I laughed and told him that is how I'm wearing it now and told him that he can open carry too and that just because he had a CPL, didn't mean he had to conceal it at all. That he could carry anyway, even without the CPL. I gave him a few pamphlets and he seemed to be considering it (maybe we can organize to get some coffee or something if anyone from the board is in Wenatchee). He had to make a few stops before we went back to my place, so that gave me a couple of more opportunities to get out in public.
We stopped by the local Verizon shop so he could pay his bill and he joked with me saying, "I'm glad you're with me, maybe we'll get through the lines quicker." Nobody in the store was particularly disturbed by it. A few employees looked a bit confused, but the managers were there and seemed to know the law. Enough so that they didn't question or bother me about it. I noticed one guy with his girlfriend was kind of smiling and looking at my pistol like he wanted to ask me something. Too bad he didn't. I hope he went home and looked up laws about it online.
After that we went in to Safeway and got some groceries. He ran into his mom there, whose husband is a police officer. She didn't even seem to notice that I had my pistol with me. The rest of the store was pretty chill the whole time. On the way out though, I had to walk by a few police officers who were "assisting" someone out of their vehicle and into the back of one of their squad cars. Two of the LEOs didn't even care, but one gave me the dirtiest stink eye I've seen. I could tell he wanted to come and give me @#$% about it, but was too busy and knew he'd just look like a jerk in front of the other guys.
That's all I've got so far, so I'll keep you posted if anything difficult arises or there is anything noteworthy. Otherwise it's just another day in the life....