Tonight I had two OC experiences I think are share worthy.
The first was at the Office Depot at Kellogg and Dugan in Wichita. I was shopping for some file organizing supplies and browsing the file cabinets. I didn't find a cabinet I liked, so I started browsing other things For my new home office. I was just kinda wandering amongst the shredders and what I believe was the manager on duty asked me if he could help me find anything. I politely declined and he went about doing whatever managers at Office Depot do. Not a peep or even a raised eyebrow . He treated me as if I had nothing but a phablet on my belt.
I settled on getting sentry safe fire resistant hanging folder boxes. As I was loading one into my cart, a fellow customer comes into the same aisle also browsing. She noticed my Openly carried glock 19 and seemed curious.
Her: "What kind of gun is that?"
Me: "A Glock."
Her: "Are you a police officer?"
Me: "No, you don't need to be."
Her: (She appeared to think for a moment) "I didn't know you could do that. Is that legal?"
Me: "Yes. Absolutely! It is legal in Kansas and Wichita."
Her: "I've never seen anything like that... Why do you have a gun?"
Me: "Oh, I carry it everywhere!" (Wish I had a better answer at the time...)
Her: "What do you do when there is one of those signs?"
Me: "Well, here's how those signs work; carrying past a sign is not a crime, but if the manager of the place asks you to leave, you have to or else you can face trespass charges."
Her: "Oh. I've just never seen that! Didn't know you could do that!" (Conversation looping back as the cogs are turning and she seems to now be just thinking aloud)
Me: "Yeah, it's legal in Kansas! Though if you want to conceal you must go through the class and get the concealed license. Have a good evening!"
She appeared neither nervous nor disapproving in her demeanor, simply curious about something she had not thought about before.
I only hope I left her with a better awareness of the legality of carrying, and a good impression of open carriers and gun owners. She seemed satisfied with the conversation.
The second encounter this evening was with an officer of Wichita PD. I was on my way home from OfficeDepot. I stopped to fuel up my truck at the QuikTrip at Kellogg and Maize. After filling the tank, I went into the store and back to the soda fountain. I stood there pouring my drink, when off to my four o'clock approaches the officer. I carry my safariland paddle at four o'clock so by now he has full view of it. I noticed him and looked his way, expecting him to make a comment.
His eyes went to my holster, then back to make eye contact with me, then he gave a small hint of a grin and went right about deciding what size cup to get for his drink. Not one word was said.
To me it was exactly as this forum strives to get all encounters to be!
I walked to the register, paid, and left.
Overall I am pleased with the evening, though I am running the conversation with the customer in the store back and trying to imagine better ways to respond.