OC encounter in a place I am loath to name....

[headcase]

OK, it was Walmart, but I go OC there frequently and never have a problem. Last night, the other half and I went to return a few pairs of jeans I had bought for my brother. As we walked in, the little old greeter lady starts hustling after us, saying,"Excuse me! Excuse me!". We stop and turn to her and she says,"you can't bring that in here, without me checking it out.".
She meant the bag of jeans ( I know some of you were thinking gun) We go over to customer service, not much of a line, and wait a few minutes to be waited on. I explain what we need and the lady tells me to go get the right ones and bring them back. When I get back, she starts to do the exchange and I realize I grabbed the wrong brand. So the wife and I both go back this time and she says," You know, when you left she asked me if you had a permit. I told her of course you do, and she said,'Oh ok.'". I said,"Oh really?".
When we got back, she started doing the exchange again and I started making some jokes about the stuff that some people return. I had her and the other lady giggling. Then I asked,"Who wanted to know about my sidearm?". The other lady shakes her head and points to ours as if she was saying,"Wasn't me, it was her..", and our lady says,"It was me. I just wanted to make sure you had a permit for your pistol. You never know these days..".
I said," You realize you don't need a license to carry one openly like this, right?.".
She gets a look like she smelled something bad and says,"Oh I know, but it just makes me nervous, You never know if someone is going to just start shooting these days..".
"Well, ma'am, I don't think someone with a firearm in a holster, walking around with a bag of jeans needing to be exchanged, is very likely to start shooting up the place, do you?", I say with a grin.
"There was a guy in here last week, dirty jeans, nasty old torn t-shirt, who bent over and had a pistol stuck right in his pants! No holster or nuthin'. I don't mind tellin' you it scared me..".
"Well, ma'am, I don't mind telling you that would have scared me too. Someone careless enough to walk around with a pistol just jammed in his pants, doesn't bode well for his intelligence in other areas of daily life. But I wonder if he maybe had an inside the waistband holster? Many people who carry concealed, wear those. You can't see them, because they are below the waistband, so it kind of looks like the pistol is just stuck in there."
"I don't know..maybe he did. I didn't see it though. All I saw was his gun stickin' out.".
"Well, my gun is 'sticking out', are you scared of me?".
"You? Well, no, you seem nice enough. I was just wanted to make sure you were legal and all..".
I actually laughed at that one...
"Having a License To Carry Firearms has nothing to do with whether you can carry openly like I am.", I laughed. "You don't need any type of permit to carry this way. If you cover it up, you need the LTCF, or if you take it in your car, but if you are just walking around, you don't need anything to carry in the open.".
"Really? Hmmm, that's strange..."
"Here..", I say as I hand over a flyer,"This is a good reference for the laws on carrying a firearm in this Commonwealth. There is some stuff I am sure you'll find interesting.".
She hands me my receipt, and I tell her,"You know you really shouldn't get scared just because you happen to see a gun. Especially if you see them wearing it openly. Criminals are not very likely to wear a firearm that everyone can see...I would be more worried about the way people act. That is the best indicator of whether you need to worry about them. Anyway," I say as the egg timer I married starts to ding," Be safe, and thank you for your help."......

That was an interesting encounter to me as she asked my wife if I was "legal".
Why on earth would someone ask a person who is with the one you have doubts about, if their companion is going to kill you or something? I get that maybe guns scare the woman and maybe she just needed to be verbally reassured, but hell, if we were there to rob her or whatever, why would my "accomplice", tell her any different?

[Brown-Bear]

She probably asked your wife as most females are more comfortbale speaking with other females. Just goes to show you that some people DO get nervous around firearms. Not saying its a good or bad thing but that some do get nervous, glad you got a chance to expell some education.

Dave

[CQB]

I think you did a great job! It's good that you gave the lady the ability to learn something she doesn't know. Maybe with that good encounter she will in turn be able to educate her fellow workers.

As for how people react (REACT), it sometimes makes you think a little. I've always been taught, if there's something you don't know, learn it. If you can't figure it out, ask for help. I'm actually really surprised she stepped up and said it was her that was asking. She must not have been that scared of you or the gun.

Well done!!!

[XD45]

you didnt even get body slammed that BS..



Good job on educating the blind though.

[headcase]

Originally Posted by XD45

you didnt even get body slammed that BS..



Good job on educating the blind though.

She was a biggun' though..

[Emptymag]

Uh-huh...
ANOTHER example of someone "freaking out" because they saw a gun.

No, wait...

nevermind.

[1blindref]

Well done!

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Good Job!

I was asked FTF if I had a permit for my gun while OC'ing into Good Fella's Pizza on Main Ave Scranton thios past Sunday.( I was alone just buying some beer - GOOD prices there!)

The guy was likewise wholly unaware that OC was legal in PA and I told him a basic rundown of the standard restrictions etc.
I OC there every Sunday (Beer run)...never a peep....but this gut doesn't normally work Sunday's.

He wasn't terrified.....but very surprized.

I had run out of Pa. Patriot's fliers, so I promised to leave a few of them for hime next Sunday.

[Yellowfin]

Could you come out to California and educate a few hundred thousand people the same way? We need it here.

[normanvin]

Good job. What walmart was that at?