Went to breakfast at the local diner this past weekend. The Girl Scouts were set up in the vestibule, and when we walked in, I was fully intent on buying some cookies on the way out, and told them so.

Half an hour later, I made good in said intent. My little girl, who beat me out into the vestibule so she could check out the crane game, later told me their father had said, "Oh, here comes the man with the gun."

As I fiddled with my cash, he says, "So the girls are really curious - are you a police officer?"
"No, but I am a firefighter." This drew a resounding, "ooohhhhh," from both little girls and their father. "That doesn't have anything to do with me carrying a firearm, though. Sweetie," I said as I turned to my little girl, who was still gawking at the prizes in the claw machines, "why do I carry all the time?
Proudly, she turned towards us, tearing her eyes away from some stuffed animal in the glass cube. "To keep me and mommy safe from bad guys."
Another resounding "ooohhhhhh."