Close Encounter of the Third Kind

**PennsyPlinker** · September 12th, 2008, 06:10 PM

I guess things really do happen in threes. As I mentioned in a thread yesterday, I go for weeks and months with no comment on my open carry. This week I have had three interactions, all of them positive in the end. Today's episode took place at the Starlite Diner, a place where I am recognized by just about everyone except the cooks, who rarely emerge from the kitchen. The managers, the hostesses, and most of the waitresses (and the waiter) know me. The place is OC friendly. I am in there all the time, and last weekend we had a whole bunch of us descend on them for lunch after shooting at Topton.

So this morning I am in there with Mrs. Plinker for breakfast. The manager/host knows me well as one of those frequent customers who is very happy with the place, and who is not above joking around about various subjects. We were sitting there at our table, and he was bringing another couple to theirs. I am always aware of what is going on around me, and I pay lots of attention to how close people are getting. He was right behind me, and all of a sudden I felt a finger in the middle of my back. Then I heard,

"Stick 'em up!"

I replied, "I know who is back there, and I'm not too worried!"

I then demonstrated how my Blackhawk Serpa locked my pistol in place. I did NOT demonstrate how the lock worked. I trust the guy, but not that much.

He started laughing, and made a comment about me shooting the place up. I responded by reminding him that I had been coming in there for a long time with my gun exposed, and even longer with it concealed, and there were no bullet holes in the place yet. Then I asked him if he took notice of the crowd I brought in with me last Saturday, and he said he saw that most of us were carrying. I went on to talk with him a little bit about the website here. He was interested, and we had a nice exchange. I have been open carrying in there for as long as I have been open carrying, and they have been very friendly about it. I would recommend the Starlite to anyone, not just for that, but for good food, lots of it, and excellent service, all at reasonable prices.

All in all it has been a good week for me and my OC experiences. But I could do with a little more boredom next week.

**Falcon118** · September 12th, 2008, 09:47 PM

These kind of interactions make me smile, and make me glad that there are people out there that dont freak out about someone OC'ing

**HiredGoon** · September 12th, 2008, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by PennsyPlinker

I am always aware of what is going on around me, and I pay lots of attention to how close people are getting. He was right behind me, and all of a sudden I felt a finger in the middle of my back. Then I heard,

"Stick 'em up!"

That guy better be careful who he does that too...someone else may not take it as a joke.