Two Positive Encounters

[FormerUser123]

Well since I'm posting, I might as well post up these two positive encounters from a couple weeks ago.

I was at Sheetz in New Holland a couple weeks ago, on my way home from working late. I order some late dinner and get some water, and as I'm waiting for the food to come up, the manager gives me a sideways look and says "You got your federal permit to carry like that?" Caught somewhat off guard by the "federal permit" remark, I said "No....

... I was unaware that the federal government issues carry permits or licenses."

She replies with "You need a federal permit to carry open like that." I reply with the usual "No, Pennsylvania is an open carry state." expecting the worst.

Much to my delight she says "Oh, I thought you needed a federal permit to carry open like that." At this point I hand her a flyer. It turns out she's been carrying since the 80s, was a court reporter, and the MontCo sheriff told her that open carry is illegal (surprise, surprise...). She goes on to say that she has a Ruger and that she hasn't carried in a while and had let her permit (license) lapse. She had some interesting stories about the MontCo court regarding storing her firearm, such as guards waving her past the security checkpoint and laughing when she said she needed to check a firearm.

Hopefully she'll sign up, or maybe she has already. Either way, she was apparently just covering for a few nights in New Holland and is usually in the Birdsboro Sheetz.

A few days later, I went to Morgantown Walmart. The handicapped greeter was tending the door. I walked past as usual, grabbed a basket, and said "Hi". He's seen me there hundreds of times before, usually a very nice guy.

As I get past the self checkout lanes, I hear him shout..

Greeter - "Hey dude. Hey!"
I turn around and head back - "Yessir?"
Greeter - "One question. Is that a BB gun?"
Me - "Nope. .45."
Greeter, kind of smirking - "OK...Two more questions. Why do you have a .45 in my store?"
Me - "Because nobody else is going to protect me."
Greeter - "OK, I can understand that. Second question, are you Licensed to Carry?" (His words)
Me, smiling pretty being and rather impressed at his word choice - "Sure am, but you know it's not necessary to carry open, right?"
Greeter - "Yes, I do, I just wanted to make sure you were legit."
Me - "Well you've seen me here hundreds of times..."
Greeter - "Yes, but never with that." Laughing by now.
At this point I realize that he probably hasn't seen me since I started carrying. We have a few more trivial lines of dialog and I go about my business.

Both of these stories are 2-3 weeks old, but since I was posting the LEO encounters, I figured I'd post these up as well.

[HiredGoon]

... the manager gives me a sideways look and says "You got your federal permit to carry like that?"

"Yes, it's called the United States Constitution"!

[FormerUser123]

"Yes, it's called the United States Constitution"!

Actually it's funny you should mention that, because now that you do I remember I did actually recite PA state constitution Article 1 Section 21 for her. People seem to respond better when you recite the state constitution rather than the Bill of Rights.

I wonder how many people know we actually have a state constitution..

[ReconLdr]

Well since I'm posting, I might as well post up these two positive encounters from a couple weeks ago.

I was at Sheetz in New Holland a couple weeks ago, on my way home from working late. I order some late dinner and get some water, and as I'm waiting for the food to come up, the manager gives me a sideways look and says "You got your federal permit to carry like that?" Caught somewhat off guard by the "federal permit" remark, I said "No....

... I was unaware that the federal government issues carry permits or licenses."

She replies with "You need a federal permit to carry open like that." I reply with the usual "No, Pennsylvania is an open carry state." expecting the worst.

Much to my delight she says "Oh, I thought you needed a federal permit to carry open like that." At this point I hand her a flyer. It turns out she's been carrying since the 80s, was a court reporter, and the MontCo sheriff told her that open carry is illegal (surprise, surprise...). She goes on to say that she has a Ruger and that she hasn't carried in a while and had let her permit (license) lapse. She had some interesting stories about the MontCo court regarding storing her firearm, such as guards waving her past the security checkpoint and laughing when she said she needed to check a firearm.

Hopefully she'll sign up, or maybe she has already. Either way, she was apparently just covering for a few nights in New Holland and is usually in the Birdsboro Sheetz.

A few days later, I went to Morgantown Walmart. The handicapped greeter was tending the door. I walked past as usual, grabbed a basket, and said "Hi". He's seen me there hundreds of times before, usually a very nice guy.

As I get past the self checkout lanes, I hear him shout..

Greeter - "Hey dude. Hey!"
I turn around and head back - "Yessir?"
Greeter - "One question. Is that a BB gun?"
Me - "Nope. .45."
Greeter, kind of smirking - "OK...Two more questions. Why do you have a .45 in my store?"
Me - "Because nobody else is going to protect me."
Greeter - "OK, I can understand that. Second question, are you Licensed to Carry?" (His words)
Me, smiling pretty being and rather impressed at his word choice - "Sure am, but you know it's not necessary to carry open, right?"
Greeter - "Yes, I do, I just wanted to make sure you were legit."
Me - "Well you've seen me here hundreds of times..."
Greeter - "Yes, but never with that." Laughing by now.
At this point I realize that he probably hasn't seen me since I started carrying. We have a few more trivial lines of dialog and I go about my business.

Both of these stories are 2-3 weeks old, but since I was posting the LEO encounters, I figured I'd post these up as well.

If he knows the "Law" then why would he have to make sure you were "Legit"? It pisses me off when someone tells me they know the law... and acknowlege that I(we) don't need a LTCF to OC.

[PennsyPlinker]

If he knows the "Law" then why would he have to make sure you were "Legit"? It pisses me off when someone tells me they know the law... and acknowlege that I(we) don't need a LTCF to OC.

Yeah, but how many bad guys will blurt out some sort of evidence that they aren't legit?

"Uhh, I've been carrying ever since I got out of the pen for bank robbery."

Or something similar. And sometimes people just don't know how to break the ice or carry a conversation. One time I was in Cabela's OC with Mikey and LastManOut. While we were there, another man came in with a Blackhawk Serpa on his belt, but no gun in it. We discussed how to say hello to the guy and at least acknowledge a fellow carrier, even if he wasn't exactly carrying at the moment. We couldn't come up with what we thought would be a good way. So as we were standing there in the aisle looking at ammo, I leaned over and said in a nice quiet voice, "Excuse me, but you dropped your gun."

The guy almost hurt himself twisting over to look at his holster.

The realization came flooding back. He looked me in the eye and said, "Oh, a wise guy, eh?" We had a good laugh, parted ways, but said goodbye to one another as we left the store.