Stopped at a local donut shop this morning and picked up a dozen donuts. On the way out a customer said "hey brother cover your pistol, you're out in public show some respect"
Not sure how I disrespected anyone.
I also cannot understand the idea that hiding your gun somehow equates to respecting people since deceiving them with concealed carry is the ultimate in disrespect.
Nor will I ever understand the idea that hiding your gun so you don't scare people is more "manly" than just being upfront and honest with people about your gun. Somewhere I missed the memo about being afraid of offending people makes a man more courageous.
After all... with open carry a person is being honest about carrying a gun.... but with concealed carry a person is presenting a lie that says "it looks like I'm not carrying a gun even though I am" and perhaps for some gun carriers there is the arrogant idea that they have some kind of "advantage" because no one knows they have a hidden gun.
And criminals rely on that lie so folks will "feel safe" until the criminal whips out his "element of surprise" and attacks his unaware (there was a hidden gun) victim.
Ok.. all that above is my personal opinion... which means absolutely nothing.
Actually on topic..
OC'd at Taco Bell in Clio where we left $5 for the next person in line like usual... and an older couple was flabbergasted to discover their Sunday lunch had been paid for. The interesting thing was a fellow who was enjoying lunch with quite an extended family gathering had been paying attention and knew what was happening.. and he pointed Yooperlady and I out as the one's who had paid for the older folk's meal.
Now... that extended family all noticed my sidearm.. I saw them look. The guy who pointed us out got quite a kick out of the whole thing. And Yooperlady and I ended up having a very interesting conversation with that older couple before we left.
And, as usual, the staff at the Clio Taco Bell handled the whole thing perfectly.
And then we went to Wal Mart where not a damn thing out of the ordinary happened as I talked with some folks, even asking questions at the pharmacy... and we got our shopping done.
As an aside... just my observational skills at work..
The guy with the extended family appeared to me to possibly be LE. The haircut, the way he carried himself physically, the self assured demeanor, the general "I can handle anything" appearance of all the body language, said...
... cop.
Now don't get me wrong! I didn't say I can psychically discern who is a cop or not! I surely can't! Nor am I saying there is anything wrong with someone with a cop haircut or a cop demeanor enjoying some taco with his family.
What I am saying is that if my "cop radar" was on target... then.. to that cop in Taco Bell today.. maybe we impressed you by paying for the lunch of some total strangers.. but you impressed us by being a human being first, a family man second, and a cop maybe 4th or 5th today. And if you weren't a cop? Well.. you still impressed us.