imported post
I was OCing over the weekend at the Canton Walmart. I was dressed in a polo shirt and jeans,so my appearance was not anything out of the ordinary. My wife and my sister were with me, and we were walking into the store. I was talking to my wife as we walked through the door, when all of a sudden, I hear someone say "He's got a #*%$ gun!!" in apanicked voice. I look up, and there is a man about my age, probably 18-22, dressed up in gangster gear, with a t-shirt that has a picture of brass knuckles on it, on a cell phone, staring at my holstered gun. He was on a cell phone, and as soon as he saw me look up, he took off running out the door. Then he stopped in front of the store, in the middle of the crosswalk, and yelled in the phone, "You heard me, he's got a #($*#@ gun!!" A couple of people around us looked at him, and then back at me, and then continued about their business. My wife, sister, and I continued into the store through the second set of doors, and the Walmart greeter was at the door as usual, and it just so happened that one of the store manager's was there as well. I said hello to them, and I know they saw my gun, but it didn't seem to bother them at all. They responded with a friendly "good afternoon" and went back to talking. I did not have any other incidents the whole time we were in the store (15-20 mins) I found it rather amusing, looking back on the situation, that the man trying to portray the typical "tough guy" image was that easily rattled by an ordinary person carrying a ordinary gun. I wanted to be able to stop and talk to him about why I had a gun, and let him know that I didn't mean any harm, but I figured that following him to try to talk would look threatening, and so I just went on with life as normal. I am curious, has anyone else out there had a similar situation, and if so, how did you handle it? Also I would appreciate any advice on how I could have handled the situation better. Keep OCing O-H-I-O!
I was OCing over the weekend at the Canton Walmart. I was dressed in a polo shirt and jeans,so my appearance was not anything out of the ordinary. My wife and my sister were with me, and we were walking into the store. I was talking to my wife as we walked through the door, when all of a sudden, I hear someone say "He's got a #*%$ gun!!" in apanicked voice. I look up, and there is a man about my age, probably 18-22, dressed up in gangster gear, with a t-shirt that has a picture of brass knuckles on it, on a cell phone, staring at my holstered gun. He was on a cell phone, and as soon as he saw me look up, he took off running out the door. Then he stopped in front of the store, in the middle of the crosswalk, and yelled in the phone, "You heard me, he's got a #($*#@ gun!!" A couple of people around us looked at him, and then back at me, and then continued about their business. My wife, sister, and I continued into the store through the second set of doors, and the Walmart greeter was at the door as usual, and it just so happened that one of the store manager's was there as well. I said hello to them, and I know they saw my gun, but it didn't seem to bother them at all. They responded with a friendly "good afternoon" and went back to talking. I did not have any other incidents the whole time we were in the store (15-20 mins) I found it rather amusing, looking back on the situation, that the man trying to portray the typical "tough guy" image was that easily rattled by an ordinary person carrying a ordinary gun. I wanted to be able to stop and talk to him about why I had a gun, and let him know that I didn't mean any harm, but I figured that following him to try to talk would look threatening, and so I just went on with life as normal. I am curious, has anyone else out there had a similar situation, and if so, how did you handle it? Also I would appreciate any advice on how I could have handled the situation better. Keep OCing O-H-I-O!