rainbowbob
Member
WARNING: This is a long post and only tangentially gun-related. It does have to do with the need to carry and be aware of what is going around you – even in seemingly innocent and safe situations. It involves two incidents that happened to me yesterday:
I am waiting for delivery of a Mika Pocket Holster. Yesterday confirmed why I want one. I could have used it when I was playing with my 3-year-old grandson at my home - and at the park.
I don't carry IWB around family at home, especially with him because we hug and wrassle and play. I’m thinking a pocket holster would probably solve that problem. I’m thinking it’s time to for me to wake up and get out of condition white.
First: I had a pair of very hinky guys drive up my driveway in a refrigerated truck with painted-out logos and a company name still visible in one place on the truck. One of them got out and approached my tied-up dog. My wife (and dog) alerted me and I went out on the deck to ask him what he wanted. I have learned to pay attention to my creep-o-meter, and have discovered over the years that it is pretty damn accurate. The hairs on my neck (and my dog’s neck) were definitely raised.
He starts by asking me if my dog is a wolf (she is half wolf - but that's none of his business!). I asked him again what he wanted. He had some BS story about not finding my neighbors at home to receive a delivery, and did I want to buy some steaks - cheap? I sent him on his way and that was that. He looked like recent ex-inmate material and was apparently trying to involve me in some kind of crime scheme. Maybe just ripping off his employer - or maybe something else if the opportunity presented itself?
What really bothered me later about my own state of situational awareness (or lack thereof) was that I didn't even see the guy in the truck. I guess I was so focused on the guy in front of me. My wife had to point out to me (after the fact) that he was there. She said he was even creepier looking than the guy I talked to. I've got to remember to be more observant!
I called the company whose logo was on the truck. They said they sold off their trucks fitting that description and have had other complaints and mentions of their trucks out their trying to sell meat products “door-to-door”. Maybe they are legit – but it sure didn’t feel like it.
Later that day: I take my grandson and my dog to the park. Again, my dog is tied up while we play on the equipment.
I'm minding my own business when I hear a kid crying and screaming. I look and observe a very large man pushing a 3-year-old (?) in one of those heavy plastic harness swings. He is slapping on the front of the swing (against the kid’s chest) so hard he is grunting with the effort. The kid is flying way too high and crying louder and louder. The dope is yelling at him that he can’t push him any higher (?!) I never heard the kid say “Higher daddy, higher” and it was just STRANGE. The creep-o-meter is in the red-zone again. I watched for a few seconds and had my hand on my cell phone ready to call 911. Everyone else seemed to be looking the other way. Pretty quickly the guy’s wife (I assume) came over and lifted the little one out of the swing. As far as I could tell, she did not admonish the (assumed) father.
Then he comes over with an older child (maybe 7-years- old) to the equipment next to where my grandson was playing. That equipment has a kind of wobbly slatted bridge. The kid gets up on the wobbly bridge – and so does this oaf! This is children’s equipment and the guy is 6’2” – 250 lbs! His first move is to jump as hard as he can on the bridge sending his kid bouncing up in the air and crashing down into the steel support bars. The poor kid whimpers and looks at me as if he is wondering what I think about this. The jerk says to his kid, “You told me to bounce you.” Again, I didn’t hear the kid say that. At this point I spoke up and said “This equipment is for kids.” Nothing. Not so much as a look in my direction. I repeat myself even louder. Nothing. Then the wife comes over and things settle down a little. I decide to take my grandson to a different piece of equipment, but continue to keep on eye on this creep for a while.
I relate this second story because, for the second time in one day, I should have had a snubby in my pocket in case things had gotten out of hand. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not advocating shooting delivery men or dads playing with their kids at the park. But both incidents were unavoidable, felt “wrong”, and could have gone real wrong pretty quickly.
From now on, at home or out and about: A snubby in the pocket and condition yellow awareness.
And once again, the choir said, "Amen".
I am waiting for delivery of a Mika Pocket Holster. Yesterday confirmed why I want one. I could have used it when I was playing with my 3-year-old grandson at my home - and at the park.
I don't carry IWB around family at home, especially with him because we hug and wrassle and play. I’m thinking a pocket holster would probably solve that problem. I’m thinking it’s time to for me to wake up and get out of condition white.
First: I had a pair of very hinky guys drive up my driveway in a refrigerated truck with painted-out logos and a company name still visible in one place on the truck. One of them got out and approached my tied-up dog. My wife (and dog) alerted me and I went out on the deck to ask him what he wanted. I have learned to pay attention to my creep-o-meter, and have discovered over the years that it is pretty damn accurate. The hairs on my neck (and my dog’s neck) were definitely raised.
He starts by asking me if my dog is a wolf (she is half wolf - but that's none of his business!). I asked him again what he wanted. He had some BS story about not finding my neighbors at home to receive a delivery, and did I want to buy some steaks - cheap? I sent him on his way and that was that. He looked like recent ex-inmate material and was apparently trying to involve me in some kind of crime scheme. Maybe just ripping off his employer - or maybe something else if the opportunity presented itself?
What really bothered me later about my own state of situational awareness (or lack thereof) was that I didn't even see the guy in the truck. I guess I was so focused on the guy in front of me. My wife had to point out to me (after the fact) that he was there. She said he was even creepier looking than the guy I talked to. I've got to remember to be more observant!
I called the company whose logo was on the truck. They said they sold off their trucks fitting that description and have had other complaints and mentions of their trucks out their trying to sell meat products “door-to-door”. Maybe they are legit – but it sure didn’t feel like it.
Later that day: I take my grandson and my dog to the park. Again, my dog is tied up while we play on the equipment.
I'm minding my own business when I hear a kid crying and screaming. I look and observe a very large man pushing a 3-year-old (?) in one of those heavy plastic harness swings. He is slapping on the front of the swing (against the kid’s chest) so hard he is grunting with the effort. The kid is flying way too high and crying louder and louder. The dope is yelling at him that he can’t push him any higher (?!) I never heard the kid say “Higher daddy, higher” and it was just STRANGE. The creep-o-meter is in the red-zone again. I watched for a few seconds and had my hand on my cell phone ready to call 911. Everyone else seemed to be looking the other way. Pretty quickly the guy’s wife (I assume) came over and lifted the little one out of the swing. As far as I could tell, she did not admonish the (assumed) father.
Then he comes over with an older child (maybe 7-years- old) to the equipment next to where my grandson was playing. That equipment has a kind of wobbly slatted bridge. The kid gets up on the wobbly bridge – and so does this oaf! This is children’s equipment and the guy is 6’2” – 250 lbs! His first move is to jump as hard as he can on the bridge sending his kid bouncing up in the air and crashing down into the steel support bars. The poor kid whimpers and looks at me as if he is wondering what I think about this. The jerk says to his kid, “You told me to bounce you.” Again, I didn’t hear the kid say that. At this point I spoke up and said “This equipment is for kids.” Nothing. Not so much as a look in my direction. I repeat myself even louder. Nothing. Then the wife comes over and things settle down a little. I decide to take my grandson to a different piece of equipment, but continue to keep on eye on this creep for a while.
I relate this second story because, for the second time in one day, I should have had a snubby in my pocket in case things had gotten out of hand. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not advocating shooting delivery men or dads playing with their kids at the park. But both incidents were unavoidable, felt “wrong”, and could have gone real wrong pretty quickly.
From now on, at home or out and about: A snubby in the pocket and condition yellow awareness.
And once again, the choir said, "Amen".
