Yep
I responded by using the training I had received.
Allow me to share something, as we seem to have a lot of new folks recently asking similar questions.
I was born in the 1950's and into a high risk setting. From the time I was born there was a bulls eye on my back. Pretty simple, kidnap the kid ( me) and force others to do what bad guys wanted.
There was no 911, or much of a lot of what folks today speak of, still somehow I and those whom taught me, and refer respectfully as Mentors & Elders survived, including this work.
My brain was trained first, and was always the first thing trained even when using guns, knives, canes or anything else. I had a knack(s) and kids just seem to sense things anyway. So basically I learned to "read the room".
Age 14? Oh yeah, I had evil in my life before age 14. For example I did exactly as taught at age 4. I let others know, then evaded to a safe spot. This was a practiced drill and I done it when the time came to. Evil failed, Good Guys prevailed.
Now what little I have, I do not refer to as training. Just me, and for respect for those whom have had training, and for those that do teach and share, like SouthNarc, Givens, Awerbuck, Rogers, Ayoob and others. Mentors & Elders shared, and my lessons were private and I call them "set ups and lessons".
The truth of the matter is, there are correct basic fundamentals to most things in life, be it shooting or staying safe. Oh we progress on these correct basic fundamentals, still the truth is, when we mess up, or have a bad day, or whatever, it always gets back to the fact we messed up one, or more of the correct basic fundamentals.
While I was born with guns, and knives in my crib, I was first taught to use my brain and knacks and trust my gut. It was said then, and still said today: Not everything defaults to gun.
I started with handguns at age 3, rifles at 4 and shotguns at age 5. We did not have conceal carry permits back then, but, Mentors carried, folks in general did. In fact "me and mine" were told by Judges, and Law Enforcement we would be damn fools if we did not. So after proving myself, and other reasons, in the third grade I got my first "conceal carry" gun. Oh I had guns, but this one fit a kid my size just right for concealment.
Still and before I had mindset, skill sets, and knew this all came before tool sets.
I learned early the difference in expedient and improvised weapons, if the need be. The rule was, and still is: Don't go where trouble is, leave if trouble shows up, and if you can't and have to deal with evil, have the mindset, skill set to use whatever tool set you have.
For instance-
I am a wittle boy, and while some saw a No 2 pencil, I knew a lot more about what that pencil could do. I was taught what to do, if grabbed, and had that pencil in my pocket. Or if the bad guy had a pencil in his.
Granted one was not dressed without a pocket knife back then, and I too knew what a small piece of steel could do.
Now I get bigger, and times change, and one cannot carry a gun, or knife in some places. Lessons coming up have stopped threats. For instance, leaving a gov't building, where one cannot carry, and bad guys came out of behind vehicles in the parking lot- armed with gun or knife...
I snapped off a vehicle antenna and used it, to stop what needed stopping against three young punks.
Thank goodness I come up before The Great Equipment Race. Still some still think, and I guess there will always be those that feel they can buy skill and targets.
The cemetery is full of dead hero's and those thinking what they bought would keep evil away, or deal with evil magically.
Get the correct basic fundamentals in anything, and I suggest training the brain first.
Steve
