What would YOU do?

[280PLUS]

At times i find myself hob-nobbing with the intellectual upper crusty types due to my ties with classical music. Saturday night found me at a little wine and cheeser that was being held as a fundraiser for local arts organizations. As always my CCW was in my pocket and I was giving it no thought. Next thing you know I'm being last minute invited to another function for sunday morning but I'm already all planned up to try out the new range i just joined. So i decline saying I had already made plans. Then the absolute most excitable of all the ladies present says to me, "What could you possibly be doing tomorrow?"

To which I replied, " I'm goin' shootin!"

"SHOOTING?!?!? YOU SHOOT GUNS!?!?!" (lots of eyes on me now)

Then she says. "Do you have a license to carry guns?"

"Yes I do." says I

"Do you have a gun on you now?" she asks.

To which I replied with a slow shaking of my head and the word, "Nope."

"Good," she says, "because if you did I would be very frightened."

and we moved on to other subjects.

What would YOU have done?

Lets say I am absolutely SURE there would have been quite the scene had i said yes.

I did manage to hook up with her Sunday evening where she was telling me how hard it was to open new CD cases.

So I told her (with the other SMALLER ccw in my pocket now) that next time i would bring my gun and she could shoot them open.

we chuckled about THAT idea for a little while...

 

[cordex]

Ideal world: "Yup, what of it?"

Saying yes without saying yes: "Ma'am, that's a private matter I'd rather not discuss."

Too long of a day: *shrug* "Are you wearing panties?"

Probable reality: "No ma'am."

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Hahahaha. Sorry, but I guess I have no time for the high fallutin hoity-toity. I like classical music too, but JEEZ.

 

[280PLUS]

Note:

There were 32 hoity toities present and 36 bottles of wine no longer existed thereafter.

was i drinking to excess myself? OF COURSE NOT!!



and if she wasn't wearing any unmentionables?

now THAT would be frightening...

 

[Autolite]

280PLUS ...

Perfect response. No need to cause an upset in a situation such as that. Being discreet is sometimes better than being honest but it's really a personal choise thing ...

 

[Shweboner]

I would ahve asked why she'd be frightened?

afterall, if there was something to fear... it would have already happened...


Or like I put it once... do you trust the Washington County Sheriff's Office?? to which they answered "yes" I replied, Well they trust me to carry this gun 24/7 for my own protection as well as the good of the community, so you see tehre is nothing to fear.


But most people will never see the light.

 

[Ladybug]

Too long of a day: *shrug* "Are you wearing panties?"

AH HA HA! That's the best one! I was just wondering today and was going to post a poll here asking "how many people know you're carrying - everyone you meet, only your closest friends, or no one"... I generally am of the opinion that it really is no one's business, so I think the panty response would have been quite appropriate. Of course, generally, if I'm with a bunch of "Them" I don't mention anything about guns or shooting... I don't really feel the need to justify my beliefs, and have gotten into the mindset where I don't want to have any remotely political discussions with anyone... probably because I live in a college town full of communists.

 

[Braz]

Fun read 280+,

I'll go to school off you if I ever get the chance to carry. I need some tack lessons. "You can frisk me if I can frisk you", comes to mind.

 

[pax]

The problem with lying to people is that from that moment forward, you have to act as though their version of reality is yours. You weren't worried about printing before you said that "nope," but I bet afterward you patted your pocket or wanted to. Kinda puts a damper on things.

That said, you did the right thing. Unless you wanted to cause a scene, the best way out was the one you took.

Though cordex's "Are you wearing panties?" would have been a pretty good opening act for a lovely scene.

pax

...you can never be happy and dress yourself solely in the glass of other men's approval. -- Nicholas Flood Davis

 

[280PLUS]

you're right about the printing...

but nobody was any the wiser, i guess i'm a good liar at times.

it was my j frame airlight and it does print a little but nobody spotted it (loose pants, blazer) but still it caused my switch to the P-32 for the next night...

ya gotta love THAT little gun...

 

[Standing Wolf]

I believe my response would have been, "Would it bother you if I were?"

 

[voilsb]

when asked if you had a license to carry a gun you should have said "you don't need a license for a gun. that's what the second amendment is for"

 

[Autolite]

PAX ...

Your reference to people's different 'version of reality' nailed it. I think the same way but I didn't know how to express it. Folks don't like their 'version of reality' to be challenged by logic or reason. Sometimes it's just best to cater too it ...

 

[TechBrute]

I'm with Schweboner... I would have asked her why it would frighten her if I had a gun. You can't even convince anyone of anything in a social setting, but you can make them think about what they said later. I probably would have said something to the effect of, "do you think it's going to randomly jump out and shoot you?" I'd probably also point out the fact that all the people driving home drunk from that party are more of a danger to society than me having a gun.

 

[Doc]

I make it a point not to lie.
But, I never tell anyone I am packing, ever.
Now the one time I was being deposed, when I was asked under oath,
"do you have a permit to carry a gun?"
"YES"
"Why?"
"I AM EXERCISING MY CONSITIUTIONAL RIGHT"
(that repeated about five times until my lawyer objected)
"Are you carrying a gun right now?"
"YES"

There were no more questions about guns, the lawyer was visibly shaken...

 

[blades67]

After she asked if I had a permit I would have told her that a permit isn't required to go shooting. It would seem that she has a small mind and a big mouth, not the type of person I feel obligated to answer directly.

 

[280PLUS]

points all well taken...

especially the drinking / driving aspect.

i didn't feel like a big gun rights discussion at that particular point in time

and

my last intention is to cause anyone (except the bg's of coure)any fear responses to my ccw so if lying kept her at ease i guess i can live with it.

i see her regularly so you can all bet i'll work on it with her as time goes by.

someone once said "disgression is the better part of valor."

i'll go with that.

 

[Edward429451]

Heinlein said only a fool tells the bald truth on social occasions. Makes sense to me.

Clarification note so I don't sound like I'm contradicting myself with reference to my comment to Rustyhammer in another thread...A wine & cheeser with adults isn't the same as big red bold print on a forum where kids visit. Kapish?

 

[Mikul]

I've had this happen. If it's someone that I know reasonably well, I'll just say "yes." In your situation, I may have chosen my plan B response: "Not knowing whether I have a gun with me or not is part of what makes concealed carry so effective." The other response I've given is: "The way the concealed carry law is written, I can't tell you if I do or not." In my state it's technically true.

All but the first response seems to illicit interesting discussions and they're framed so the querant goes where you want them.

 

[Oleg Volk]

I'd say "Going to the firing range, would you like to join us?" or nothing at all.

 

[CatsDieNow]

I moved to Texas from Indiana about a year ago. Shortly after I arrived, during a staff meeting, my new boss remarks that Texas had CCW laws. He was speaking very quietly and trying not to freak me out, I think.

Boss: A lot of people down here have a CCW, I guess it's a Texas thing.

Me: (pulling out little pink CHL) Yeah, but Texas won't recognize my Indiana permit. Indiana will reciprocate and play nice with anyone, I guess that's just a Hoosier thing.

This led into some discussion about licensing cost/laws. I now know that just about everyone in my workgroup is a hunter or target shooter. You'd probably be surprised who has one in your social circles too. Sometimes you just got to be the first one to admit it (knowing when to keep quiet is good too).

 

[Hemicuda]

the one time I was outright asked "are you carrying?" by an anti, (a friends wife) I said "please do not ask questions to which yoiu do not want an answer"

basically a "yes" with a warning that she shouldn't ask me that question ever again...

it musta worked, as she no longer asks anything about it... (but she has been to the range W/ me and him since then... we're working on her...

 

[280PLUS]

heh,,,

i DID discover a few closet shooters in the crowd and one was an older female english prof who used to own and shoot a sharps 1860 or the like.

"i could shoot a mosquito off your ear at 200 yards"

were, i think, her exact words...

:chuckling smilie:

i know what you guys are getting at with the technically correct answers. i based my snap decision and answer on 2 things

1. i didnt want her to freak out and cause a big scene, she would, believe me

2. i dont like anyone to know im carrying cause loose lips sink ships, the element of surprise is our most important asset as ccw citizens.

so i chose to not leave the question open like that.

 

[BerettaNut92]

For the women, I ask them how old they are and how much they weigh Yeah. A lady never tells.

 

[forquidder]

Sunday activities

My impression of the situation is that she may actually have been relieved that you weren't going to CHURCH. A worse crime in some circles than packing heat!