"Why?" "To support morals..."

[mole]

I had what I thought was a humorous encounter earlier today. My mother discovered that she like a particular sandwich from a particular resturant, so she called me on my cell phone and asked me to pick one up for her. Being the dutiful son I stop and pick one up. I was open carrying my pt92 holstered on my hip with just my jacket hanging over it. I have the required permit.

I'm digging in my pants pocket for some loose change to keep from having to break a $20 and the cashier spies my handgun. Here's the paraphrased dialogue.

Her: "You work for the police or some 'um?"

Me: "No."

Her: "Then why do you have that?" (pointing to my hip)

Me: "For moral support."

***puzzeled look***

Her: "That helps you support your morals?"

Me: "Nah.........(smile) mine are fine, it helps support other people's."

I smile while saying the last part and she gives a little chuckle, but I don't know if she got the joke or if she didn't get it (she didn't seem to recognize the difference between "moral support" and "supporting morals") and was unsure of what to do. She remained polite and friendly the whole time, but it could have been the whole "the customer is always right" training. It was the first time that someone had openly noticed or acknowledged my firearm and wasn't as bad I thought it might be.

I must admit that I read a post on here a long time ago that contained something along the same thought as the last line, so it wasn't original.

 

[Biker]

Good one.

Biker

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Yes, Good One

I'll have to remember that.

(After HE says a particularly pithy line)
SHE: I wish I had said that.
HE: Don't worry, you will.​

 

[Ryder]

I think she got the point just fine.

 

[Outlaw Man]

That was a great answer! I think you handled it pretty well.

Unlike my permit instructor (who was also an undercover cop) did in the story he told us. He was at a concert, beers in his hand, waking back to his seat. A man with a small child in his arms (not a wise move, at all) steps in front of him and asks why he has a gun. He hadn't noticed his shirt ride up over it. He covered it back up and tried to get past the guy, but he was insistant on knowing why he had a gun. Finally, my instructor said, "to shoot people with" and pushed his way past him.

"Obviously not the best way to handle it," he said as he was relaying the story. Sure enough, within a couple minutes he could see uniformed officers approaching from all directions. He stood up and handed them his fake ID (they all knew him) and they ran it just like it was real. After it came back clear, they handed it back to him and walked off. He just looked back at the guy with the kid and smiled.

So, yeah, I'd say you did well.

 

[Mr White]

Maybe she didn't get the joke but chuckled just because she was afraid not to. She probably went home that night and told her ___ about the evil man with a gun who came in to the store, and how she barely escaped with her life.

In the retelling of the story, you were probably transformed from mild-mannered Mole, dutiful son, to one of the nastier characters from some Quentin Tarantino movie.
"And he came in and started quoting some bible verse about laying vengeance upon us, and then he shot Marvin in the head, and then he tied up the manager and cut off his ear and poured gasoline on him and then he left and kidnapped a preacher and his family in a Winnebago..."

 

[Eleven Mike]

Fake ID?

 

[Outlaw Man]

He was an undercover narcotics officer. If you're with a suspect and someone asks for ID, you can't blow your cover by showing your real one.

I would imagine it brings up something about it if a cop were to run it through their computers. I don't know for sure, though.

 

[Popov]

Hahaha...

Small world, Outlaw Man. I beleive I know the guy you're talking about!

Yeah, he used to work in undercover narcotics for the city PD. That was actually his REAL DL, I can attest to this because I've seen it.. and it actually is him under all that hair!

The idiot in question came up to him at Riverfest, with his young daughter in his arms, and asked the rough looking character "why do you have a gun?" in a wannabe tough guy voice (not smart) because apparently he was printing (off-duty). He looks at the guy straight in the eyes and says "in case I have to shoot someone" (not a recomended response). The guy runs off with his tail between his legs and tells the local PD working the event. They come over and (obviously) recognize the officer and do the routine "can I see some ID" as not to blow his cover.

Pretty funny, if you ask me!

Popov

 

[Outlaw Man]

Yep. That's him. Not a guy you'd expect to be a cop or concealed carry instructor. I guess that's the idea, though.

 

[Standing Wolf]

He looks at the guy straight in the eyes and says "in case I have to shoot someone" (not a recomended response).

Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Johnny_Yuma]

Mr. Orange

"And he came in and started quoting some bible verse about laying vengeance upon us, and then he shot Marvin in the head, and then he tied up the manager and cut off his ear and poured gasoline on him and then he left and kidnapped a preacher and his family in a Winnebago..."

No, no, no! He shot Marvin in the FACE, because the car went over a bump or somethin' and then Jimmy didn't have any Lava soap. Jeez, get it right!!!!!!

Why do I carry a gun? Because I can't shoot bad guys with a cell phone.

 

[Hemicuda]

"Why are you carrying that gun"... Because dragging it on a string would scratch it."

 

[#shooter]

Great set up and reply!

 

[Robert Hairless]

The funniest part of stories like these is that gun owners can't figure out why other people are opposed to individual ownership of firearms and want more gun control. Maybe those other people don't have a sense of humor or something?