My semi-annual “CARRY, STUPID” reminder.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum supermarket.
About an hour ago (10pm), The Inconvenience and I decided to walk to the supermarket to get something to eat. (We’re overdue for grocery shopping, can you tell?) We loaded The Girl Child up into her stroller and set off on foot. The supermarket in question is a block away, and we cut through the county fairgrounds to get there. It’s a straight shot, but not very well-lit at night.
As we stepped onto the grounds, I noticed a male figure bopping around in an open grassy area. Again, not very well-lit, and he was wearing dark clothes. My situational awareness kicked up a notch, and I knew Mike had noticed him too. Neither of us said anything, just kept talking and walking. As we walked forward along the road, the guy cut in at an angle between a building and some Jersey barriers.
About this time, I noticed he was playing around with something. Then I noticed it was a big, shiny knife. Probably an 8″ blade. And he was stabbing a post with it.
What. the. hell.
Guess who wasn’t armed? Your dumbass humble blogger, that’s who. Fortunately, that’s why your dumbass humble blogger married The Inconvenience, and I saw my darling husband casually remove his gun-side hand from his pocket. Good, I thought. At least one of us is prepared.
Anyway, Creepshow falls in ahead of us, walking the same direction. He had an Army digi backpack. We followed him across the fairgrounds, and he went to the same grocery store. Once inside, I saw that he was wearing a dark Members Only style jacket, an ARMY shirt, some weird utility belt kinda thing, and jeans and tennis shoes. He looked young, shaved head. The Inconvenience theorized he was a dumb PFC who didn’t know any better. I don’t even think the kid was Army, I think he was a poser who likes surplus stores.
We ran into him in one of the aisles. I didn’t see the interaction, but apparently as he passed Mike he went quickly for his knife-side to make sure it was covered – presumably since he knew we’d seen it. Mike said the sudden movement just about earned the kid an elbow in the gut.
By the time we walked back home, the kid was with some other guy at the back of a UHaul-style truck, which they had a strap running out of and around a cement post at the fairgrounds. I have absolutely no friggin’ clue what they were up to, only that they had my Spidey Sense on high alert. I made sure we took the long way around the block rather than the direct line to our house, just in case.
Seriously, though. What. the. hell.
1) Carry, stupid.
2) I’m glad I had The Inconvenience go with us, because I almost set off with the kiddo alone. Granted, if it were a solo excursion I probably would have made sure I was a) armed and b) packing my cell phone. But still. I like having a big strong protector-type husband.
3) While I like having a big strong protector-type husband, I do not like the feeling of my safety being in the hands of anyone other than myself, even him. See point #1.
4) Creepshow might want to read up on his Idaho weapon laws.
5) I’m glad we were prepared to handle a situation, should one have arisen, but that we did not create a situation by being mentally unprepared and escalating what need not be. I’m also glad The Inconvenience and I were on the same page – and we never said a word about it until after the possible threat had passed. It’s good to go over these things in your own head, and even better to go over them with folks you’re frequently with.
Carry, stupid.
Consider that your brain duster.
Many ask me why I carry even out here in the peaceful Palouse. My response is always the same, “Because a cop is too damn heavy!” I’ve run into crap like that before and it’s amazing how many people don’t realize what they’re doing could be construed by others as a threat. I applaud you for at least being in condition Yellow and flipping to Orange as necessary. Even armed without that state of readiness, you’re done. Unarmed with the state of readiness you still have a chance.
That’s the purpose of P32 size guns — something you carry by default in case you cannot carry the real gun or forget it.
I thought you were going to say the TGC was not packing, and I was like, “well give her a few years!”
In other news, Oleg commented on your blog! If I touch your front door mat, will some of the coolness wear off on me?
I hope the “semi-annual” remark was facetious, or that the other reminders are of the “A friend was telling me…” variety!
I’ve always believed that there is no such thing as a safe place. I carry even inside my own house. Of course, it’s all secondary to your alert status.