Maybe a bit TOO tactical......

[springmom]

Hubster and I were off to the local Petsmart, aka my home away from home (yes, I spend more time there than at Carter's Country). With two dogs and a cat, four parakeets and two bearded dragons, someone is always hungry and needing critter munchies. Parked in "my" DP spot, husband gets out, I get out much more slowly as usual. Then I look down and realize that my dear, loving cat has left me a present...roughly 5000 cat hairs on my dark blue t-shirt. Well.

I look around, no threats in the parking lot. One lady is coming out of the store with her big furry white dog. I bend over slightly and start to shake and brush off said cat hair, noting that he also left a goodly amount of cat DANDRUFF on the shirt. Kept brushing and shaking. All of a sudden I see movement out of the corner of my eye and I glance up to a big white furry dog in my face followed by its owner in my face.

First thought? "#%$*, I can't reach my gun."

She is frantically apologizing...."I am so sorry, he tripped me and pulled me over here." Dog is loving up on me, as all dogs tend to do. I relax, laugh, and love the dog up in return, telling her "no problem."

Maybe I might relax just a weeeeeeeeeeeeeee bit

Springmom the (maybe a tad over-)vigilant

[Lee Lapin]

It happens, Springmom.

I went by the grocery store the other afternoon to pick up a short list of things we needed at home. It was about a half shopping cart full, when it was all checked out and bagged- too many bags to carry out by hand, so I took the cart out to my truck in the parking lot.

There were lots of empty spaces when I got there and I had parked close to the cart corral. When I got done shopping and got back outside my truck was surrounded closely with other cars and there was no room to get my shopping cart up to the truck. I decided to roll it into the left side of the completely empty cart corral and unload from there, since that would put the cart conveniently at the right rear bumper of my truck.

I had gotten a few grocery bags into the truck when a very nondescript young man came directly toward me from across the parking lot. As he got close he struck up a conversation, saying 'You doing all right?' He came on into the cart corral and stopped close to the back of my cart. My P3AT was in its Hedley holster in my right hip pocket and I immediately stopped transferring groceries with my right hand. I didn't take my eyes off him as he continued chatting and I finished moving my groceries into the truck lefthanded. The outside rail of the cart corral and my cart were between us but I would have had to close the door of the truck behind me to back off any further. There was a car parked closely beside the truck, so close i couldn't even open the door all the way. In short, I was pretty neatly boxed in and had nowhere to go easily. It was an odd enough situation to make me cautious but i kept talking and moved groceries faster, never fully turning my back or taking my eyes off him. He wanted to know if I needed any help and I said no thanks, I almost have it all loaded. I finished up within seconds of his arrival.

When I finished emptying the cart he said 'You have a good day now' and rolled the empty cart back into the grocery store. Mine was the only cart in the whole parking lot that I could see anywhere and the young man wore nothing at all- no badge, vest, nametag, tee shirt etc.- to indicate he was a store employee- apparently a very industrious and dedicated store employee at that. I imagine he was thinking what a weird guy I was and wondering what was wrong with my back or my hip anyway. I was thinking how glad I was he hadn't done anything sudden to make me take my right hand out of my pocket... . I admit it made my heart beat a little faster.

lpl/nc

[Dwight55]

Sorry, Springmom, . . . I don't think that in general, we can really become "too tactical", . . . for the most part.

I actually enjoy (when it is over, of course) events like you and Lee had, as I know that just by being aware, . . . I'm seriously cutting my chances of being a victim.

I am not talking about the person with a CCW, two bugs, three knives, two cell phones, a pda, and his bug out bag in his fanny pack, . . . just the normal sheepdogs of us who are alert, . . . stay alert, . . . therefore, stay alive and well a bit longer: we hope.

Anyway, . . . glad both situations turned out good for both of you. Could have been a lot different either way.

May God bless,
Dwight

[imur_huckle_berry]

Went to the mall just the other day, wife was shopping with the boy..I was indescrete in the fake trees woking my way beside them to provide cover should the need arise. What's this? A tickle in my throat? I quickly turned two backflips to the Peanut Shack and promptly ordered a slurpy to quinch the thirst. I know, I know....my eyes were off the objective for awhile, but I do like the mountain dew slurpy.

But seriously...I absolutely REFUSE to sit with my back to the door anywhere we go, I have actually asked people in our party to change seats with me so I could see the entrance....pathetic, I know..

[Hans]

I wouldn't call that too tactical. If I were you, I would be happy that I am thinking quickly in a situation like that, good way to stay on top of things. I say good for you. Can't be too careful (most of the time).

[springmom]

What movie does that sig line of yours come from...."Its funny until someone loses an eye...then it's hilarious" This is driving me bats!

Springmom the bat

[Capt. Charlie]

But seriously...I absolutely REFUSE to sit with my back to the door anywhere we go, I have actually asked people in our party to change seats with me so I could see the entrance....pathetic, I know..

Not at all! In restraunts, and especially bars, I ALWAY find a seat towards the back, near an exit (fire or otherwise), and where I can watch the front door, and what's going on around me. There have been several times I'm glad I did. In the 60's, when I was attending OSU, there was a bar in Columbus called the Bowery (don't know if it's still there or not, probably not.) They had a VERY controversial group singing that were known for their obscene lyrics (even by today's standards). The lead singer stopped mid-song and made a particulary obscene comment about one of the female patrons... who's boyfriend just happened to be a linebacker for OSU. I'll leave it to your imagination (band members got involved, then patrons, and so did half of the OSU football team ) You know those old west barroom fight scenes? Those were NOTHING like this! I had the forethought to sit next to a fire exit. I took my date, hit the panic bar, and listened to the refrains of the fire alarm as it harmonized with the sopranto tones of police sirens. Lots of folks got arrested. We got drunk at another bar .

[imur_huckle_berry]

not from a movie (that I know of), my wife saw it on a 12 year old's tee shirt and I HAD to use it...

My screen name is from Tombstone...GAWD I love that movie!

[Sir William]

A handicapped and wheelchairbound female friend was shopping. She had her groceries out to the car and was tossing bags into her trunk. She just felt weird. She turned to find a homeless guy standing behind her. His comment was "Pretty lady want a man?" She drew her 38 Special from her thigh holster and replied; "Ugly man want some lead?" She said he moved on quickly.

[springmom]

I'm having trouble getting my breath, I'm laughing so hard!!!!!!

Still, I'm glad I didn't draw on the dog. Or its owner. Of course, she'd have probably thought twice about letting the dog run away with her again....

Springmom

[stratus]

good taste in movies, Doc.

[svtruth]

One of the things I try to do and tell the (grown) kids to do is be aware of exits that they KNOW are useable when in a bar/concert/etc. in case of fire.

[LoadIt]

I had a situation where I was at work where I was wearing a knife on the rear left side of my hip in a nylon pouch. I heard the Velcro on the pouch start to pull open and instinctively grabbed and started twisting the wrist of the person who was opening it while I spun around ready release my right fist into the assailants face. When I identified the threat it turned out to be a female co-worker who's intention was to flirt with me. OOPS! I apologized and told her everything on my belt was off limits except for the buckle.

[Blackwater OPS]

Yeah, thats an embarrasing situation. Even my LEO/Military co-workers know not to mess with me from behind, because I never vary my level of force when responding to an attack from behind, its too dangerous. That being said closest thing to that ever happend to me was a slap on the but, and I pretty much figured it out

Add me to the list of people who never sit your back to the door, thats just back luck anyway. Kinda like having "aces over eights" in game of poker

[Archie]

... my jaws start aching from carrying the Fairbairn fighting knife between my teeth too long.

Seriously.

* I make a full time effort to keep track of who is around me in the parking lot.
* I do not sit with back to a window or door. I do sit where I can see most of what is going on, as much as possible.
* Waiting in line, any line, I stand sideways or constantly turn 360 views.
* I park in open spaces.
* In traffic, I keep watching and I stop well back (one or two car lengths) from the car ahead of me so I have 'fiddling' room.
* In general just keep track of what is happening around me.

Yeah, the guy in the parking lot is probably just a panhandler. But I'll stay alert anyway.

Being watchful and wary is the price of going home in one piece and with all my family. I can live with it.

[sm]

Pets can blow training.

Most "unprepared moment" Part I

I went to visit a customer as I done many times before. As I pulled up I noticed she had peeked thru the blinds. As I approaced I noticed the front door opened. No biggie, she had done this before. "Come on in " she hollers, and I open the screen door, let myself in, and proceed to turn my back to the room to close front door.

"Whap!" I am nailed to the front door by a LARGE black Furry critter.
"Oh, I see you met Ginger, my sisters Chow".
That is a BIG dog. Really playful, she had mangaged to get a paw on my CCW gun grip and down I went. Dog weighed something like 120 #s . Looked a lot bigger with all that fur!

Customer laughs. Ginger decided she has greeted me enough, in in passing by the Lazy Boy chair, she just scoots it about 2ft on the carpet.
"Ginger is not used to my room furnishings - she just moves stuff out of her way. Coffee table got moved about 4 ft before I left, seems it covered her toy and easier to move table than for that big furry critter to get down to get it.
Great dog, really playful, Glad she liked me.

Part II

At the pet store. Minding my own business looking at new Dog collars.
"Thap!"

I go face forward into the display , all these collars and leases fall on me.

"Anyone know where Gertrude flew off too?"

I have no idea what kind of bird this was . It was big, It came from nowhere, and just happen to hit me square in the back of shoulders and forward I went.

I paid for my stuff, last thing I remember was a horrendus crash toward the back of the store, seems Gertrude was having a good time flyhing around the store, customers ducking and employees chasing.

The thought crossed my mind that my Citori 3 bbl set was in the truck - nah- Gertrude was having too much fun.
I get home... married at the time.
"Honey, you have a weird feather in your hair".
"Yes dear - Gertrude got a bit rambuncious a bit ago"
"Who is Getrude?"

Don't you hate it when the wifey laughs at you?
Even the dog laughed at me.

Ginger and Gertrude bested me - I admit it.

[springmom]

Here we are, spending all our time and money on guns and ammunition and learning how to shoot and talking to each other about said topics.... and all we really need is Gertrude!!!!! She sounds like a feathered RPG!

I'd pay good money to see that one on America's Funniest Videos. I can believe the dog laughed.

By the way, if Gertrude was white she was probably a cockatoo; otherwise I'd bet on a macaw. Either way, a pretty efficient weapon.

Springmom (don't move or I'll shoot you with my cockatoo)