This is a true story.
As I was loading my grocery bags into my car in the Bloomington Walmart parking lot tonight, a minivan stopped short behind me. I figured the driver must have decided he wanted the open spot beside my car, but instead, he exited his vehicle. Coming around the front of his car, he stood about 8-10 feet away and asked, "Sir, do you mind if I use you for a minute?"
Well, that is an unusual question. I closed up my car, locked it, and put my keys away with what I'm sure was a look of uncertainty on my face. It was only a momentary pause before he explained, "It's your pistol. Do you mind if I use you real quick?"
Without words, I indicated permission—if not to "use" me, then at least to see where he was hoping to go with this. He moved past the passenger door, where a woman—likely his wife—leaned out the window with what seemed to be as much interest as I had in what would happen, and opened the sliding door of his minivan.
Two young girls were seated in the middle row bucket seats buckled into car seats. I'm not the best judge of age, but I would guess they were between 4 and 7 years old. "Girls," the stranger began, "does he look like a good guy or a bad guy?"
I waved at them. "Hi there," seemed an appropriate greeting for the unusual event, so that's what I said, smiling.
"A good guy," they replied in unison, though with a hint of uncertainty. "That's right, girls," said the man, who was wearing a U.S. Army sweatshirt. "And what makes you think he is a good guy?" Looking at me, he requested, "Could you turn just a bit so they can see your pistol?"
I turned a bit, wary of turning my back on a stranger even in what seemed to be a situation that wouldn't end in tragedy.
"See that?" The man led. "When you see somebody carrying a gun out in the open like that, it isn't normally going to be a bad guy. Bad guys will try to hide it. You can normally trust somebody like this." The woman muttered, "Not everybody," and of course she was right.
Extending his hand to me, the man thanked me. "Thank you, sir. I just wanted to take the opportunity to show them this." He had a good strong handshake.
"No problem, man. I'm just glad to see there are people teaching their kids this. Take care, and have a good night."
"You, too. And thanks again."
And so ended the best open carry encounter I have EVER had. In Bloomington, Indiana, of all places.
As I was loading my grocery bags into my car in the Bloomington Walmart parking lot tonight, a minivan stopped short behind me. I figured the driver must have decided he wanted the open spot beside my car, but instead, he exited his vehicle. Coming around the front of his car, he stood about 8-10 feet away and asked, "Sir, do you mind if I use you for a minute?"
Well, that is an unusual question. I closed up my car, locked it, and put my keys away with what I'm sure was a look of uncertainty on my face. It was only a momentary pause before he explained, "It's your pistol. Do you mind if I use you real quick?"
Without words, I indicated permission—if not to "use" me, then at least to see where he was hoping to go with this. He moved past the passenger door, where a woman—likely his wife—leaned out the window with what seemed to be as much interest as I had in what would happen, and opened the sliding door of his minivan.
Two young girls were seated in the middle row bucket seats buckled into car seats. I'm not the best judge of age, but I would guess they were between 4 and 7 years old. "Girls," the stranger began, "does he look like a good guy or a bad guy?"
I waved at them. "Hi there," seemed an appropriate greeting for the unusual event, so that's what I said, smiling.
"A good guy," they replied in unison, though with a hint of uncertainty. "That's right, girls," said the man, who was wearing a U.S. Army sweatshirt. "And what makes you think he is a good guy?" Looking at me, he requested, "Could you turn just a bit so they can see your pistol?"
I turned a bit, wary of turning my back on a stranger even in what seemed to be a situation that wouldn't end in tragedy.
"See that?" The man led. "When you see somebody carrying a gun out in the open like that, it isn't normally going to be a bad guy. Bad guys will try to hide it. You can normally trust somebody like this." The woman muttered, "Not everybody," and of course she was right.
Extending his hand to me, the man thanked me. "Thank you, sir. I just wanted to take the opportunity to show them this." He had a good strong handshake.
"No problem, man. I'm just glad to see there are people teaching their kids this. Take care, and have a good night."
"You, too. And thanks again."
And so ended the best open carry encounter I have EVER had. In Bloomington, Indiana, of all places.
When someone says, "Can I use you?" I'd be thinking, "Well, sir, I'm flattered but I don't swing that way."
You are lucky to be alive! Little girls the most dangerous of all. Glad you still had your guard up cause they're known for disarming the best of us. 
