Never, Ever Leave home without It.

Real Life | 8/21/2005 | CholeraJoe

[CholeraJoe]

"Never, ever leave home without it." No, not your American Express card, your sidearm.

This morning, I woke up about 4:15 and was hungry, so I decided to drive to the local 24-hour beanery. The only other customers were a table of 10, intoxicated 20-somethings making alot of noise.

There were 7 muscular young men and three loud-mouthed young women. After listening to their raucous laughter for 10 minutes, I politely asked the waitress to ask them to hold down the noise. All I wanted to do was eat my breakfast in relative peace.

Her request for quiet lasted about 45 seconds, then the noise and laughter resumed. At that point, I decided to do something.

Bear in mind that I am not an imposing figure. I'm 5'9", mid 50's, and slim. I walked over to the table, and walked completely around it twice. I said, "I'd like y'all to hold down the noise for a while, please." One of the young men started to give me trash-talk but within seconds was elbowed by the guy next to him, who whispered something in his ear. Then everyone at the table said, "Yes, sir, or OK."

What made the difference? Open carry. I was wearing a 9mm semi-auto on my right hip. I never touched it and I made no threats, but it was nevertheless visible.

[DCPatriot]

Good thing it wasn't my table.

Your car would have had 4 flat tires and excellent cursive writing on it with my key.

Hope you enjoyed your eggs.

[CholeraJoe]

LOL!

I had no idea this thread would stir up such a hornet's nest.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Disorderly conduct? I think that had they been drinking & were intoxicated, the possibility of PI would also be in order....

They weren't in "public." The fact that you can't grasp that simple fact is troubling

[CholeraJoe]

Louisiana, Vermont and Montana for starters.

[The Red Zone]

BzzzZzzzzzZZzzzzzzzzZZZ!

[humblegunner]

So your basic point is that carrying a gun made you enough of a badass
to enforce your will on a group of people whose behavior you disagreed with?

I think you need to seriously analyze your reasons for carrying.

And by the way, somebody tries that crap with me they are likely to lose their gun and maybe get a broken wrist if they hurry me.

[standing united]

what is all this shoulda coulda or woulda? It did not happen, and all is good. Give this guy his due.

Hell, I could leave my house armed and run into a number of people with a gun who might want a fight. That does not prevent me from leaving my home! Most people who know that you are armed do not, especially when they believe that to confront someone (with malicious intent) that they too could be shot in the process.

Anyway, it did not happen, he had his breakfast, and the young people maybe learned that others also frequent "public places."

[TN4Liberty]

Drunk and disorderly in public is legal? Let's party, Dude!

Then call a cop. Thank heavens they weren't speeding.

[Trailerpark Badass]

How in heaven's name would you know this? Big assumption..... Not everyone carrying is an idiot and untrained in the proper use of firearms in self defense.

If you're willing to take on 7 adversaries at contact distance by yourself, it's clear you have had no training.

[rlmorel]

Poor CJ. He probably thought he was going to get a chorus of "Right On's" on FR. Ah well, you live you learn. A good thing, in this case. I have done stuff in a vacuum before, and when I told others about it, I did not get the response I expected. Gave me time to think about it.

[Wolfie]

Billy Bad-ass? Chip on shoulder?...or both...

My money's on small penis.

[Gabz]

Drunk and disorderly in public is legal? Let's party, Dude!

As long as the owner/manager of the establishment doesn't object, yes.

[Melas]

I think what's really bothering everyone is the fact you circled the table.

Yep. Even though he's likely to deny it, you know he circled the table so everyone could get a good glimpse of the 9 on his hip. That would be menacing in my state.

[Dark Knight]

See a couple of my prior posts. The raucous laughter was punctuated by four letter words and racial slurs.<<

So what the F is your point? Are you gonna shoot'em for offensive laguage?

Do you like owning your home or want to give it to them in most idiotic method possible?

DK

[Ace the Biker]

ROFLMAO

[rlmorel]

LOL...

[rwilson99]

You're a nut and a liar.

"After listening to their raucous laughter for 10 minutes, I politely asked the waitress to ask them to hold down the noise. All I wanted to do was eat my breakfast in relative peace.

Her request for quiet lasted about 45 seconds, then the noise and laughter resumed. At that point, I decided to do something."

In your original post you only cite raucous laughter no cursing, no racial slurs. Nothing.

When your story has to change that's a sign that you admit you were wrong and go home.

[dakine]

hahaha...see post #83...

[Sometimes A River]

Uh, the discrimination laws are specific, ie, one may not discriminate against race, color, sex, creed, religion.

It doesn't say you may not discriminate for ANY reason.

Read the law, cowboy.

[xcamel]

Ditto - If you all can "what if" it to death, so can I.